Ahti Korpi

I fully recommend this Ahti knife, or really any knife made by Ahti (I've owned 3). I'm probably not alone in saying it's easier to be happy with a knife when you know you didn't overspend. Ahti makes an artisan product very very well for an--almost--budget price. Even if you didn't get the full grain veg tan leather sheath with the knife--which you do--it would still be good value.

Let me talk Ahti knives generally for a minute before I explain what I like specifically about the Korpi. The curly birch handles are outstanding. You always get a hand-peened tang running through the knife. The Lauri Metalli blade has been refined in the Ahti workshop to bring it to an almost zero scandi with a fine microbevel. The spine has been filed to 90 degrees, for those that need that extra utility. The 80CRV2 steel in the Lauir blades has a really good heat treat. It'll process firewood all day. I've never chipped or rolled the edge, even when I used it harder than I probably should.

The Korpi, in particular, is sort-of that perfect size for a knife you might take camping or just on a hike the blade is long enough to baton through small wood or slice through the width of an onion or apple. It's also small enough that the whole package with sheath could fit in a pocket if needed. The handle is very ergonomic. The fit between the blade and the brass bolster/fitting is seamless. I have higher end pukkos that still have gaps in that fitting (supposedly it's tough to make the fit perfect). This is a subtle but clear example of the quality. My example has outstanding figuring in the birch (thanks Redbeard!) If I had any feedback for improvement it would only be that the sheath could be taller, to swallow-up more of the handle. While the friction fit is flawless, I just have this slightly unreasonable feeling that the knife should sit deeper in the sheath for additional security. As always, service at Ragweed was absolutely top notch!

I am very impressed by this knife and Ragweed Forge. At first I ordered an Ahti Metsa, a slightly longer knife, from another distributor. It felt really great in the hand, but the fit and finish left something to be desired with the model I got. It would take a lot of work to make it acceptable to me, personally.

I then ordered a Kauhavan Puukkopaja 106 direct from Finland. The fit and finish was very good, but the handle just wasn’t as comfortable as the Ahti, and I was starting to see the longer blade as a bit of a hindrance for my purposes of small game hunting and woodworking.

I ordered the Korpi from here, third time being the charm. Indeed it was. The blade length was exactly what I was looking for and Ahti’s fit and finish on this model was absolutely spot on. No gap between the brass bolster and wood handle, the grinds on the blades are perfect, and needless to say it came razor sharp. The handle is narrower than the Metsa, but what I found happens is that the handle burrows into the crevices of your knuckles when held, making for an extraordinarily controllable and secure hold. Ahti knew what they were doing with this knife.

A LOT of people point out microbevels on these Laurin blades and try to work them out so that the knife has a “zero” edge, meaning the primary bevel is the only bevel on the knife. THERE IS A REASON SCANDI KNIFEMAKERS LEAVE A MICROBEVEL. If you try to work this bevel out, the primary grind will be too narrow and fragile, and will inevitably roll or chip if you work on anything harder than meat or softwood.
You see this time and time again on reviews and people blame the knife. They should only blame themselves. A microbevel is not a bad thing at all on these knives and only adds strength and performance without sacrificing anything.

Mild diatribe aside, this is a wonderful knife. I’m very happy I chose this model because survival experts say that an ideal knife blade is supposed to be as long as your four knuckles on your hand, and for my hands the Korpi is dead-on, while having a nice comfortable controllable handle with which to wield it. The smooth transition from handle to blade is exceptional on this model and exactly what you want when looking for a working knife.

If you’d like a solid, time proven knife design that’s not only capable but stellar at all fine duties a knife should do, I highly recommend the Ahti Korpi.

Love the handle texture also came in sharp!

This was my first Ahti knife. Holding it for the first time was a milestone. A refined distilled shape in the hand. The beautifully finished blade is perfectly sharp. The dark figured wood Redbeard picked for me is actually stunning. With XL hands the Korpi is a perfect three finger grip, my smallest finger tucked behind. I can still four finger grip it too. I am amazed. Shortly after spending some time with the Korpi, I ordered two Ahti Jankas in stainless. Then two more Ahtis. Every one a gem.
Ragweed forge has surpassed my expectations, repeatedly.