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HFinn

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I am taking a trip to northwest Finland and I have to visit also Kauhava, the home of Iisakki Järvenpää, the oldest running puukko-factory in Finland. I have been there once before. This time I had an intention to take a look at some of their knives in earnest.

I am most interested in "Aito-puukko" (real, genuine) and their traditional local patterns. A horse-head puukko is their most famous product. Aito would be a good work knife but still is visually interesting. The horse head is the flagship of the factory, especially the "Vallesmanni", a 6 inch modell. A sheriff is closest to vallesmanni in USA. Most famous of those was Adolf Hägglund who in 1867 restored order after an era of lawlesness in the area with heavy-handed tactics, he was famous for his use of beatings during the arrest and interrogation of local "häjyt" or gangsters.

vallesmanni.jpg


Money is a bit of a problem right now. Of my crying credit card.
 
I have a book written by the local priest that records the history of the era in northwest. Hägglund was in the service of the local governor, when it was asked who would want to try restoring order in the area he was the only one who was willing to take the task. He proved to be the man for the job, he finally broke legend of invincibility of these two gentlemen in the picture. Hägglund was also a veteran of the Crimean war, thus use of force was nothing new to him. He was only 26 years old at this time.

Antti_Rannanjarvi_ja_Antti_Isotalo.jpg
 
Aito, se on iso!

puukko.jpg


Massive Horsehead which is on display in the Kauhavan museo.

mvh, Will
 
The chains weighted 60 kg. I have read that both were wealthy peasants, but inclined to fighting and they gathered their gang from landless young men who wanted to get a reputation.

Cant remember which one, but one those two is said to have been able to jump on a horse and had a wooden dummy at home, to which he trained his knife skills.
 
If I really get stingy I could get this small "Junki" that was, according to folklore, used to for eating butter and scaring children :D A small pocket puukko, overall lenght about 6 inches.

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This was an interesting visit. I got a lesson on how important it is to handle the knife you plan to buy before you decide. This time it led me to pass.

Best of what I tried was the Aito-puukko, but even that was somehow a little bit clumsy. The proportions were just slightly off. I know this is matter of taste and subjective, but when I compare it my Kullervo-puukko or the little Tommi by Mauno Keränen, there was no contest.

So if I want another puukko I will save some money and get a larger Tommi with rhomboid blade.
 
These knives are simply beautiful works of art. Very functional pieces also, I am sure!
 
Thanks for this bit of history. Really interesting. Those gangsters look like they were very tough indeed.
 
RobbW said:
Thanks for this bit of history. Really interesting. Those gangsters look like they were very tough indeed.
Click to expand...

They usually gathered a gang and went to harass people, steal horses, livestock and sheep. After Hägglund started operating in the area they tried to murder him by shooting through his window. Antti Rannanjärvi was later killed in a fight after doing time in jail.

Most of their crimes were thefts, assault and battery and Antti Isotalo was finally convicted of murder. Strangely enough he got out of jail alive and was for the rest of his life respected by locals. He was often called to keep the peace in partys for his strenght and courage.

There is a song about them: "Iso Antti and Rannanjärvi ne jutteli kahden kesken, tapa sinä Kauhavan ruma vallesmanni niin minä nain sen komian lesken" (Big Antti and Rannanjärvi were talking to each other, you kill the ugly sheriff of Kauhava and I will marry his beautifull widow". Those gangsters are still extremy popular characters in local folklore. Still, the truth is that most of their crimes were done by ganging up on some unlucky individual.
 
This is so embarrassing. I don't know how to write this.

I talked on the phone with a friend. His advice was that I should try several knives of the same style, ask to see at least 3-4 of them and try them in your hand. Since I spent several days in the area I did what he adviced. This resulted in me coming home with a Järvenpää Aito-puukko I liked :D And a small Junki, with red handle. For the latter I will make a slim pocket sheath that will fit the comb pocket of a suit jacket, the knife has a 70 mm blade so it should do fine in light cutting and it looks like a gem. I got a good price (and all the usual explanations).

Damn. Flesh and mind is weak :D Pictures will follow.
 
Actually, since I own several puukko's, from small to middle-sized I think I will have those for a while in my edc-rotation. I have not done that for a while. A small pocket sized puukko is more than sufficient for daily tasks. Problem with those is that they can be bulky in the pocket, so modifying the the handle is a good idea. Also they usually need a new sheath.
 
Haha. Congratulations! Can't wait to see the pics, especially if you do mods.

Thanks for the further history. Really fascinating. :thumbup:
 
I don't see what's embarrassing in post 12.
So you found a Jarvenpaa aito that you liked after all. The trip was a success.
Please tell us how the junki feels in hand. I think I would have a problem with the short handle.
 
Considering the intended use the junki is not bad. I can actually get a 3 and half finger hold, my hands are not that big. It was originally designed as a eating knife and for delicate cutting, carried many times in a douple sheath with a larger knife. I will use it today for some food prep and report. Mostly I will use it as a fixed blade "gentleman's knife". It is sharp to begin with and the tang is peened over the pommel, not only glued so this should be a decent small knife.
 
I cut off the tail from the original sheath to make it more fit for pocket and it will do now. I also stropped the junki and I could propably shave with this. The dimensions of the knife are almost exactly the same as in my Boker beauty steel, only slimmer and of course the Boker is sturdier with it's full tang. I think this is just cute.

WP_20151106_002_zpsp4mxepnx.jpg
 
Cute and cool.
I can't make out the shape of the pommel. Is it wedge-shaped, like my Y.J. Kauhavalainen?
 
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