Urban Puukko

youmagine

A puukko is a Finnish fixed-blade knife that's small, full of utility, and intended to be carried at all times - with the handle traditionally being made by the owner of the knife. As someone who spends close to 100% of my time making, cooking, or exploring, it's rare for more than a few hours to pass without needing a knife for the task at hand - making it easy for me to appreciate the design legacy that the puukko embodies. At the same time, however, I now live in a major city... and even if it is perfectly legal to have a small knife on your person, most people still think it's a weird thing to do.Inspired by one of my favorite design and designers -  Tapio Wirkkala (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapio_Wirkkala) - I have begun iterating on a modern, high-performance, urban-appropriate knife for everyday use.  The latest incarnation is presented here. It incorporates the unbelievably well made  Lauri PT 77 blade (http://thompsonsknives.com/lauript.html) (an awesome, carbon steel, progression-tempered blade with full scandi grind for incredible sharpness, edge holding, and overall strength) and an asymmetrical handle intended to allow carrying close to the body while providing a great feel in the hand.  The form lends itself well to appearing utilitarian, friendly, elegant, or powerful, depending on the color and material it is printed in. This version is for left-handed use and worn on the left side of the body. Mirror the design for right-handed use.  I currently use a simple leather sheath, folded and stitched, but am working on an improved design. Will post here when it's finished. Update: I've been using this every day, all over the world, since the day this was first posted, and am even happier with the design now than when I started.