Knife making in Finland

[Timberwolf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLnqr6IGVgs

[Humanbackhoe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLnqr6IGVgs

Hey Jack....Those are surely some beautiful knives, and that knife master is skilled in a number of trades at once. I would expect him to be expert in forging and metalwork, but the beauty of the ornamental german silver inlays and leatherwork was exquisite.

Do you have a knife with that style of birch bark handle?

Thanks for posting,
Andrew

[Timberwolf]

Hey Jack....Those are surely some beautiful knives, and that knife master is skilled in a number of trades at once. I would expect him to be expert in forging and metalwork, but the beauty of the ornamental german silver inlays and leatherwork was exquisite.

Do you have a knife with that style of birch bark handle?

Thanks for posting,
Andrew

..................
I was very impressed with the maker's skills also Andrew..I didn't know they used birch bark in that manner for the handles..I have had knives with Masur Birch handles but never any with birch bark...it was completely new to me...I was thinking I could put the handle in my stabilizing vacuum chamber and impregnate it with resin to harden it.

[salmo]

..................

was very impressed with the maker's skills also Andrew..I didn't know they used birch bark in that manner for the handles..I have had knives with Masur Birch handles but never any with birch bark...it was completely new to me...I was thinking I could put the handle in my stabilizing vacuum chamber and impregnate it with resin to harden it.

Puuko with Birch Bark handle...  (Watch is for size reference...)

   

   

   

[blackhat]

The smith reminded me of a great uncle, my paternal grandmother's brother.  They were first generation Canadians from an area known as New Finland near here.

[Timberwolf]

Puuko with Birch Bark handle...  (Watch is for size reference...)

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Sweet little knife, Salmo...and the sheath is beautiful also....

[C. in Indy]

Very inspiring material, thank you!
I was wholly unaware of this style of knife and sheath.
I ran it past my nephew, and he has a factory-made Finnish knife, much less ornate.

[TGW]

Very inspiring material, thank you!
I was wholly unaware of this style of knife and sheath.
I ran it past my nephew, and he has a factory-made Finnish knife, much less ornate.

I live some 80 kilometres from there and know there are still some active knifemakers in Kauhave though not as many as in the old days.

[Timberwolf]

I live some 80 kilometres from there and know there are still some active knifemakers in Kauhave though not as many as in the old days.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It's good to know that there are still some people making knives in the old way..We appreciate their craftsmanship..

[salmo]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Sweet little knife, Salmo...and the sheath is beautiful also....

Thanks Jack...

OK, here is a little extra background...

This Puukko knife was acquired from the maker himself.  We had a stopover in Helsinki, Finland during a Baltic cruise back in 2012.  We were lucky to hit a weekly Farmer's Market in one of the city's squares.  Most of the stuff offered there was farming produce but they also had a few extra stalls with "toys"...

This fellow, which appeared to be in his early 40's, actually had a knife-making workshop in his stall...  I don't recall forging but it have a grinding stone and a pot of boiling/hot water and leather needle works...  The sheaths were custom-formed individually... Leather cut to approximate the knife, then submerged in the hot water, then molded/formed and hand-stitched directly on the intended Puukko...  There were quite a few hanging there, drying out...

The maker had a small display of a few knives for sale, each with it's own individual "personality" of size, shape and finish...  None appeared to be as part of a production line and most included small imperfections that "enhanced" individuality, intended or not... I picked the knife pic'ed above for these reasons, especially for overall size, simplicity, and good balance...

I recall being told by the seller that the handle was made of birch bark... but after watching the uTube clip I suspect that, unless there are other methods to utilize the material, perhaps I misunderstood...  but regardless, I still like this Puukko anyway...!   

Salmo.