Scandinavian/Nordic Utility/Hunting Knife - Research Help, Please and Thank You

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GriffonEagle

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Aug 9, 2011
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Hello, Everyone -

I have read a bunch on this site, but I'm a new poster. I've been running google searches and searches on this forum, but I haven't had much luck - maybe I'm just not using the right combination of key words.... I was hoping that some direct questions would perhaps give me some good leads so I could go off and do my own research.

In short, I am a shooter, archer, and hunter, and I have always enjoyed knives and have amassed a fairly varied collection of blades. I am very new, however, to Scandinavian/Nordic utility/hunting knives. I'm looking to add a fine example to my collection, but I want to do a bunch of research and learning first. I'd love to find out more about the following:

1) the various types of Scandinavian/Nordic utility/hunting knives and are there differences from country to country; and
2) whether a comprehensive listing of Scandinavian knife makers (or at least the most major ones that I can access from the United States) exists, and, if so, where I could find it. (Rather than just asking everyone for their opinions on who is best, I thought I could try to look up different makers myself, see whether their work interests me, and then research those makers on my own.)

In particular, I'm looking for a rugged utility/hunting knife that I can use on a regular basis as an all-around knife.

Thank you so much for any and all help, everyone. I apologize if I'm stepping out of line by asking for assistance from others in my first post instead of contributing something to the community....

Sincerely,
GriffonEagle
 
Hi GriffonEagle and welcome. I have a friend who is an authority on Scandinavian knives, he's written a couple books and also buys and sells knives. Email me or send a PM and I'll get you connected with him.
 
I'll second the suggestion to look at Ragweed Forge. You will find a good selection there.
 
I don't know of a comprehensive list of Scandinavian manufacturers. But those knives are very popular among the readers in the Survival Skills forum area - might be a good place to browse or ask more specific questions.
 
So, that is not the answer to your question, for it is way too big. But if you look here https://www.brisa.fi/portal/index.php?option=com_oscommerce&osMod=index&cPath=94 you will get at least some names you then can use for search adding just a noon like "knives" or "blades" - something should come up. The good thing is that it touches Finland and Sweden and a Norway to some degree. Some names are missing - like Jukka Hankala, Marttiini, Fallkniven and many others. But that would be a good start anyway.
And look at the site Gallery - there are some nice examples of scandi knives.
My own choice would be a knife with Anssi blade. And I have got two. But I do not know if there is a source of production knives with these blades. I have made my knives myself - so can not really recommend... ;)
Jukka Hankala's knives would be my second choice - even if he does not make them himself anymore. Though I can not really say if it is difficult or easy to obtain now.
Heimo Roselly would be also a good choice - quite affordable and available with very distinctive shape...
 
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The Kellam knives website also has some VERY nice examples of Scandinavian knives. Between it and Ragweed Forge, you've got a lot of selection. Ben's Backwood also offers Enzo. If you look in the makers section on here, several of them will make a custom knife in that style for a very reasonable price as well.
 
Agree that Ragweed Forge has really good information about the blades. Kellam has good knives, but they are also a re-brander. Nothing wrong with that, just information that they get their knives from a lot of the same manufacturers that Ragnar buys from so don't be surprised at some overlap. For that matter a lot of the puukkos you'll find are manufactured by guys that buy Lauri or Kankaanpaa blades wholesale and then finish grind and handle them. Go to Brisa or Thompson's Scandinavian Knife Supply sites and you will see a lot of the base blades and get an idea of how the handles and sheaths are made.

For the most part when you start looking at actual knives made in the Nordic countries you will see nicer looking Norwegian knives like Helles, more workmanlike Moras from Sweden, and then a wide range of Puukkos (shorter) and Leuku (longer) from Finland and from the Sami areas that overlap all three countries. What all tend to have in common are thinner blades than the overbuilt monsters we see in the US, flat 'scandi' grinds that are dead easy to touch up with a pocket stone and wooden handles with minimal guards that are cold weather and mitten/glove friendly with no exposed tang to conduct cold.

Notable exceptions to these rules are the Finnish Ranger Puukkos, with thicker blades and rubber handles that are overbuilt and aimed for a more militaristic market and the Fallknivens that are convex ground and show a little more international influence in their design.

I own a Woodsknife puukko with a birch and reindeer antler handle which is beautiful and scary sharp. My wife has a Paaso puukko with a stacked birchbark handle. Both are nice, light, well built and completely suited for use in the woods and both are gorgeous.
 
Wow! Tons of responses in such a short time. Thank you all for the detailed information and suggestions. I have a lot to read and some great leads. I'm off to read all your responses more carefully and get to some research. Thanks again.

Oh, and thank you for the warm welcome.

GriffE
 
Jukka Hankala , & J.T. Palikko in Finland make complete knives start to finish. They are also some of the best . Both have awards, and are Smiths of great skill that compare with the rest of the Nordic countries.
A lot of knives are made by people who purchase very good blades and do the rest of the work.
This is common. Some people just make blades in this cottage industry. The Euro makes it tough to purchase because it is almost 2/1 to the dollar right now.
Remember that a lot of these countries have populations that are 4-5 million people.
Some times it is easier to start with a Roselli or the other like Ragnar carries. There are some good pieces at reasonable prices considering what you get. Roselli has a UHC that is very high carbon 2.0 % and really cuts well. Factory knives can also be good ( Mora, Hella ) are very good and you can fit you budget..
 
try here http://home.earthlink.net/~rsblade/puukko.htm

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From my personal experience I can warmly suggest a knife made by finnish smith Pasi Hurttila.
http://www.hurttilanpaja.suntuubi.com/?cat=1

He's a hunter, fisher and hiker for passion, a wilderness guide as a part-time worker and a full-time blacksmith from a few years now, but with many years of experience in forging.
He's also a very nice guy to deal and talk with, he has an extremely good english and he's very helpful even for giving only advices or suggestions.


If you prefer a knifemaker that hammers his blades, but treat them in a hoven instead of working exclusively in a smithy I can't find, in my experience, anyone better than Karl-Erik Lindblad, memeber on here too.
http://knives.dreamlandproject.se/index1.htm

He used to but blades form other makers, common behaviour in Scandinavia, but recently he started to forge his own blades from 1080 steel.
His skills in making knives needs to be seen in person to really understand it.

So let's say that Pasi is better if you want a REAL workhorse knife and you don't mind about slightly uneven bevels, Karl-Erik is better if you want a real jewel of a knife that is not only pleasing to the eye but also a great worker.
 
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Check out a manufacturer called Stromeng.
They make traditional Saami-knives, allround knives that can take a real beating.
They are actually issued in the Norwegian army as the field knife...
 
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