Karesuando Knives,
tradition and culture from the arctic taiga.

These knives are produced in Karesuando, Sweden, located far north of the Arctic Circle. They have their origins in the hostile Arctic climate. The raw materials are taken from the surrounding country. Leather, horn and bone from the reindeer, and curly-grained birch, are the main components.

I'm really impressed with these knives. They have a wonderful feel in the hand. The wood is finished to a satiny smoothness I usually associate with careful hand sanding. The finish gives a better grip than a shiny surface, but doesn't raise blisters when working hard. The blades are well ground and sharpened. The shapes and sizes are ideal for all-around utility use. You can tell that these are knives made by folks who use knives. I'm very glad that I'm selling these, because if I saw them for sale by someone else, I'd have to buy some. I found myself looking for excuses to handle the knives while working up the catalog. Each comes with a stout sheath of the deep pouch style. There are no straps or snaps to fumble with when removing or replacing the knife. Where indicated, there is a plastic insert to protect the sheath and the user.

For the technically minded, the stainless blades are 12C27, and the carbon blades are Uddeholm steel #1770 (0.7% C, 0.3% Si, 0.5% Mn). Both are hardened to 57 on the Rockwell C scale. This gives an excellent balance of edge-holding and ease of sharpening.

#3515, The "Rävan Special" (Fox) is one of the ones that feels so good to me. The handle has just enough shape to give control without restricting you to one grip. The curly birch handle is a bit over 4". There is just the suggestion of a finger guard. The 12C27 stainless Sandvik blade is 3 15/16" long (10 cm.), 13/16" wide and .100" thick. It comes with a dark brown sheath with a belt strap rather than a thong. The sheath accepts belts up to about 1 1/2", and has a plastic liner.

#3520, The Örnen (Eagle) is a more traditional version. The handle is shaped more in the Saami tradition. The carbon steel blade is just under 4" and about .1" thick. The sheath swings from a thong in the fashion of the far North. The handle gives excellent control for the draw cuts favored when the hands are gloved or numbed with cold. It's about 4 1/4" long, and the knife is about 8 1/4" overall.

#3518, The Vargen (Wolf) has a larger 4 1/2" handle in a light finish. It has a single antler spacer just behind the guard. This one should suit those with slightly larger hands. The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 7/8" long (10 cm.) 13/16" wide, and .126" thick. Current stock comes with a dark brown sheath, nicely stamped with the image of a wolf head.
Any order including this knife ships free!

#3524, The Ripan (Ptarmigan) has an attractive handle built up with spacers of reindeer and curly birch. It's about 4 1/2" long, and sized for average or slightly larger hands. The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 7/8" (10 cm.) long and .126" (1/8") thick. The traditional sheath is dyed brown and nicely stamped (same as above). The sheath has a plastic liner. This one is packed in a presention box lined with reindeer fur.
Any order including this knife ships free!

#3510, The Haren (Hare) is smaller in the blade, but has a full-sized handle. This would make a nice working knife for those (like myself) who like shorter blades. The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 5/8" long, 11/16" wide, and .097" thick. The knife is about 7 1/4" overall, and comes with a light color handle, and dark brown traditional sheath
 

#4011, The Niibi is smaller still, with a 3" Sandvik stainless blade. The handle is just under 4" long, and sized for younger users or those with smaller hands. There is a brass finger guard to help keep your hand off the edge. I like this one. It's lightweight (~2 ounces), elegant and functional. It comes with a stout leather sheath for
 

#3506, The Vildmark (Wilderness) is done in the style of current Scandinavian custom knives. The handle has a finger cutout, and just enough guard to keep your hand off the blade. It's well shaped for positive control, and is sized for a small to average sized hand. The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 1/4" long, 13/16" wide, and about .127" thick. It comes with a medium weight sheath with a belt loop that will take belts up to about 1 1/2" wide. The knife and sheath weigh about 5 ounces.

#3508, The Vildmark Exclusive adds a reindeer antler spacer for style and balance. Again, the Sandvik Stainless blade is about 3 1/4" long, 3/4" wide, .128" thick. The 4 1/4" handle has a bit of a fingerguard to keep your hand from moving forward. It comes with a pouch style sheath with a plastic insert. This one feels good to me, and the finger guard makes it well suited to the deer hunter. The knife weighs about 3 ounces, or 4 1/2 ounces in the sheath.

#3536, The "Elk Sandvik" is a nicely made hunting knife with a bit of a guard and a reindeer antler spacer. This concentrates mass near the center of gravity and gives the knife a lively feel. The Sandvik stainless blade is just under 4" long, 13/16" wide, and .127" thick. The handle is about 4 1/4", but reasonably small in diameter. I like the way this one feels in my average sized hand. It comes with a stout sheath that will take wider belts up to about 2".

#3532, The Älgen (Elk) has a blade 3 1/4" long, 7/8" wide, .128" thick, of carbon steel. The 4" handle has the same antler spacer, but no finger guard. It comes with a traditional sheath that dangles from a thong in dark brown leather.

#3504, The Shoat is a simplified version without the antler spacer, but again there is a finger guard. The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 1/4" long, 7/8" wide, and ~.127" thick. It comes with a medium weight sheath with a belt loop that will take belts up to about 1 1/2" wide.

#3511, The Galten (Boar) is the same knife with a bit more blade. The Sandvik stainless blade is just under 4" long, 15/16" wide, and .126" thick. Again, the handle has a finger cutout, and just enough guard to keep your hand off the blade.

#3586, The Boar Survival knife adds a fire steel. Again, the handle has an antler spacer, both for appearance and to improve the balance.The handle is about 4 1/4" long. The Sandvik 12C27 blade is just under 4” long, 15/16” wide, and 1/8” thick. The spine of the blade is squared to provide sharp corners for striking sparks from the included firesteel. The fire steel is military diameter of 3/8”, and has an antler handle with decorative scrimshaw. The sheath has a holds both the knife and firesteel securely.

I have a replacement fire steel with carved antler handle available

#3584, The Boar Survival knife is also available with a two sided diamond plate instead of the firesteel.

#3573, The "Hunter 10" has a rather wide blade of Sandvik stainless. The blade is about 3 3/4" (10cm) long, 15/16" wide, and .126" thick. The handle is about 4 3/8" long, and has an attractive antler spacer and finger guard. It comes in a heavy-weight brown sheath with a belt strap.

#3533, The Bocken (Buck) has a Sandvik stainless blade about 3 1/8" long, 13/16" wide, and .128" thick. The handle has the same curly birch, antler spacer and brass finger guard, and is about 3 3/4" long. It's a very comfortable knife for those with smaller hands. It comes with a heavy weight sheath

#3513, The Järven (Wolverine) is of the more traditional Sammi style. It has the typical pronounced flair to the wide, flat pommel. The handle is an assembly of reindeer horn and curly birch, and is about 4 1/4". The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 7/8" (10 cm.). The sheath is a has a leather top section with a curly birch base. There is an insert of reindeer horn down the front of the sheath which is engraved with an attractive design. These are done by hand and will vary somewhat. It's altogether a very nice package.

#3514, The Björnen (Bear) is a small leuku. These are the all-purpose camp knives of the Saami. They are used for everything from cutting brush to butchering reindeer. The carbon steel blade is about 5 1/4" long, 1 1/8" wide, and .128" thick. The handle has the typical flairing pommel faced with reindeer horm. The flat pommel allows you to use the palm of the off hand when forcing the point into something. There is just a hint of a guard to help your fingers off the edge, It comes with a traditional sheath that hangs from a thong.

#3516, The Fox has a 4" stainless blade, about .129" thick. The handle is an attractive composite with an antler spacer and but cap. The handle is about 4 3/8" long and sized for average or slightly larger hands. It comes with a traditional dark brown sheath.

#3619, The Stickkniv (Large Hunter) is a big knife. The stainless blade is about 6 1/4" long, 1 1/8" wide and .098" thick. Because the blade is fairly thin, the knife weighs only 5 ounces, so it's still quick in the hand. The back of the blade is sharpened for the first 1 3/4", almost like a bowie knife. It's supplied with a sturdy leather sheath. The sheath has a plastic liner, and will take belts up to 2" wide.

#3619-N, The Stickkniv (Large Hunter) also comes with a natural colored handle. The stainless blade is about 6 1/4" long, 1 1/8" wide and .098" thick. Because the blade is fairly thin, the knife weighs only 5 ounces, so it's still quick in the hand. The back of the blade is sharpened for the first 1 3/4", almost like a bowie knife. It's supplied with a sturdy leather sheath. The sheath has a plastic liner, and will take belts up to 2" wide.

#3512, The Huggaren is larger still. It's done in the style of the Same leuku, the all purpose camp knife of nomadic reindeer herders. The Sandvik stainless blade is 7" long, about 1 1/2" wide at the belly, and .097" thick. The one piece curly birch handle is about 4 3/8" long, and sized for somewhat larger hands. It has the tpical flare at the pommel which improves retention when chopping, especially when wareing gloves. The flat base of the pommel allows the use of the off hand to apply pressure to the point. It's capped with reindeer antler. The sturdy leather sheath has a plastic linner and hangs from the traditional twisted leather thong.

#3638, The Unna Áksu (Hunter's axe) is a handy pocket-sized axe. It's about 9" in overall length. The head is 12C27 stainless with a cutting edge about 2 3/4" long. The very comfortable handle is curly birch capped with reindeer antler. The axe weighs about 11 ounces, and comes with a black leather sheath, two sided diamond sharpener and pouch for the sharpener. It's packed in a nice gift box for

#3639; also available wth the handle stained brown,

It's one of the few axes I've seen that is really sharp out of the box. It would not only be a great bushcraft accessory, but would be really handy for roughing out green wood projects.

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