Iisakki Järvenpää is probably the most prolifc maker of puukkot in Finland and the name you are most likely to encounter. Järvenpää started making knives in about 1870, worked as a manager in the first puukko factory in Kauhava for a few years then opened his own shop. Iisakki Järvenpää Oy has been in business ever since and is as far as I know still run by his descendants.Thanks, Jer. I hadn’t heard of that maker before.
... and another mention of Iisakki Järvenpää. I’ll have to find out more.
While barrel handles and back stitched sheaths were already used during the Viking Age (790-1066) the rhombic blade profie was most likely properly developed sometimes during the 17th century.
While barrel handles and back stitched sheaths were already used during the Viking Age (790-1066) the rhombic blade profie was most likely properly developed sometimes during the 17th century.
Fennoscandic knives during the Middle Age looked more like this, with a full flat blade and more or less convexed edge. This particular blade is laminated, giving the illusion of 1/2 height bevels.
I don't have one single favourite puukko, but few specimen (1 birch bark handled and 4 maasepan) I use most often due to their feeling and proportions. All were crafted by Pasi Hurttila, before he slowed down significantly his production. He now seldom posts few pieces for sale on his blog every now and then.
Among the currently working puukkomakers I'd pick Arto and Jari Liukko anyday. Here is Jari's maasepan I use.
I've only recently been getting into puukko knives. Though I've always liked them, I've only admired them from afar until somewhat recently.
I still have a lot to learn about the knife, its history, and its merits as a tool. That said, I have been carrying and using one daily ever since I scooped up my first a couple of months ago. To say that I have become rather enamored would be an understatement.
The two I have are both of Finnish make - one by the maker Tommi Mäkelä (using a forged Saku Honkilahti blade) and the other is a Harri Merimaa design made by WoodsKnife. I am already seeking my next puukko and would like to find one with a stacked birch bark handle - I've heard good things about such construction.
I am eyeballing work from both Tommi Mäkelä and Saku Honkilahti - I like some of the things that Saku has written with regards to the puukko and I've enjoyed following the work of both makers - at least, in the short time that I have been doing so.
I guess it was a combination of having little raw material on Denmark ground, especially to develop a metallurgic industry, while having the german centre of cutlery production (Solingen) relatively near, a couple of knife production centre in Norway (Geilo) and Sweden (Eskiltuna) closer than Solingen, still mantaining a relatibely lively forging tradition, even when in the neighbour coutries the knife production was almost completely factory made.
DylanPàdruig - you will find the stacked birch bark handle to be a revelation of comfort and practicality. Just stay away from the ones that have been varnished. This is a handle style that excels with oil and wax - and only needs those to help keep it clean.
Varnish on birch bark is not necessarily a bad thing...it depends on what you call varnish. Todays stuff is a lot different that what was used years ago, its more like plastic. The older birch bark handles with the reddish finish are actually quite nice, not all that different than the natural finish.
