Puukko for sale. ( SOLD )

Blade:         97x21x4,9mm. 80CrV2 carbon steel, rhombic cross section. Scandi grind with small
                    secondary.
Handle:      Length 112,5mm. 31,5mm wide and 22mm thick at max.
                    Brown stained curly birch, bronze fittings.
Sheath:       Vegetable tanned cowhide, dyed dark brown. Birch liner inside for the blade.

Sold, thank you!

Forging a hatchet.

On my trips to the woods I always carry a small axe / hatchet with me. I've found out that for me max. 1kg axe is fairly enough. I rather pack a saw too than take a bigger axe. My current user hatchet is the first one I made, about 14 years ago, so I thought I'd make a new one for myself.

This axe head starts it's life as a piece of truck leaf spring. Cut off with an angle grinder and then annealed.

Then I drill a pivot hole for the eye drift. This is not necessary of course, but helps when punching the eye. Especially when working alone, and without power hammer or press.

Punching the eye. Takes many heats to get it done.

 

Eye done.

Starting to form the blade, for this I wanted some beard, and a bit of thinning behind the bevel to reduce weight.

Blade bit and poll are forged in shape.

Corners filed down and shape finished, edge sanded ready for heat treatment.

Edge is hardened in oil, then immediately tempered on glowing coal of the forge. When tempering is finished the whole head is dipped in tar and excess is wiped off.

Then it's time to start with the handle. Shape is drawn and cut off with a jigsaw. This time I used white ash. I still have some planks left from the time I used to make bows. Good material for tool handles.

Rest of the handle work is done with rasp, file, and sandpaper. First the eye part is fitted, leaving last half a centimeter to be hammered in when finally fixing the head.

I like to use cross wedges, so next thing was to saw two slots for them, and whittle the wedges from juniper. Before the handle is finally fixed I sanded the edge of the bit, and finished the handle with coarse sandpaper.

Then just fitted the handle in it's place, hammered wedges in with some wood glue, and let it dry. Next day it got some boiled linseed oil for protection, as well for the head itself.

This axe came out weighing about 800 grams, with a total lenght of 40cm. Edge is about 7cm. Decent size for my needs.

Most often around the area where I live I use stumps and roots of a fallen pine for campfire. From these you can pretty easily find fatwood, which lights up easily even in the rain. Downside with them is that they can have some rocks between the roots, so you easily damage the edge of your axe even when being careful. Stumps with roots won't always split easily, so I like my axe handle to be relatively thick, especially on the neck, so I can sometimes bend it bit sideways too. On the other hand it can't be too thick for grabbing it just below the head still.

Edge needs to be aligned straight with the handle. Decent end knob is a must in a wilderness axe, as you sometimes work with wet hands and tired.

I'm not that strict with bevel/edge geometry of my outdoor axe. Usually I use flat bevel with a secondary, convex works too. This is not a carving axe, so splitting properties are more important than being able to carve nicely.

I'm not a fan of sharp or pointed lower corner/heel of the bit, so bearded design gives more obtuse corned without adding weight. Also a flat poll is important for me, for example to drive tent stakes to the ground.

Future will show if this axe is to my liking in the woods.

Late spring hike

On the last week of May we went for a hike in Hammastunturi wilderness area. In southern Finland it can be already summer temps, but up here it's usually time for spring floods and last spots of snow melting away. Not really leaf buds yet, but night temperatures have been above zero for a while now. Nice time for hiking, as there's no mosquitoes yet.

This time of the year dogs have to be leashed in the woods. Nesting time for birds and other animals is about to start.

Just after 1 km on marked trail there's several old buildings from a gold digging era at the area. Part of the cabin serves as an open wilderness hut. These surroundings are still quite active in gold panning. Mostly as a hobby, but there are several people who even get a living out of it.

Suspension bridge over river Sotajoki.

Last winter's snow load has been too much for many young trees. Plenty of them around this area.

 Still some snow left, especially on north side of the hills and fells.

You can see the age difference when having a break. Teenager is constantly sniffing around, but a 10-year old rather enjoys the view.

 Reaching the Ivalojoki valley.

Suspension bridge over Ivalojoki. Main buildings of the golden history of the river are on the other side.

Looks like the dogs are watching if my girlfriend will also make it to the other side by that annoying wobbly bridge.

Main building of Kultala, "the golden place". It served as a Crown Station, house for state officers etc. Built in 1870. It's open for public. On the left is a bakery.

                                                 Some interior pics of the main building.

Front side of the bakery. This is rebuilt after the pictures of the original one.

 Inside of the bakery.

 Where there's a log wall, there's a need to carve your name on it..... I didn't.

 Open wilderness hut near the main building.

 Dogs are enjoying something that doesn't happen at home... Sitting on the bench during the breakfast.

 Nice weather to spend morning by walking around the riversides.

Some fishing too.

Creations of the ice age. Hiidenkirnu in Finnish.

Taking a look back to Ivalojoki, when walking back towards the starting point.

                                        

For first kilometers on the way back Pyry was hesitating to continue. Just slowing down turning back, and showing that he would like to continue the other way, not back to the car. Obviously too short trip.

                   But after a while he was his old self. Rolling in the snow to cool down, disappointment  
                   was obviously left behind.

Knife for sale (SOLD)

This time for sale is a Lappish type knife. Carbon steel blade in scandi grind with a small secondary. Handle materials are brass, moose antler and birch bark, with thin reindeer hide next to antler spacers. Tang peened on an inlaid brass plate. Dark brown leather sheath with a birch wood full liner inside for the blade.

- Blade 97x21x4,8mm
- Handle 113,5mm long, 31x22mm max width and thickness, 35,5x24 pommel.
- Weight knife only 135 grams.

This knife is sold, thank you!