Puukkos made in the Arctic Circle are a little different than most of their Southern Finnish cousins. They usually have Leuku-style flat/flared pommel; handles feature wood and reindeer antler pieces; and sheaths are deeper fit with reindeer leather twisted thong attachments. Kauhavan makers do imitate this style, but it is a deliberate nod to the Sami heritage. I wanted a true Sami-style Puukko made in Northern Finland, so I went for a Wood Jewel. Loved the knife! Sheath was pretty good, but it is "latigo" leather (chrome tanned leather that undergoes a second tanning process with vegetable tannins). Latigo leather dyes better than straight veg tan; is more water resistant; and is more pliable. But veg tan is the gold-standard for sheaths as veg tan can be wet-moulded; is firmer; you can burnish the edges; and it patinas over time. I just made my own veg-tan sheath because I liked the knife so much (see pictures).
This is a nice knife. I gave it five stars despite the sheath because the knife steals the show. You've got your standard 80CRV2 Lauri blade with the same HRC 59 rockwell hardness as you'll get in most Finnish knives. It hasn't been thinned as with Ahti or KPP to remove the thin secondary bevel, but given the pricepoint, and the fact that all knives need regular sharpening anyway, it doesn't matter to me--Just sharpen it.
Because most Finnish makers are not bladesmiths (they're mostly all buying their blades from Lauri Metalli), the joy in trying out a particular knife brand is in the style of handle: that's the real work these makers do. Candidly, I am stunned at the handle work on my Wood Jewel. Perhaps Wood Jewel's proximity in Kolari to Masur Birch forests in the Arctic circle allows them to source the more highly-grained pieces at lower costs? Buying a block of this wood in the U.S. with this level of figuring to make my own handle would have cost about 2/3ds the total MSRP of this knife! There's no question that Wood Jewel are using more highly figured birch wood than all of its competitors--hands down. The reindeer antler sections within the handle are a very classy, much less common touch when compared to some of the Southern Finnish makers. KPP has a few models with antler but they're coming in between two/two-and-a-half times the price. Erappuu uses some antler, but I can't find them in the U.S.
You can tell the hafting is all done by hand and eye. Several more expensive makers (Ahti and KPP) actually use a machine to automate the handle shaping of some of their models. While that makes them consistent, there's a certain charm lost in it. My Wood Jewel's ever-so-slightly asymmetric handle exudes old-school character that is a big plus for me. As you look at the hafting under the light you can see the odd, subtle, stray grind mark in the brass bolster as the craftsman pressed too hard against the belt. I actually like these kind of attributes. Somebody actually made this! The fit of the blade into the brass bolster is 100% flawless. On much more expensive knives I've had to use a touch of epoxy to fill the gaps. Not here: It's as tight fitting as a mora blade into a plastic mora handle. Seamless! Very well done.
Finally, this particular model is the perfect size. Full four finger grip on the handle. The blade length is long enough to cut through an onion or potato, but short enough for good control in carving. An exceptional all-round outdoors knife.
