Puukko for EDC question

S

silvaticus

Joined
Aug 26, 2016
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Hi folks, I've got a question that I hope the knowledgeable porch hive mind could help me with. I am a big fan of the puukko style, and one is on my belt often when out in the woods. I've recently been toying with the idea to also switch to a puukko for EDC. However, EDCing a fixed blade I found that they need to have a flat handle to work for me, and all the puukkos I know have very round/ fat handles.

So my question is: Does anybody have suggestions for a puukko-style knife (blade length 3.5-4 inches / 8-10cm) with relatively flat handles?

One option would be to go with a bare tang blade (such as the Terävä 85) and do a cord wrap, but I have to say that I am a fan of wood as a scale material.

The other option that I've been looking at is the WoodsKnife Wiking, but it is a bit short, and again only a bare/ cord wrapped handle.

Thanks for your input!
 
I'm assuming you are talking about this sort of puukko

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A puukko doesn't have to have a fat handle...
I carry one of these in my right front pocket all the time...

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How flat does it have to be?

The Tapio Wirkkaala puuko has a handle with a rhomboidal cross-section, i.e. the sides are flat but not parallel. The Tapio has been out of production for nearly forty years. They can be found, but are pretty thin on the ground, and carry a pretty hefty price tag.

Cold Steel made an homage to the Tapio, the Cold Steel Seki Sisu. These are also now out of production, and command prices that rival the Tapio. There is also a budget version, the Finn Bear, that has the same rhomboidal handle, done in plastic to a pretty low spec. For thirteen bucks you could try oone of those for the handle shap and see if you want to try to track down either a Tapio or a Sisu.

There are some puukkos out there with oval handles, if that would work for you. There may be some with flat handles, bu I would not know any offhand. Failing that, you could always commission a custom, make your own, or flatten the sides of a Mora or Marttiini.
 
Henry Beige said:
How flat does it have to be?

The Tapio Wirkkaala puuko has a handle with a rhomboidal cross-section, i.e. the sides are flat but not parallel. The Tapio has been out of production for nearly forty years. They can be found, but are pretty thin on the ground, and carry a pretty hefty price tag.

Cold Steel made an homage to the Tapio, the Cold Steel Seki Sisu. These are also now out of production, and command prices that rival the Tapio. There is also a budget version, the Finn Bear, that has the same rhomboidal handle, done in plastic to a pretty low spec. For thirteen bucks you could try oone of those for the handle shap and see if you want to try to track down either a Tapio or a Sisu.

There are some puukkos out there with oval handles, if that would work for you. There may be some with flat handles, bu I would not know any offhand. Failing that, you could always commission a custom, make your own, or flatten the sides of a Mora or Marttiini.
Click to expand...

Henry, thanks for the response. Doesn't have to be fully flat, but my Helle and WoodsKnife are definitely too round. I will look into the Tapio Wirkkaala puuko... And I've also been thinking about flattening a Marttiini or Roselli myself, in fact, so good thinking!
 
Helle... just flatten out your Helle, if it's the curly birch handle. Or, you could make a small scandi knife yourself with a Mora blade and a couple slabs of wood, and some epoxy... shape it to what you want..

I did a couple of Mora blades a while back, and I'm certainly no knifemaker, but they turned out very useable. One was a round-ish semi-puuko, and the other was a flat laminated mesquite and maple, with finger grooves. I have pics at home, and can post them if you are interested in what it would look like.
 
Or get an old style bird and trout like the Case little Finn.

But yeah, get a Lauri or Mora blade and do what you like for a handle.
There's a clever handling in the Mora 2/0 thread.
I suppose you could file the handle flatter on a CS Finn Bear. I find it pretty uncomfortable with the round upper edge and the sharp lower edge. (But I guess I'll leave mine alone, if they've gotten rare and pricey.)
Anyway, if you want the Scandi grind, the CS Finn Bear doesn't have it. Nor does the old style B&T, of course.
 
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hornetguy said:
Helle... just flatten out your Helle, if it's the curly birch handle. Or, you could make a small scandi knife yourself with a Mora blade and a couple slabs of wood, and some epoxy... shape it to what you want..

I did a couple of Mora blades a while back, and I'm certainly no knifemaker, but they turned out very useable. One was a round-ish semi-puuko, and the other was a flat laminated mesquite and maple, with finger grooves. I have pics at home, and can post them if you are interested in what it would look like.
Click to expand...
I'd like to see them.
 
I often carry my Brisa Elver in my pocket, their bushcraft 95 - sheath has a side seam and square bottom, so it fits pocket quite well. If you like more some stick tang, more traditional model I suggest you take a look at Tommi-puukkos, this pattern has often oval handles. I have a small one especially for pocket carry, I made a pocket sheath for that. The Tommi is in the lover picture with it's original sheath.
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hornetguy said:
Helle... just flatten out your Helle, if it's the curly birch handle. Or, you could make a small scandi knife yourself with a Mora blade and a couple slabs of wood, and some epoxy... shape it to what you want..

I did a couple of Mora blades a while back, and I'm certainly no knifemaker, but they turned out very useable. One was a round-ish semi-puuko, and the other was a flat laminated mesquite and maple, with finger grooves. I have pics at home, and can post them if you are interested in what it would look like.
Click to expand...

The problem with flattening out the handle of the Helle is that it'll make the sheath loose its tight fit... But thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate the input!
 
The only reason I suggested that is that I have a Helle Eggen that I am considering modifying the handle a bit. I don't use a fixed blade often, just on the rare occasions that I go hunting, and I have 3 or 4 that I used before I got the Eggen. It's still new in the tube, and I don't forsee using it the way it is... it's too bulky for an EDC kind of thing. Guess I should sell it, and get something I will actually put to use.
 
Different strokes for different folks, I guess, but the question that jumps to the fore in my mind is... WHY? I don't get it.
 
I think Enzo(Brisa) knives are excellent. I've carried a Birk 75 D2 with scandi grind off and on for about 4 years. Still razor sharp, thumbstud works well, good lockup. Also have a PK70 also D2/scandi for dress wear. Both excellent in all aspects. I think they (Enzo) are the only true folding Finnish made puukko around. Have tried one Marttiini folder, and it just didn't cut it (forgive the pun).
Rich
 
scrteened porch said:
I'd like to see them.
Click to expand...
Here are my "home handled" Mora blades. I didn't clean them up, so the blades are a little dirty from box tape, etc... I think I prefer the feel of the oval handle, it's Texas ebony. The flatter finger groove one is mesquite/maple laminate. Both would be ideal bird and trout style knives... probably would be better for that task if they were stainless blades, but I bought carbon steel. I have one more blade left, and plan to do an osage orange one..

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hornetguy said:
Here are my "home handled" Mora blades. I didn't clean them up, so the blades are a little dirty from box tape, etc... I think I prefer the feel of the oval handle, it's Texas ebony. The flatter finger groove one is mesquite/maple laminate. Both would be ideal bird and trout style knives... probably would be better for that task if they were stainless blades, but I bought carbon steel. I have one more blade left, and plan to do an osage orange one..

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Click to expand...

Wow, these turned out really nice hornetguy hornetguy , thanks for sharing!
 
Thanks... it's not a difficult thing to do... and, it's FUN!

edit: probably have less than $20 invested in each one.
 
In my continuing education regarding puukkot I was searching for folding knives and found this from Anssi Ruusuvuori from Finland. I mean, just gorgeous. And what an EDC this would make. I can’t find a contact for the maker, however.....

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Thank you TwoDogs

I am an old fart and not “socially connected” except for bladeforums
 
Ron

Have you looked at the Brisa/Enzo Birk 75? Have carried one (in D2) for about 4 years - great EDC (along with my SAK Tinker).
Rich
 
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