Ahti Knives
There are two distinct lines of Ahti knives, the traditional line and the modern line.
The traditional line is made in Kauhava, Finland. Kauhava has been a center of knife
making for hundreds of years, and is at the heart of the Finnish knife culture. The knives
are made in the shop of Reino Kamppila. His production is limited, but this insures that the
quality is up to his exacting standards. All of the traditional knives have carbon steel blades
(.8%C) hardened to about 59 on the Rockwell scale. The handles are stained birch and
sanded to a medium finish for improved grip. Fittings are polished brass and the sheaths have
plastic inserts.
The Traditional Ahti
#9610; The Tikka, or "Woodpecker", is a neat whittling knife with a blade just under 2 1/2" (62 mm) long, .68" wide, and .109" thick. The handle is about 4 1/4" long. The sheath
hangs from a stout strap and the knife and sheath together weigh about 3 ounces. $40.
#9620; The Korpi has the same blade and a slightly larger handle with a bit more shape for added control. Again,
the blade is just over 3" (77 mm) long, .80" wide and .126" thick. The handle is about 4 1/8" long. The sheath hangs from a belt loop fixed at a 45 degree angle for use in a cross draw position. The knife and sheath together weigh about 4 1/4 ounces. $50.
#9617; The Jänkä has the same size and shape blade, but in stainless steel. The
nicely shaped handle is about 4 1/2" long, and oil finished rather than stained. It's
suitable for average or slightly larger hands. The blade is just over 3" (77 mm) long,
.80" wide and .114" thick. Again, the sheath hangs from
a belt loop fixed at a 45 degree angle for use in a cross draw position. The knife
and sheath together weigh about 4 1/4 ounces. $52.
#9608; The Vaara ("Northern Hills) is a bit larger, and is an excellent all around utility knife. The blade is about 3 5/8" (92 mm) long, .75" wide and .129" thick. The handle has a suggestion of a hook and the pommel end, and a slight cutout for the forefinger to add control. The 4 1/4" handle is nicely sized for average sized hands. $65
#9607; The Metsa ("Forest") has the same blade, about 3 5/8" (93 mm) long, .75" wide and .129" thick. The 4 3/8" handle is larger in both length and diameter. It has the pronounced pommel hook favored for draw cuts when wearing gloves or mittens.
It's one of the most traditional Finnish patterns. The handle would work best for average
or slightly larger hands. This is a knife for outdoor work in all seasons. The sheath has a
sturdy belt loop which will take belts up to about 2". The knife and sheath together
weigh about 4 1/2 ounces. $50 Out of Stock
#9698; The Jahti ("Hunter") is a bit more specialized. The stout blade is about 3 7/8" long, just over an inch wide, and .130" thick. It's shaped for skinning as well as routine
camp chores. The 4 5/8" handle is still larger in both length and diameter, and would
work best for those with larger hands. The sheath has a sturdy belt loop which will
take belts up to about 2 1/2". The knife and sheath together
weigh about 6 1/4 ounces. $89.
#9612; The Kaira ("Northern Wilderness") is a skinning knife, or heavy duty work knife. It
has a blade about 2 3/4" (72 mm) long, 1 1/16" wide and .129" thick. The 4 1/2" handle
features a brass hilt plate and is generously sized for a large hand. The sheath hangs
from a belt strap, and the knife and sheath together weigh about 5 1/2 ounces. $62.
Current stock has a handle shaped like the #9698 Hunter shown above. I'll post new
pictures as soon as practical.
#9609; The "Leuku 90" has a blade 3 1/2" (92 mm) long, 1 1/16" wide and .129" thick. The handle is enhanced
by a brass ferrule and pommel. Again the 5" handle is sized for a larger hand. $85.
#9614; The "Leuku 145" has a blade 5 5/8" (145 mm) long, 1 1/16" wide and .129" thick. The 4 7/8" handle has brass plates at both ends, and the squared end of the pommel is visable at the pommel plate. The sheath has a belt loop. This would make a good
butchering tool or light camp knife. $89.
#9618; The "Leuku 180" has a blade 7" (182 mm) long, 1 1/16" wide and .129" thick. The handle Again the 5" handle is sized for a larger hand. There are brass plates at
both ends of handle, and the squared end of the tang is visable at the pommel plate.
This would be a serious tool for butchering, cutting brush, etc. The sheath has a belt
loop which will take belts up to 2 1/2" wide. $95.
The Modern Ahti
#9601; The Finman is a modern knife, carefully designed for both style and function. The stainless blade is about
3 5/8" (95 mm) long, a bit less than 3/4" wide, and .105" thick. The 4 1/2" handle is nicely shaped for control and
has a textured surface for improved grip. The sheath is holds the knife securely and has a reversible clip that allows either a high or low carry on the belt. There is a drain
hole in the bottom of the sheath that doubles as a thong hole for upside-down carry as a neck knife. The sheath
takes the knife in either a right handed or left handed position. The weight of the knife and sheath is only 3 1/2
ounces, but it has a solid feel in the hand. I even like the subtle shades of green. It's too bad the Boy Scouts no
longer carry belt knives. This one would go well with the uniform, and would be great all around scouting knife.
The price is only $11. (Note: There is a considerable gap where the blade enters the handle. I'd be tempted to fill
it with epoxy to prevent accumulation of debris.)
#9605; The Eräpuukko (Hunting knife) is a very modern design. The shape of the blade blends smoothly into that of the
handle. The stainless blade is about 3" long and has a fine point for carving or other detail work. The 4 1/4" handle
is well shaped for control but allows for multiple grips. When I picked this one up I found myself looking for
something to whittle. The sheath is leather with a plastic insert. The knife and sheath together weigh about 3 3/4
ounces. $27
#9606; The Vuolupuukko (Whittling Knife) is the same knife with a carbon steel blade. $27.
#9604; The Kalauppkko (Fishing Knife) is a variation sharpened on the top edge for opening large fish
and game. The tip is not sharpened, and there are finger notches on the bottom edge. $25.
Shipping and handling is $6 per order (not per item) anywhere in the US.
Standard shipping is by Priority Mail, so please give me your mailing address, not your
UPS address. The $6 doesn't actually cover the cost in most cases, but it's
easy to calculate, and is my way of saying "thank you". Shipping is available
for most other parts of the world, but usually costs more. Email for a quote. Note;
shipping to Canada can be very slow.
Orders in New York State require sales tax. If you don't know the sales tax in your
county, I can calculate it for you, but you should expect it to be added. This applies only
to orders shipped to addresses within New York State.
Most folks use a credit card and the
encrypted secure order form. If you prefer, you can FAX your order to
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address.
If you don't have a FAX, you can call 716-731-3715. If your
timing is good, you can just speak to me and give me the order. If I'm not in
the office it will default to the FAX machine. No collect calls.
If instant gratification is unavailable, you can always send a Postal
Money Order or check to:
Ragweed Forge
PO Box 326
Sanborn, NY 14132
The Postal Snail may be slow, but he's faithful and discreet. Checks may
be held for clearance, so if you're in a hurry, use a money order.
Everything on the page should be on hand and ready to ship. However some
items may be short supply, so if you are ordering by mail, you might want to
e-mail first so that I can hold your item
(ragnar@ragweedforge.com).
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