Karesuando Knives,
tradition and culture from the arctic taiga.

map of Karesuando's location

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.

Click on the image for an enlarged view of the knife and its sheath.


larger image #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. All of these are handmade knives, and the handles may vary up to a 1/4" or so. If you have a preference, let me know. The 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.
Out of Stock
larger image #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. $59. Out of Stock
larger image #3516, The Rävan (Fox) is also in the tradition of the far North. It comes with a Sandvik Stainless blade about 4" long, 7/8" wide and .127" (~1/8") thick. The handle has an attractive antler spacer and pommel cap. It’s shaped to provide just a hint of a guard to keep your fingers off the blade. It fits my average sized hand very well. The dark brown sheath hangs from the traditional twisted thong. $69. Out of stock
larger image #3524, The Ripan (Ptarmigan) has an attractive handle of alternating spacers of reindeer antler and curly birch. The handle is about 4 3/8" (11 cm) long and very comfortabe in the hand. The Sandvik stainless blade is 3 7/8" (10 cm.). The picture shows a sheath of natural colored leather, but current stock comes with a dark brown sheath. $93.
larger image #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 in my medium 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. The price is $59.
larger image #3507, The Älgen (Elk) Special has a Sandvik Stainless blade 3 1/4" long, 7/8" wide, .128" thick. The 3 3/4" handle has an antler spacer with just a bit of shape to keep your finger from moving forward. It comes with a traditional sheath that hangs from a thong in natural color leather. This one feels good to me. $64. Out of Stock
larger image #3532, The Älgen (Elk) is very similar, but has a 3 1/4" carbon steel blade.. The 4" handle has the same antler spacer, and no finger guard. It comes with a traditional sheath that dangles from a thong in dark brown leather. The price is $64.
larger image #3533, The Bocken (Buck) is just a bit smaller, with 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 also comes with a heavy weight sheath for $85.
larger image #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. Current stock has dark brown leather rather than the natural colored leather in the picture. The price is $99.
larger image #3525, The Splitting knife is the European version of a gut hook. Because it cuts from the flesh side of the hide it doesn't clog with fur. It's also useful for boning and similar chores. The blade is sharpened on the upper surface and has a blunt point. The blade is about 4" long with about 2 1/2" the upper edge sharpened. The handle is built up from antler and curly birch. $89.

Ordering

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 716-731-3715. I'll need the type of card (Discover, Visa, or Master Charge), card number and expiration date. If course I'll also need to know what you are buying, and where to send it. Please include your e-mail 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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