Knives made in Finland (or, puukko) have a very distinct look and feel that is difficult to portray in words. Generally, these knives are lightweight yet durable made with traditional material like curly birch or reindeer bone handles sporting a unique, recognizable shape. If you’ve ever owned a Rapala filet knife
(made by Marttiini Knives), then you can recognize the basic shape and handle design of a traditional Finnish puukko. But, puukkos must be handled and used to be truly appreciated.
Puukko your eyes out
Here’s some terms: the word, puukko is a term for Scandanavian knives, but is most closely associated with Finnish bushcraft knives that are used as everyday tools as well for woodcarving, hunting, fishing, construction, utility, etc. Puukko literally translated means knife. Just so we’re clear, saying “puukko knife” is sort of like saying ATM machine. Or, cash money. Just sayin’.
The word, “oy” means Company or Ltd. In other words, if you see somewhere on the Internet the words “Marrttiini Oy,” it simply means Company or Inc. I have seen this mistakenly identified as a specific model. This makes me wonder if there is a Coca Cola Oy bottling Oy in Helsinki somewhere.
Puukkos have a rich history that reaches back thousands of years, and is undergoing a sort of revival with the increasing popularity of bushcrafting worldwide. Unfortunately, Finnish law prohibits the public display of edged “weapons,” so the bearing of a puukko is technically illegal but usually not enforced due to its cultural importance. Apparently, Finns with puukkos are overly menacing when they’ve had one to many sahti. But, fortunately places like my home state of Montana don’t really care what you do.
Of course, Finnish soldiers still rock a personalized puukko which is their only non-standard uniform item. Again, this reflects the importance of this particular style of knife within the Finnish national identity.
Finnish pride in craftsmanship
The evolution of Finnish made bushcraft knives has has made an overwhelming impact to the overall form, function and appeal of using knives of this class. Finnish knives continue to be popular among bushcrafters for their incredible craftsmanship, superior quality, and relatively lightweight price. Out of the box, every Finnish made knife I’ve ever held had a sharp edge that generally surpasses most factory edges. I think this plays to the Finnish pride in their knife-making history and craftsmanship ethic that dictates that knives should always be sharp and ready for use. After all, you never know when you may be called upon to dispatch an errant caribou.
There are many quality manufacturers of Finnish knives, but I’ll only provide the highlights to a handful of the more popular companies with examples of their work. With such a range of options, there is something for everybody in the world of puukkos. Here’s a list of 5 popular brands of knives made in Finland that are widely distributed on the Internet from multiple websites:Here's a side-by-side comparison of some popular Finnish knives.