A master and his work. A closer look. Rauno's bear puukko A master is annoited! A few of my works. Boats on the Jämsä river Twistin' pine. Bending yokes. A shy vendor.

Fresh Karjalanpiirakka The grand aitta. True locksmithing. Proud recipiant of the tin man's work.

 The 700 year old church up the road.

Well, well, well, the Summer certainly has gone fast, and Fall is coming on strong. I’ve spent most of my time helping build the Kuortti’s new summer cabin and have spent little time in the shop. However, things are slowing down a bit so I thought I would take some time to write about the Kauhava show and summer festivals in Finland.
Firstly, the Puukko Festival in Kauhava. It has moved in the two years since I was there last... instead of being next to the original Isakki Järvenpää home and factory it is now held at a school about half a mile away. Unfortunately this is a much more conventional venue as compared to the more provincial flavor of the old site. It was done in order to accommodate a larger number of vendors.
The show is of a fairly modest size, perhaps 25 knife vendors, about two thirds of which are custom knife makers. The others are knife suppliers and factories,   or people who make knives from manufactured blades (fairly common practice in Finland, you frequently see these sold in the States as  “hand made” knives) I should point out that the cottage industry puukko has a long tradition, especially in Kauhava, and you can pick up a very nice puukko for relatively little money. These are by no means inferior knives. My interest, however, is in the individual craftsperson who makes their own knives.

Of these, there are several in attendance at Kauhava who should be mentioned. One of my personal favorites is Rauno Vainionpää. His puukko exemplify the oft heard saying “it’s beautiful because it is simple.” But it’s a deceptive kind of simplicity achieved by an intimate knowledge of his craft. It’s simple in line, refined to the point that there is nothing extraneous. It is trimmed of all fat. It is a fine tool made by a man who knows how to use it. Rauno is also a carver of wood, carving sheaths (tuppi) that fit with the same distinctive “naksu” (snap) that one encounters upon returning one of his puukko to his beautiful leather tuppi. He makes a tuppi with a bear head "hat" that snaps on wich is just incredible. Also, a kuksa (traditional Saami cup) with a puukko handle. He carves delicate birds with wings that are shaved from a single piece of wood, also a traditional art that is a real test of a carvers skills. Rauno’s puukko design is simply one of the best, and I learn from it every time I use mine. It should also be mentioned here that Rauno received his masters certificate this year at Kauhava, accompanied by a ceremony (held spontaneously by other members of the puukko community) in which his feet were washed with whiskey!
Kay Viksröm was also in attendance. As I’ve noted before, Kay makes a very no nonsense puukko with his own aesthetic. He tends towards the traditional forged blade with the hammer marks left along the spine. His handles are usually of exotic hard wood. He usually utilises the technique of using “small stitches” on his tuppi, a more Scandinavian style. It leaves a smaller and perhaps more refined seam than the traditional technique employed in Finland. It is sewn together off the puukko/lesta and then pulled over. This is a tricky procedure, one that I have tried but not mastered. I’m hoping that at some point I can sit down with Kay and go over the finer points on how to really do it right.
Arto and Jari Liukko are a father and son team who make puukko in the trditional Rautalampi and Kauhava styles. Their work is exceptional. It is the kind of work that takes your breath away. A little tear may even come to your eye. They are the best of a design that has been honed to perfection by more than 150 years of tradition. I’ve seen none better, even of the old masters. They may exist, but it is irrelevant, as these knives are perfection on their own right and stand among the great knives of any age. Jari, still in his twenties, has already created a master work with his double puukko with the Finnish lion shield inlaid with the most delicate silver and gold wire. This piece took more than a year to complete, and is featured on this year’s poster for the Scandinavian Knifemakers Guild, held on January 6-7 this year (2012) in Helsinki. It took so much time he swears he’ll never make another. However, when I asked him if he could view the work objectively (as it is as “perfect” as humanly possibly) he told me that he saw only the flaws. Such a humble man. But that means there’s hope, because this means he might give it another shot, reaching for that ever elusive “perfect piece.”
This was also the second show in which I participated, a chance to see and be seen. I had a good time and even sold a knife or two.
However, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t mention a few things that were a bit of a disappointment. First of all, I preferred the former venue. There was something about it being right next to Isakki’s former shop and residence... it just seemed right. The school felt much more sterile and generic. This was done in order to hold more vendors, however there was no more puukko makers, but people selling other things, not even necessarily craft, or hand made. It was not special or even of good quality and detracted, in my mind, from the great work that was there. Perhaps it is felt necessary in order to draw a broader audience. Finland has a very small population with very few people living that far away from Helsinki. These events tend to be very local affairs. From my perspective the other vendors cheapened the over all feel of the show and is really a disservice to the puukko show that it originally was (It is called the Puukko Festival, after all). Several of the better makers were not there (Jukka, Pekka, J.T., Pasi...) I imagine that many don’t consider it a valuable use of their time. As there are already so few shows, it would be nice to see them be such a draw that every puukko seppa would be compelled to show. But, as I said, the population away from Helsinki is quite small, and the custom puukko community is very new. The Puukkoseura (Puukko Society) was only started in 1996, Fiskars being the first show dedicated to hand made puukko. Hopefully it will grow and there will be more people interested in coming to see the work of these fine craftspeople. The big show in Helsinki helps, and may be the salvation. There are many fine makers out there that I have only seen in books and magazines that don't attend any of the shows. Here’s to hoping for a bright future for the venerable puukko!    
On the other hand, Finland comes alive in the summertime and there are many local festivals all over the country. From the internationally famous operas of Savonlinna and mediaeval reenactments at Hämeenlinna to racing, concerts, farm festivals... there is always something going on in the summertime. I only saw a few this summer, but I hope to explore more in the coming years as I learn the what and where of it all.
This summer I went to a local show here in Jämsä. Being a river town, people brought in their old steam powered boats, first shown parade style, and then docked on the river.  We were allowed on to board to examine these old treasures of the age of steam power. Those old motors are something else... I’m not a motor head, or even a boat guy, but it’s hard not to be fascinated buy the mechanics and tooling. And to think they’re still working after all these years of service. I’m sure they are a great pride to their owners, and a real museum to any motor historian or enthusiast.
The other show I especially enjoyed was a Farm Festival dedicated to the farming practices, machines, and life around the turn of the century (19-20th). This was a particularly beautiful day. A real oppotunity to see a not-so-distant slice of Finnish culture... and the kind of thing I would never have stumbled upon as a tourist. It is held annually in Palkane on a private working farm that is also a folk museum (for lack of a better term). The main part of the festival is held in between the stately old farm house and the aitta, which is, in it’s simplest form, a storage house, but can also serve as guest quarters or a windowless place to sleep during the short summer nights. This one was a particularly grand one, with two stories that included storage, guest rooms, work rooms, and a wonderful kitchen with a huge brick oven for baking bread.
 The courtyard was filled with booths where vendors sold such items as wild mushrooms, baked goods, woven birch bark items, hand made shoes... and there was always live music, which gave the whole affair a great ambiance. Behind the farmhouse, down by the lake, was more music, a demonstration of steam bending  wood to make yokes, brick making from the clay dug right on site, split pine weaving, and giant delicious pancakes fried on griddles by some lovely Finnish maidens! What more could you ask for?
The other section of the festival was in front of the barn, which is now a veritable museum, filled with a collection of old farm equipment and tractors. There were demonstrations on lace weaving, and an old style foot operated lathe. Taisto exhibited his display on the history of puukko. In front there was a man demonstrating how to make tin cups, a black smith, someone selling traditional folk clothing. There was a fascinating old codger making these twisted knots out of pine saplings.... the use of which I’m not certain. They appeared to me to be like the loop lassoes made to corral logs that were drifted down river for processing. At any rate, he looked to be the quintessential Finnish country man. You should note on his belt he is sporting the classic Saami kuksa (cup) and a WWII puukko. I didn’t have the opportunity to inquire if it was made by himself, as he spoke no English and I next to no Finnish, but I wouldn’t doubt it. Finnish culture is deep and rich, homey and warm. The Finns are a real “salt of the earth” kind of people, and their summer festivals are just that. Terve!

The second annual Helsinki knife show was held on January 8, 2011. Only in it's second year, this impressive show is apparently already considered "the big show" of Scandinavia (I thought Finland is not considered a Scandinavian country?). This is an international show with makers from all over the world, including Japan, Russia, America, Estonia, France and of course Finland. As such, there was just about any type of knife you could imagine... including many beautiful Puukkot.
The venue was very nice, being in the lobby of one of the downtown hotels, just across from the famous Stockman Department Store. (You'll have to excuse some of my glaring omissions, such as the name of the hotel, as I had my "knife enthusiast" hat on, as opposed to my "journalist" hat...)  This was a large show by Finnish standards, medium for the States,  just perfect for a one day event. Small enough that I was able to get around to see all the tables without feeling like I had to rush to avoid missing out on anything, but large enough that it didn't leave me wanting.
When I entered the room, having arrived within the first hour, it was already packed. Hopefully these were enthusiastic buyers. I couldn't get to the first three tables for a few hours, there was such a constant stream of people, but not too surprising when the likes of Jukka Hankala, Pekka Tuominen, and J.T. Pälikkö are manning those tables!
Needless to say, the work was mighty impressive. This is a rather prestigious show so all the work was of first tier quality. One of the major differences I noticed at this show, as compaired to the shows I've seen in the States, is there is much less emphasis on folding knives. They were there, certainly, but in fewer numbers. One of these folders, for instance, was a beautiful liner lock the Nylund brothers, Jakob and Simon, had recently made and were offering at a price that was way too low (Did I pass that one up? I should call and see if it's still available). They told me it was only the second one they had made, but they had it nailed, beautiful action, perfect lock up (no travel), no floppy blade, just smooth easy opening. If this is their starting point, I wonder what they'll be capable of in a few years?
Another young man doing impressive work is Jari Liukko who is learning from his father Arto Liukko. Arto is a master of the Kauhava and Rautalampi styles, with the stacked tuohi (birch bark) handles and the intricate metal inlay. Jari is doing incredible work already and I expect to see his skill set expand. It's great to see such skilled young people and to know that these wonderful knife traditions will be carried on.
There were too many makers to comment individually on each one. I'm sure you'd have to write a book in order to give each of them their due, but I'll try to cover some of the folks who stick out in my mind. First off I would have to mention Pasi Jaakonaho, maker of some of the most beautiful Lappin puukkot I've seen. Also maker of the knife that adorns this year's Helsinki Knife Show poster. I bought a knife from him at the first show I went to in Fiskars in 2006. It's one of those knives that I grow more and more fond of as time passes. It's an increadible antler knife completely covered in the most intricate incised lines from head to toe, without being cluttered or mechanically monotonous... it's hand worked perfection by an artist who loves his work and is dedicated to keeping the Saami handcrafts alive and authentic. If you have not seen the work of Pasi Jaakonaho, do yourself a favor. Another artist, whom I had not seen before, is a Lapp from Sweden named Lars-Erik Marsja. Wow!... Wow! Breathtaking. He is not a smith, but uses the blades of another master, reserving his efforts for the fine handles and tuppi that are lovingly engraved with the finest Saami designs I think I've ever seen. The handles, made mostly of antler with fine inlays of wood, are beautiful on their own right. Then they have the most painstakingly elegant engraving from top to bottom. It takes 8 hours to complete about 6 centimeters. He uses a sun symbol that has been handed down for generations as a personal emblem. These knives are not cheap by any means, but well worth the expense. J.T. Pälikkö, as I mentioned, was there with his swords. His work is always amazing. His knives, I believe, are some of the best in Finland and he can make anything, from Bowies to scramasaxes to katana and back again. And he dosen't make swords that "look like" the swords you've seen in books, he makes the swords that perform as they should and he knows how and why they should perform the way they do. These may be fully dressed, in ivory and all, but they are tested as if they were going to be used in battle. Serious swords!
There was Mr. Reverdy from France, maker of incredible works mostly in Damascus. He's one of the rare knife sculptors. His work has the quality if having grown organically from the soil or formed in some rock formation. Where most knife parts will come together in a nice flat line, his knives will be intricately caved and fit into a seamless whole. A very  gifted sculptor, he has an eye that really visualizes his work in three dimensions. Although you may see others working in this way, rarely does it come together as naturally and aesthetically pleasing as in Mr. Reverdy's work. And a fine mustache has he! Kay Vikström was there with his excellent work knives. His knives are of the less is more variety. These are knives that you want to pick up and use. Believe me, I've used his knives and they work, the kind of knife that you cut through end grain and it leaves a shiny surface. And when you pick them up and you get that special one, you know, the one that fits into your hand just right... Kay makes the kind of knives that melt into your hand. And it must be mentioned that he had a most unusual guitar on hand, a Franken-Fender if you will, that Kay built for himself from forged parts, an old sign, the neck of an old (57?) fender... Super cool, this thing has personality. He also sells blades that you can put your own handles on, a fairly common practice in Finland.
Markku Vilppola was there with his Viking flavored work. He also casts bronze pendants like the ones that turn up everywhere the Vikings went (which was just about everywhere!). Mauri Heikkinen was there with his Tommi-Puukkot. The award winning Jukka Hankala who is usually mentioned with hushed reverence by just about every puukko maker in Finland, whom I understand took the prize for best maker at the prestigious Paris show this year. Pekka Tuominen maker of some of the cleanest lines in the puukko world, also inventer of a very cool folding puukko that we may soon see produced by Spiderco. Teuvo Sorvari with his incredible Vöyrin puukko complete with brass belt. Anssi Ruusuvuori, the man behind the massive and informative Puukkon Historia book, which is up for an award here in Finland. Michael Blue who makes his way from Minnesota in order to attend the show. Even kindly old Altti Kankaanpää came down from Kahuava as a spectator. Altti is the last of the old school cottage puukko makers who continues to run a shop much like back in the golden days of Kauhava puukko home industry. He was nice enough to take me into his shop and show me around when I came to the Kauhava Puukko Festival in 2009.
So, Helsinki Knife Show 2011 seemed like a big success to me. Beautiful knives, friendly interesting people... what more could you ask. I had a great time and look forward to seeing it again next year. Terve!      

First, I'd like to explain a bit about what a puukko is. There is a saying that "All puukko are knives, not all knives are puukko." The Finnish word for knife is veitsi. This covers all knives, kitchen knives, pocket knives (linkkuveitset) and yes, puukko. It is improper to call a puukko a puukko-knife. The word puu in Finnish is wood. The puukko is seen as a knife for wood, or a woodsman, and at this it excels, for many reasons.
 These are some general rules about what makes a puukko recognizable as such. Of course, like any rules, these are often broken and one can find many variations.The Puukko is a belt knife. That is, it is carried in a sheath (tuppi), hanging from a belt. The puukko is generally a modestly sized knife, the blade being about as long as the distance across a grown man's palm, with a handle of more or less equal proportion (8-10cm, or 3 1/2-4in.) The blade is more or less straight. The handle is in line with the back of the blade. Similar knives with curved backs and handles are usually of a more Scandinavian origin. (Finland, while being Nordic is not technically part of Scandinavia.) The puukko will have a single bevel from the thickest part of the blade (the spine) to the edge. The thickest part of the blade is usually about a quarter to a third of the way down from the back. This single bevel creates a steeper angle than most knives we Americans are used to, that have a secondary bevel just above the edge. This edge geometry is much like a chisel, which is part of what makes this knife work so well when carving wood. Most puukko also forgo a ricasso, allowing the use of this "power spot" for carving wood. The further out from the hand down the blade you work, the more stress is put on your wrist, due to the forces of leverage!   
 This brings us to one final point in the discussion of the puukko, which is a major difference in the way knives are viewed in Finland versus America. American knives were developed at a time when a knife was seen as not only a tool, but as a weapon. Especially a back up weapon for a gun. They tend to be heavy, often to the point of being over built. They also tend to have a rather large guard, to protect the hand from slipping onto the blade if the tip hangs up in a sticking motion. Many hunters advocate a large guard to protect the hand during the slippery job of  field dressing and butchering an animal. My objective is to discuss puukko, so I do not intend to advocate knives with guards or not. The design of a knife should reflect it's intended use. There are distinct disadvantages to having a guard, especially a large one, on your knife. Namely, It gets in the way! There are knife using techniques and designs, such as a large ricasso that allows you to "choke up" on the blade, in an attempt to mitigate this issue. However, many of the decisions about what is right or wrong in a knife design come down to what your used to and how you use your knife. If you are more comfortable with a guard, then by all means!
 Puukko do not have guards. Sometimes, if it is felt that it needs one, they will carve out a recess behind the bolster or ferrule. A guard on a knife, in the mind of a Finn, denotes a fighting knife. It protects the hand during a stabbing motion if the blade contacts something hard, such as bone. During skinning there is no need for a stabbing cut, the finger rests behind the blade for opening an animal and care is taken to avoid bone. During wood work you use a cutting motion, and a guard will only get in the way. Therefor, a guard is considered superfluous on a puukko.
 There is also a major difference in how the knife is carried. In America, most right handed people will wear a belt knife on their right side, for a straight draw with their right hand. A puukko is carried (for a right hander) on the left side, for a right handed cross draw, the sheath being grasped with the left hand. This is why sheaths are of the "dangler" variety. It also allows for the knife to be easily pushed out of the way when sitting and to be easily drawn while in this position.
So, that basically covers it. The puukko is a work knife for the woodsman, of modest dementions and generally percieved as a tool, not a weapon. It has a long history, many examples pulled from graves a thousand and more years old. There are many traditional forms, from the simplest to fancy festival models. I'm looking forward to making these models and sharing what I learn. My next writing will be to describe the venerable Tommi puukko, some of it's history, and describe what I've learned making my first four, including a double Tommi, my first double sheath! Until then, Terve!  

      

Well, it's been quite a month! I landed in Helsinki on the first of November, met with my hosts in Lapeenranta on the tenth, started my first puukko, got a taste of Finnish winter (beautiful and cold), and now here we are at the end of the first month!
Taisto Kuortti has graciously extended an offer a puukko enthusiast like me could never pass. I will be spending the next three years studying the history and techniques involved in making each of the traditional puukko. I'll be working in Taisto's shop and sharing my experience with you. As I learn from each of these traditional models I will discuss what makes each of these models unique, and share with you the techniques used to make these beautiful knives. My emphasis is on techniques and tips learned from puukko smiths that differ from what I've seen back in the States. I hope to bring to life some of the details that are sometimes hard to glean from the few translated sources that are available in English.
The first topic I will be discussing is the Tommi puukko. I have two rather large specimens and two of a more traditional size finished and ready for sheaths (tuppi). Two will become a set, a double Tommi, and the remaining two will be individually sheathed. After they are finished I will go over the process and explain a bit about how to make a double sheath.
Future projects will include Voyrin puukko, Rautalampi puukko, Hevosenpaa puukko (the classic horse head puukko from Kauhava), Harman (festivali) puukko, leuku and more... with information on traditional metal inlay (sorkoupotus) in birch bark handles.
If you have questions or suggestions pertinent to puukko history or making, please, ole hyva. Please forgive my lack of proper umlaut use (that's coming too, I promise) but I still need to figure out how to get them on my computer!

Big week. Many firsts; first puukko project in Finland, first blog, first Finnish language class (Mina en puhu Suomia.)
The first project is a Tommi Puukko, originally created by Kalle Keranen in the 1870's. Soon I will tell the story of how the Tommi was born....
I'm writing from Jamsankoski, a couple hundred kilometers North of Helsinki, from the shop of my gracious host, Taisto Kuortti. I'm starting from scratch here, so you can see what the Finnish knife scene is like from the perspective of this beginner, and learn about the rich history and traditions of the ruggedly elegant Finnish puukko in it's many forms. Not only will I write about the history of the puukko, but I will talk about the techniques used to make and decorate these beautiful knives, comment on the knife scene and what is currently going on at shows, and perhaps diverge from time to time to talk about what I see as I get to know this beautiful country we call Finland, or Suomi to the Finns.
These first photos are of two future Tommi blades and a Sami Leuku (Finnish), or Stuorra-Niibi (Sami) big knife.
The second photo is of the shop.
The third is an old original Tommi puukko by Setti Keranen.