Skrama:

Dangerously said:
You sent them to him! Good on you.

I received my skrama already. It’s marvelous to grip and pretend swing it around like I’m an Anglo Saxon warrior from five hundred years ago. I don’t know if it cuts anything yet, though. Have to go down a local trail and prune all the branches.
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Just sent him the Jaakaripuuko. The Skrama is his.
 
Late to the party

I am so regretful about the Skrama
Why did I spend so much money on small hatchets, 9" machetes, and kukri style knives?
The Skrama paired with a Silky does it all

I have not found a more versatile cutting tool
If there is reality to the concept of "One Tool to rule them all", then this is it.
Fast flip of the wrist chopping, with a long sweet edge
Neutral balance fine edge detail cutting
The ease to shift to the range of cutting tasks

The BK4 is the contender
I rebeveled the tool with a canoe stone
The recurve close to the handle is very acute that I can choke for very fine work
The chopping end with a more obtuse angle for taking the impact
The sweet spot is much shorter
Ethan's handle is very comfortable but forces a single grip type
You can flic for chopping but does not do well for fine cutting
But the Scrama outdoes the BK4 by yards

I have the Jaakaripuuko 140 in SS
It is not as strong and tough as the carbon
Battened thru some local olive wood, and the edge deformed some
Nothing serious and I have not even fixed it as the edge is still razor sharp
Superb knife
Next time in carbon

I have the Terävä Mini-Skrama bare tang with the bare tang leather sheath
Sweet solid worker
Zero ground it and the knife is wicked
Amazing and the full complement to the Skrama, then sell off all your other knives (just kidding)
They sell these with the rubber grip, but I cannot see the need as the bare tang is very comfortable (yes if you are going out in sub zero temps). And they are the same price as the 110 and 140 Jääkäripuukko, carbon steel

All the blades are manufactured by Lauri, and they are the main blade manufacture for most of the knives you buy in Finland (not Roselli)
So the quality is the best available
 
Last edited:
neeman said:
Late to the party

I am so regretful about the Skrama
Why did I spend so much money on small hatchets, 9" machetes, and kukri style knives?
The Skrama paired with a Silky does it all

I have not found a more versatile cutting tool
If there is reality to the concept of "One Tool to rule them all", then this is it.
Fast flip of the wrist chopping, with a long sweet edge
Neutral balance fine edge detail cutting
The ease to shift to the range of cutting tasks

The BK4 is the contender
I rebeveled the tool with a canoe stone
The recurve close to the handle is very acute that I can choke for very fine work
The chopping end with a more obtuse angle for taking the impact
The sweet spot is much shorter
Ethan's handle is very comfortable but forces a single grip type
You can flic for chopping but does not do well for fine cutting
But the Scrama outdoes the BK4 by yards

I have the Jaakaripuuko 140 in SS
It is not as strong and tough as the carbon
Battened thru some local olive wood, and the edge deformed some
Nothing serious and I have not even fixed it as the edge is still razor sharp
Superb knife
Next time in carbon

I have the Terävä Mini-Skrama bare tang with the bare tang leather sheath
Sweet solid worker
Zero ground it and the knife is wicked
Amazing and the full complement to the Skrama, then sell off all your other knives (just kidding)
They sell these with the rubber grip, but I cannot see the need as the bare tang is very comfortable (yes if you are going out in sub zero temps). And they are the same price as the 110 and 140 Jääkäripuukko, carbon steel

All the blades are manufactured by Lauri, and they are the main blade manufacture for most of the knives you buy in Finland (not Roselli)
So the quality is the best available
Click to expand...

also late to the party. now i'm wanting all their knives. also a Hukari :D

the Becker grip has more than a few styles, but they may not be obvious. as many will know the Machax (cough BK4) is my main man for 30 years. love the Scandi styles as well.

the Skrama a lot... whee. i love some of the parang styles out there, for instance, the Steven Johnson Parangatang - it's fierce, but different.

however, there seems to be almost nobody selling them, and the main source if out too.

what's this patience thing i hear about? lol
 
For those that think the Skrama is a little bit too long and heavy Varusteleka is introducing a mid sized (1/3 shorter and little bit lighter) one hand Leuku-style variant in 2019. So excited about this one.
 
Haven't looked at this thread for a while now.
I love my Skrama and its become just one of those tools to always pack when there is some work to be done.

Is everyone happy with theirs? I think the carbon's the stronger, tougher, and the one to have.
Anyhow, post if you are still getting joy from what has become a pretty established blade now a few have bought one.
Tell us how its gone.
 
Just used mine again this weekend for some clearing and delimbing work. It's my absolute favorite blade for that. For splitting kindling as well, as soon as I get down to diameters (smaller 1/4 sections, 1/8 sections from larger logs) that I can not realistically hit with precision using my GB splitting axe. Then out comes the Skrama and a small baton.
I fixed a long strap to an molle-compatible sheath (from the same sellers) so I can carry it baldric style under my left armpit. Works very well under a roomy jacket, too.
Of course you need to pair this up with some Silky saws. Then there is practically nothing you can't do. ;-)
 
Also, I think I described that earlier in this thread, mine is the carbon steel version and I have modified it, with much of the central stub on the handle sanded down and with the blade convexed and the bevel thinned. That way it slices better through green, flexible stuff. The 80CrV2 steel can easily take a thinner, convex edge without getting damaged or even substantially dulled from pretty hard chopping through tough woods like oak, maple, hazelnut and hawthorn. It typically takes off thumb-thick hazel branches in a single sweep while delimbing. I clean sap off and strop it after use. Sometimes a sweep on a ceramic rod followed by a few sweeps on the stropping belt, hardly ever need to truly resharpen on a stone. It also cuts bread well enough, but is a bit unwieldy for buttering it. ;-)
 
OK, yesterday we needed to get a two-year old chestnut tree out of a large pot to replant it. Completely stuck. We needed something long, flat and sturdy to pry the whole clump of roots out, so I used the Skrama to dig around the edge, ramming it into the earth and wriggling things loose with its spine (did not want to damage the roots). I used both hands on the handle, wriggled it sideways to almost lift 20 kilos or so of sticky earth and roots out of a foot-deep pot. It worked brilliantly. Just before that, I had cut lengthwise through over two metres of thick felt made from hemp and jute, used to protect freshly planted veggied against weeds. And I had been delimbing some hazelwood. After all this the blade still sliced through newsprint. :)
 
Discovered the Skrama while reading another thread a while back. I have heard very few negative things about it. So when the funds were available, I had to get one. I was working in the yard today when the postman came and handed it to me. Let's see... that was 6 days to ship from Helsinki to me (about 75 miles north of NYC). That was impressive alone.
I was very pleased when I opened the box. The packaging was simple, practical and did its job well. The knife arrived in perfect shape and wicked sharp out of the box. I put it to work right away clearing some space around some fallen trees I've been processing for fire wood. It easily took down 1 to 2 inch diameter hickory saplings in a single stroke. I have high praises for my Tramontina 18" machete at the same task, but the weight and balance of the Skrama along with its fantastic handle is far and away more comfortable to use. It is surprisingly agile and can go from chopping to whittling with a change of hand position on the grip. What a treat!
There isn't much to say that has not already been said here. I am impressed with the materials and workmanship. Very high value for the money. If you're looking for a big, high quality knife that won't break the bank, this is it.
IMG-6223.jpg
 
Looks nice I've read a lot about them and the only negative was in long term edge holding. It looks like a real beater though and like you mentioned doesn't cost a ton. Thanks for the info and pics I need to pick one up myself.
 
I am hoping to put that to the test. The steel should be up to the task as long as the heat treatment is good. I plan on working it pretty hard over the next couple of weekends. I'll be posting an update about it after that.
 
d762nato said:
Looks nice I've read a lot about them and the only negative was in long term edge holding. It looks like a real beater though and like you mentioned doesn't cost a ton. Thanks for the info and pics I need to pick one up myself.
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I can't say I have encountered any problem with edge holding. It holds a working edge just fine, but after a day of hard work it can do with a pass on a strop. The original edge has a steep bevel, it's better when convexed.
 
I have done quite a bit of work with my Skrama over the past weekend. Everything from limbing hickory in tight spaces where an axe or hatchet cannot be swung effectively (probably an average of 3" diameter branches) or where a machete might be damaged. I have also spent some time carving cured hickory with it - both coarse material removal and whittling. I am satisfied with the steel's ability to hold a good working edge through many hours of hard work. I did touch it up on a fine DMT pocket hone last night, but only spent maybe 10 minutes to get it cleanly cutting laser paper across the whole blade. It was far from dull, but it was noticeably not as sharp as it came. I can't say I was surprised it was no longer shaving arm hair after two days of chopping and slashing and carving. With all I've put it through, there has been no chipping, rolling or other damage to the edge other than that loss of crispness which was easily restored through normal maintenance.
It is definitely not a replacement for a machete (mine is an 18" Tramontina). I find that the machete still clears more brush per swing than the Skrama by virtue of its longer blade. But the Skrama makes short work of stout hard wood that the machete just isn't meant for. It throws chips like an axe or a hatchet and doesn't get wedged in the wood like a thinner machete, so for that kind of work it is much more efficient but it isn't as efficient as an axe provided you have room to swing one. The extended handle really lets you put some power behind the stroke and I found it comfortable to hold securely with and without gloves.
It is nice to be able to go from rough shaping of wood to whittling by using the thinner edge close to the handle and the ability to switch modes can be handy for doing quick work without needing two or more tools. I do find the weight of the Skrama inappropriate for fine detail required for artistic work, but it does not get in the way of itself when making stakes or other more utilitarian things you might need at a camp site.
In all, the Skrama seems to be an excellent tool for what you pay. The steel is done right and you won't spend more time sharpening it than working with it unless you're doing dumb things with it. It isn't a tool that does everything, but it'll do what it was meant to do admirably. It's a big knife that weighs more than a pound, so it isn't a great choice for those who count ounces when outfitting their kit, but it is a pound of steel that can take the place of a couple of other pounds of steel and keep the clutter down by eliminating a tool or two. And it is a great tool for working in the yard (well, my yard at least) clearing small trees and light limbing where other tools might be hard to use. It is definitely tough and I am quite pleased with mine.
 
DB_Cruiser said:
I have done quite a bit of work with my Skrama over the past weekend. Everything from limbing hickory in tight spaces where an axe or hatchet cannot be swung effectively (probably an average of 3" diameter branches) or where a machete might be damaged. I have also spent some time carving cured hickory with it - both coarse material removal and whittling. I am satisfied with the steel's ability to hold a good working edge through many hours of hard work. I did touch it up on a fine DMT pocket hone last night, but only spent maybe 10 minutes to get it cleanly cutting laser paper across the whole blade. It was far from dull, but it was noticeably not as sharp as it came. I can't say I was surprised it was no longer shaving arm hair after two days of chopping and slashing and carving. With all I've put it through, there has been no chipping, rolling or other damage to the edge other than that loss of crispness which was easily restored through normal maintenance.
It is definitely not a replacement for a machete (mine is an 18" Tramontina). I find that the machete still clears more brush per swing than the Skrama by virtue of its longer blade. But the Skrama makes short work of stout hard wood that the machete just isn't meant for. It throws chips like an axe or a hatchet and doesn't get wedged in the wood like a thinner machete, so for that kind of work it is much more efficient but it isn't as efficient as an axe provided you have room to swing one. The extended handle really lets you put some power behind the stroke and I found it comfortable to hold securely with and without gloves.
It is nice to be able to go from rough shaping of wood to whittling by using the thinner edge close to the handle and the ability to switch modes can be handy for doing quick work without needing two or more tools. I do find the weight of the Skrama inappropriate for fine detail required for artistic work, but it does not get in the way of itself when making stakes or other more utilitarian things you might need at a camp site.
In all, the Skrama seems to be an excellent tool for what you pay. The steel is done right and you won't spend more time sharpening it than working with it unless you're doing dumb things with it. It isn't a tool that does everything, but it'll do what it was meant to do admirably. It's a big knife that weighs more than a pound, so it isn't a great choice for those who count ounces when outfitting their kit, but it is a pound of steel that can take the place of a couple of other pounds of steel and keep the clutter down by eliminating a tool or two. And it is a great tool for working in the yard (well, my yard at least) clearing small trees and light limbing where other tools might be hard to use. It is definitely tough and I am quite pleased with mine.
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Great input and review! I feel similarly about mine.
 
Thanks! I am finding it to be a pleasure to use. I am glad I had a chance to compare it to an 18" machete, because it was the only thing I was concerned about. I wasn't looking to replace the machete and I really didn't want to feel like I had bought a $70 tool that did the same thing as the $20 Tramontina. It fills a gap between a hatchet and a machete, which is exactly what I was looking for. The fact that the handle design is unique between those two really tipped me towards the purchase and I am glad my observation of that panned out. Now I am drawing out ideas to wrap the plastic sheath with leather and make it belt friendly. In fact, if I had to make a complaint about it, that would be it. But everything else is so well done, I can overlook that minor drawback and just do a custom job myself. Besides, I like to have a good leather project going and this one should be fun.
 
DB_Cruiser said:
Thanks! I am finding it to be a pleasure to use. I am glad I had a chance to compare it to an 18" machete, because it was the only thing I was concerned about. I wasn't looking to replace the machete and I really didn't want to feel like I had bought a $70 tool that did the same thing as the $20 Tramontina. It fills a gap between a hatchet and a machete, which is exactly what I was looking for. The fact that the handle design is unique between those two really tipped me towards the purchase and I am glad my observation of that panned out. Now I am drawing out ideas to wrap the plastic sheath with leather and make it belt friendly. In fact, if I had to make a complaint about it, that would be it. But everything else is so well done, I can overlook that minor drawback and just do a custom job myself. Besides, I like to have a good leather project going and this one should be fun.
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If ordering anything else from them the leather sheath is great. Also have seen the plastic fit into an old army frog style pouch.
 
The plastic sheath is really meant as the blade protector inside another wrap - the inner protector of the leather sheath is exactly the same. The difference with the blade protectors of the Terava puukkos is that this one actually retains the blade up to and including the rim of the handle, instead of flopping around the blade. It's perfectly fine as a basic sheath when you carry the Skrama in a pack or keep it in the trunk (boot) of a car.
I noted one funny detail about that plastic sheath. I have an extra one as I also have a Terava molle sheath.
A few months ago I broke the long blade of a Silky Zubat pole saw (my bad, I did something stupid and the blade jammed). Lost about 40 percent of the blade. Got a new blade for the pole saw and then decided to turn the leftover part into a short handsaw as I already had a set of spare Zubat handle scales. It turned out that the Skrama plastic blade protector was a perfect fit for the shortened Silky Zubat. So now I have a matching pair in identical sheaths: Silky saw and Skrama. Great combo as the shortened Silky has very agressive teeth for its length so it saws like mad, and the Skrama then delimbs whatever thick branch I took off a tree like mad. ;-)
 
Yet another resurrection here…why not. Just ordered a carbon skrama today. Have been eyeballing them for a few years now. Im a big knife guy. Love sykco res-c too. From what Ive gathered, this should suit my taste quite well. Love bending kydex too and cant wait to dress this up! Anyone else still reading this thread done custom kydex for theirs?
 
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