Puronvarsi Knife Blades

Mike C. from Alaska says  "Great blades! You can dress a whole moose with one and still shave."

Yrjo Puronvarsi blades are hammered out of old Krupp carbon steel, and are unique with their rhombic transversal section,
 i. e. they are thickest in the middle where the grind line begins.  The blades are now being forged by Antti Makinen, Yrjo's grandson.

Please note that blade lengths may vary a few mm from the stated lengths.

Puronvarsi 80
5280  Puronvarsi YP Tommi 70 x 20 mm  $43.00
4 in stock

Puronvarsi YP 95
5281 Puronvarsi YP 95 Tommi 95 x 20 mm  $52.00
5 in stock

Puronvarsi YP 120 5282 Puronvarsi YP Tommi 120 x 22 mm  $60.00
8 in stock

Puronvarsi 75
5286 Puronvarsi 75 - 80 x 19 - 20 mm  $45.00
4 in stock

Puronvarsi 85
5287 Puronvarsi 85 85 x 20 mm  $45.00
7 in stock

Puronvarsi 95
5288 Puronvarsi 95  95 x 25 mm  $47.25
6 in stock

Puronvarsi 100
 5289 Puronvarsai 100  100 x 20 mm  $57.00
4 in stock

Puronvarsi Hunter 100
5290 Puronvarsi Hunter 100   100 x 28 mm  $52.00
10 in stock


Puronvarsi 125
5291 Puronvarsi 125  125 x 23 mm  $59.00
5 in stock

Puronvarsi 150
5292  Puronvarsi Leuku 150 x 30 mm  $66.00
2 in stock

Puronvarsi Leuku
 5293 Puronvarsi Leuku 230  230x38mm  $100.00
2 in stock


The Puronvarsi Story

By Federico Buldrini

What I’m about to tell you is the story of a Finnish family who has devoted many of its members to the art of forging.

In 1809 tsar Alexander I conquest took Finland from Sweden, in the hope of expanding the southern borders of Russia unto the Danube, and for the next fifty years the authorities of the Grand Duchy of Finland will work tirelessly to convince the Russian court of the loyalty of Finland.

Our story takes place in Härmä, a small town 24 km south of Kauhava, the historic “puukko capital” in western Finland.
We are in 1850 and it’s in this year that a man from the Puronvarsi family starts his own business as a blacksmith. The son, Matti, following in the footsteps of the parent, learns and passes the craft on to one of his descendants, Esa Puronvarsi.

In 1927, in an independent Finland, Yrjö Puronvarsi is born, who in his youth, along with his eight brothers, learns the art of forging from his father and uncle.  He will be the only one to carry on the job, although there will be a period in which twenty family members will work as smiths at the same time.

Yrjö has three children, two boys and a girl.  Neither of the sons was ever interested in the family job, while the daughter, Ulla, in the early ’80s, became the mother of Antti Mäkinen.  Antti begins his smithing career in 2006.

We’re almost to the present day. Yrjö, the blacksmith who worked longer in the family, passed down to his nephew his knowledge to create his heir. Today, being 85 years old, he doesn’t forge anymore full-time, but still works six days a week, for the love of it and for exercise.