The Puukko

Yes, the puukko doesn't have one particular shape or size. Its just a word for a smallish utility knife. Seems to me that many definitions of the puukko use the Kauhavan style as an example as that is what we in the West have seen predominantly over the years and are most familiar with. I think that the word puukko is more like the English term pocket knife - a multi purpose knife with no real specific design parameters other than its small and easy to carry in your pocket. In addition, there are different types of puukkot - erapuukko, voulupuukko, metsastypuukko, partiopuukko etc depending on what is used for.
 
SwissHeritageCo said:
People get way too hung up on "what is a puukko" and it's origins etc, imho. Just like they do on scandi grinds.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but it is often necessary. Words have meaning, and using words carelessly robs them of those meanings. That's how we end up with the odious use of the term wharncliffe to describe the blade on the Benchmade Immunity.
 
SwissHeritageCo said:
People get way too hung up on "what is a puukko" and it's origins etc, imho. Just like they do on scandi grinds.
Click to expand...

Agreed. We modern knife nerds have a tendency to get way too narrowly specific and tend to want to strictly define and pigeonhole things. In my experience, in most of the world where knives are just practical tools, this is not at all the case, and there is often a fair bit of fluidity in terminology when it comes to "this" type of knife vs. "that" type of knife. Sometimes it may vary even from one region to the next.

kamagong said:
Agreed, but it is often necessary. Words have meaning, and using words carelessly robs them of those meanings.
Click to expand...
For sure. When terms are used flat-out improperly, that's a different thing. Like you said, "wharncliffe" is a good example - I cringe when I see how this term gets applied to some modern knives, and also how many people apparently don't understand what an actual wharncliffe is. But I think there's a reasonable middle ground between being overly rigid in terms of definitions and being too sloppy with terminological applications.

As an aside, I believe one of the practical features of the upswept Nordic/puukko blade design was for using the knife to fetch a kettle from the fire, by picking up the bail with the spine of the knife. The upswept tip kept the kettle from sliding off.
 
kamagong said:
Agreed, but it is often necessary. Words have meaning, and using words carelessly robs them of those meanings. That's how we end up with the odious use of the term wharncliffe to describe the blade on the Benchmade Immunity.
Click to expand...
Agreed, and in this case we have the time and luxury to hash it out.
As a direct result of this, I think I have a new book I'm interested in buying, so it's really a win all around.
 
kamagong said:
Agreed, but it is often necessary. Words have meaning, and using words carelessly robs them of those meanings. That's how we end up with the odious use of the term wharncliffe to describe the blade on the Benchmade Immunity.
Click to expand...
That's a fair point.
 
Well, the word is used quite loosely here...can more or less refer to any fixed blade knife...partly because the concept of a knife IS a puukko to people here, what else could there be??? :D Its popularity and efficacy spread abroad to Sweden/Norway, Russia. Lapland and the Samí people range over north Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. When Finland was an autonomous Duchy of Russia 1809-1917, puukko were made as presentation gifts to the Tsars and the Russian word for puukko is literally Finnish Knife (can't do Cyrillic here) same too in Polish.

Here's the dictionary ;)

Kielitoimiston sanakirja

Kielitoimiston sanakirja on Kotimaisten kielten keskuksessa laadittu suomen yleiskielen sanakirja.
www.kielitoimistonsanakirja.fi www.kielitoimistonsanakirja.fi

Got that? o_O Well paraphrase, single blade, knife as a working-tool whose tang is often the same size as the blade. My thanks to The Institute of National Language.

People here can and do bicker about 'pure' puukko. methods of forging etc regional differences, sheathes. But basically it is a relatively compact, lightweight knife, sunken tang with handle of wood, stacked leather, bark or contemporary materials with a genius sheath that makes the knife much more difficult to lose and much more comfortable to wear. Blade shape a secondary question really. As I said, primarily a working-tool for woodwork, carving, whittling, fire-making, gutting and butchering according to need. It functions well.
 
kamagong said:
"You actually used it!?"

:eek:...lol.

That puukko is one of my favorite knives.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

That arctic willow has held up really well too, strange how people think natural wood handles are delicate and I'm surprised more makers don't pay attention to simple things like balance. It's a big deal.

+1 for those production puukko brands like ahti, kauhavan, erapuu and martiini.
 
kamagong said:
The maker is puukkoseppamestari Mikko Inkeroinen. Per his notes, the wood is arctic willow.
Click to expand...

You sure that is arctic willow? Looks more like Goat willow. Arctic willow (Salix arctica) doesn't grow large enough to make a handle from....Goat willow, other wise known as sallow root, is pretty tough stuff.....
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top