My first bushcraft knife

[Moonraker]

Well, after several months looking, reading, ordering, cancelling ( after a long delay on another knife), fate offered up a chance to pick up a custom made puukko from it's original owner, which arrived in the post from the USA last week. It feels strange, but how things worked out, I feel this knife was meant to be mine :-) I guess you all have that feeling from time to time. I am not a knife nut but wanted a knife to carry for bushcraft duties.



Details:

Custom Birch Root Puukko Knife by Jean-Marc ‘James’ Saingery. The 10 cm blade is a Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade made by Karesuando. The blade essentially has a single bevel edge, but the very edge is slightly convex. The 10.5 cm (at its longest point) handle is made from epoxy stabilized Birch Root, with a nickel bolster & butt-plate, and wooden spacers composed of kotto, an unknown yellowish wood, teak and mahogany. The tang of the blade stretches the entire length of the handle, all the way through the butt-plate. The darker top portion of the blade has been acid-etched (for a more “carbon steel” look). The bevel was polished by 'James' by hand (i.e. don't expect a flawless machine finished satin/mirror polish), and the edge has also been sharpened by 'James' by hand. I got the knife from the original owner in great condition.

More details from JM's forum here:

James' - Birch root stainless puukko

I can say I am very happy to have this knife so far and look forward to giving it a good working out ASAP ):

I just want to say thanks to everyone who bothers to post knife reviews etc because these have been very helpful for me to make an informed decision

Simon

[TheViking]

Great looking tool! :-) I like 12c27 too, but I only see one problem with Karesuandos blades, the edge/bevel angle is not high enough.

The sheath looks good too.

[RovingArcher]

Looks like an excellent piece of kit to me. When you get an opportunity to put it to some good use, please give us a review. Hoping it works out well for you.

[rapidboy]

Very nice Moonraker ,looks like it was worth waiting for.

rb

[Leon]

Terrific looking knife. I have a couple of standard Karesuando knives (in carbon steel) and coincidentally after much experimenting with edge geometry settled on exactly the same set up - wide acute flat bevel with small convexed secondary bevel.
Still carves well but now also holds an edge very well on tougher tasks too.
Mine haven't nearly such attractive handles though. Good choice!!

[Webley Webster]

Great looking tool! :-) I like 12c27 too, but I only see one problem with Karesuandos blades, the edge/bevel angle is not high enough.

The sheath looks good too.

The convexing of the edge that JM did took care of that problem for me on my Ornan.

Web

[TheViking]

The convexing of the edge that JM did took care of that problem for me on my Ornan.

Web

I'm thinking of having it done too somewhere.

[BIG-TARGET]

Well, after several months looking, reading, ordering, cancelling ( after a long delay on another knife), fate offered up a chance to pick up a custom made puukko from it's original owner, which arrived in the post from the USA last week. It feels strange, but how things worked out, I feel this knife was meant to be mine :-) I guess you all have that feeling from time to time. I am not a knife nut but wanted a knife to carry for bushcraft duties.



Details:

Custom Birch Root Puukko Knife by Jean-Marc ‘James’ Saingery. The 10 cm blade is a Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade made by Karesuando. The blade essentially has a single bevel edge, but the very edge is slightly convex. The 10.5 cm (at its longest point) handle is made from epoxy stabilized Birch Root, with a nickel bolster & butt-plate, and wooden spacers composed of kotto, an unknown yellowish wood, teak and mahogany. The tang of the blade stretches the entire length of the handle, all the way through the butt-plate. The darker top portion of the blade has been acid-etched (for a more “carbon steel” look). The bevel was polished by 'James' by hand (i.e. don't expect a flawless machine finished satin/mirror polish), and the edge has also been sharpened by 'James' by hand. I got the knife from the original owner in great condition.

More details from JM's forum here:

James' - Birch root stainless puukko

I can say I am very happy to have this knife so far and look forward to giving it a good working out ASAP ):

I just want to say thanks to everyone who bothers to post knife reviews etc because these have been very helpful for me to make an informed decision

Simon

What you said prove my view about how important the handle is. You may have the world most expesive knife , with the best steel, and materials, and workmanship. BUIT!!!! You the handle IS NOT comfortable, you will not use it!!! \\:

[maddave]

Good lookin' knife there. Looks like it's going to be a 'user' rather than a drawer queen !! :biggthump