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- Jun 29, 1999
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Ive been looking for a North American puukko for some time, meaning, a rugged, all-round utility knife large enough to skin and quarter a moose, small enough to handily peel an orange, and compact enough for discreet civilian carry. Something along the lines of a 4/5 size Master Hunter, with a non-slip grip for cold, wet or messy conditions, a sturdier blade than traditional puukkos and a convenient carry system. The sheath is integral to the knife, as the Finns know.
Nothing I saw quite seemed what I wanted, although my collection grew substantially (Frost, Ericksson, Roselli, Marttiini, Colorado Cutlery). I was starting to think about ordering what I wanted from a custom smith when Fallkniven in Sweden came up with almost exactly what I was looking for: the F1 survival knife.
The F1 was adopted by the Swedish Air Force in 1995, and considering that the military are usually pretty careful about selecting their hardware (notwithstanding the occasional multi-billion dollar boondoggle), I took that as a resounding endorsement. Plus, all of the reviews I read (Fred Perrin, Sergiusz Mitin, James Mattis) were highly complimentary. It was also affordable, even with the Canadian peso at 65 cents US, so I ordered one from Blowoutknives.
Two weeks later it arrived, setting some kind of new record for Canada Post, although the wait seemed longer, sort of like a kid after sending off cereal box tops for a prize. (I ate a lot of Cheerios during a largely misspent youth.)
This is a compact, solid knife. The Themorun grip is harder as well as slimmer than the MHs kraton but still provides a good grip. A portion of the tang is exposed at the butt in case you need to pound on it, or with it, and theres a lined lanyard hole, handy when working over water. I couldnt find a single grind flaw in the blade. It was almost shaving sharp out of the box with a very aggressive edge and one tiny burr for about a quarter inch, which resulted in a slight nick when I tested it for shaving capabilities (ouch!). Five minutes on a DMT ultra-fine diamond hone, followed by a few licks on a wooden-backed strop impregnated with chromium dioxide sharpening compound (from Lee Valley Tools), brought it to hair popping sharp.
Carbon steel would have been my first choice, say, O1 or Carbon V, maybe even 1095, but Im not fanatical about that. My usual daily duo, a SAK and a CS Voyager, are stainless steel, and they cut well and re-sharpen easily. Stainless alloys can do even better than tried and true carbon steels under certain conditions, as editor Steven Dick of Tactical Knives pointed out recently.
The steel is VG-10, reputedly specifically alloyed as a cutlery steel. Various reports indicate that it is produced in ingot form in a small steel mill on Honshu island in Japan, using Swedish iron ore. VG-10 has been turning up in a number of higher end knives, including Spydercos little Moran fixed blade. There has been little said about the heat treatment, but all of the reviews so far have concluded that VG-10 is one very tough steel with exceptional edge holding qualities. I havent tried it out on any big game yet, but it works well around the kitchen and the workshop, out in the garden and along the jogging trail where it tends to get grown in. It seems to sharpen almost as easily as carbon on a diamond hone (it should diamond is way harder than any steel), and it holds an edge well enough that I cant tell much difference between it and carbon. With any kind of luck Ill try it out on something with fur this fall, alongside my Carbon V Master Hunter and the little Marbles Fieldcraft in 52100.
The F1 came with an puukko style sheath in heavy leather dangling on a four inch strap. This basic Finnish 'tuppi' design is intended to hold the knife securely so it doesnt drop out as you gambol through the woods, so it requires two hands to draw. It works well if youre sitting in a car or a canoe; it just gets out of your way and holds the blade securely. It is a little bulky for inside the waistband carry, though ("Is that a Fallkniven in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"), so I got hold of Eric Noeldechen (a.k.a. Normark) at On/Scene Tactical in Harrow, Ontario. He carries ready-made Concealex sheaths for all of the Fallkniven line, in addition to his custom sheaths for knives, tools, flashlights, etc.
The black, F1 Concealex sheath arrived in less than a week, another record for Canada Post. Concealex is a tough, light, springy thermoplastic, thinner than leather. Lightly textured and non-reflective, it is available in a variety of colours and patterns including Real Tree camouflage. Like the F1, it first appears deceptively simple, but as you examine it closely its obvious that a lot of thought and good design went into it.
The sheath is made of a single piece, folded over and precisely molded to the shape of the blade and grip. Three rivets secure it, with a G-clamp belt clip attached by two Phillips head screws that thread into aluminum fittings through holes along the edge of the sheath. A hole is provided at the toe to drain any moisture.
The mouth is subtly flared for easy insertion and the F1 snicks into place perfectly. The sheath holds it firmly, no rattles, but you can remove the knife with a good tug or replace it one-handed. The handle protrudes a mere three inches, and the total package sheathed is nine inches long.
All of the Concealex sheaths from Normark are ambidextrous. The G-clip can be attached to either side, and positioned in 45 degree increments for vertical, canted, horizontal carry, inside or outside the waistband, strong side or weak side. Theres even a grommet at the tip for neck carry. It is slim enough to slide unobtrusively into a front or back pants pocket. Another option available is a hunter style sheath with a belt loop.
I love the look and feel of wood, brass, stag, and leather, but this combination makes a slim, elegant, practical package thats all function. From now on, it goes where I go.
Nothing I saw quite seemed what I wanted, although my collection grew substantially (Frost, Ericksson, Roselli, Marttiini, Colorado Cutlery). I was starting to think about ordering what I wanted from a custom smith when Fallkniven in Sweden came up with almost exactly what I was looking for: the F1 survival knife.
The F1 was adopted by the Swedish Air Force in 1995, and considering that the military are usually pretty careful about selecting their hardware (notwithstanding the occasional multi-billion dollar boondoggle), I took that as a resounding endorsement. Plus, all of the reviews I read (Fred Perrin, Sergiusz Mitin, James Mattis) were highly complimentary. It was also affordable, even with the Canadian peso at 65 cents US, so I ordered one from Blowoutknives.
Two weeks later it arrived, setting some kind of new record for Canada Post, although the wait seemed longer, sort of like a kid after sending off cereal box tops for a prize. (I ate a lot of Cheerios during a largely misspent youth.)
This is a compact, solid knife. The Themorun grip is harder as well as slimmer than the MHs kraton but still provides a good grip. A portion of the tang is exposed at the butt in case you need to pound on it, or with it, and theres a lined lanyard hole, handy when working over water. I couldnt find a single grind flaw in the blade. It was almost shaving sharp out of the box with a very aggressive edge and one tiny burr for about a quarter inch, which resulted in a slight nick when I tested it for shaving capabilities (ouch!). Five minutes on a DMT ultra-fine diamond hone, followed by a few licks on a wooden-backed strop impregnated with chromium dioxide sharpening compound (from Lee Valley Tools), brought it to hair popping sharp.
Carbon steel would have been my first choice, say, O1 or Carbon V, maybe even 1095, but Im not fanatical about that. My usual daily duo, a SAK and a CS Voyager, are stainless steel, and they cut well and re-sharpen easily. Stainless alloys can do even better than tried and true carbon steels under certain conditions, as editor Steven Dick of Tactical Knives pointed out recently.
The steel is VG-10, reputedly specifically alloyed as a cutlery steel. Various reports indicate that it is produced in ingot form in a small steel mill on Honshu island in Japan, using Swedish iron ore. VG-10 has been turning up in a number of higher end knives, including Spydercos little Moran fixed blade. There has been little said about the heat treatment, but all of the reviews so far have concluded that VG-10 is one very tough steel with exceptional edge holding qualities. I havent tried it out on any big game yet, but it works well around the kitchen and the workshop, out in the garden and along the jogging trail where it tends to get grown in. It seems to sharpen almost as easily as carbon on a diamond hone (it should diamond is way harder than any steel), and it holds an edge well enough that I cant tell much difference between it and carbon. With any kind of luck Ill try it out on something with fur this fall, alongside my Carbon V Master Hunter and the little Marbles Fieldcraft in 52100.
The F1 came with an puukko style sheath in heavy leather dangling on a four inch strap. This basic Finnish 'tuppi' design is intended to hold the knife securely so it doesnt drop out as you gambol through the woods, so it requires two hands to draw. It works well if youre sitting in a car or a canoe; it just gets out of your way and holds the blade securely. It is a little bulky for inside the waistband carry, though ("Is that a Fallkniven in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"), so I got hold of Eric Noeldechen (a.k.a. Normark) at On/Scene Tactical in Harrow, Ontario. He carries ready-made Concealex sheaths for all of the Fallkniven line, in addition to his custom sheaths for knives, tools, flashlights, etc.
The black, F1 Concealex sheath arrived in less than a week, another record for Canada Post. Concealex is a tough, light, springy thermoplastic, thinner than leather. Lightly textured and non-reflective, it is available in a variety of colours and patterns including Real Tree camouflage. Like the F1, it first appears deceptively simple, but as you examine it closely its obvious that a lot of thought and good design went into it.
The sheath is made of a single piece, folded over and precisely molded to the shape of the blade and grip. Three rivets secure it, with a G-clamp belt clip attached by two Phillips head screws that thread into aluminum fittings through holes along the edge of the sheath. A hole is provided at the toe to drain any moisture.
The mouth is subtly flared for easy insertion and the F1 snicks into place perfectly. The sheath holds it firmly, no rattles, but you can remove the knife with a good tug or replace it one-handed. The handle protrudes a mere three inches, and the total package sheathed is nine inches long.
All of the Concealex sheaths from Normark are ambidextrous. The G-clip can be attached to either side, and positioned in 45 degree increments for vertical, canted, horizontal carry, inside or outside the waistband, strong side or weak side. Theres even a grommet at the tip for neck carry. It is slim enough to slide unobtrusively into a front or back pants pocket. Another option available is a hunter style sheath with a belt loop.
I love the look and feel of wood, brass, stag, and leather, but this combination makes a slim, elegant, practical package thats all function. From now on, it goes where I go.
