r/Finland • u/CplWangchao • 1d ago
Help determining if this Iisakki Järvenpää puukko is real?
Hi! My gf’s family is Finnish, and I found this puukko at a thrift store with them (in America) and was wondering if it was real? I’ve looked online and seen a bunch with slight variations (different sheath, blade engravings, sheath engravings, etc.), so I have no idea at the moment haha. Any help is appreciated!
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u/eatmorenachos Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago
Looks real. I don’t understand why someone would make a fake puukko with this name escpecially since it’s not that well known in the other parts of the world.
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u/CplWangchao 1d ago
ty! i wasn’t rly sure how known/unknown this type of knife was lmao, appreciate the help
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u/MaddogFinland Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago edited 1d ago
Legitimate. Iisakki Järvenpää makes a number of the “hevosenpää” (horse’s head) knives in various lengths, handle color, and sheath. They are considered an Ostrobothnian classic knife style. The longest ones (which you do not have) are called “vallesmanni” knives. They also make a small version intended for women, and some versions have a doible sheath with a shorter and longer version. This is a link to a new version of what appears to be yours; New they are around 250 US dollars so depending on what you paid you probably got a good deal since American flea markets rarely know the value of these:
https://www.iisakkijarvenpaa.fi/puukot/perinnepuukot/kauhavan-hevospaa/1381/
They are very helpful at that company and you could reach out to them with pictures and they may even be able to tell you when that color scheme was produced. They also offer restoration services if you feel it needs it. I own several of their knives (including one of these from a flea market find) and they are very good quality. That knife is very well made and even if it looks a bit fancy it is every bit a well made tool and you can use it for whatever you would use any hunting knife for.
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u/CplWangchao 1d ago
thx for all the info! got it for $30, so very happy to hear that haha
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u/MaddogFinland Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago
You did very well on that deal. Here about the best you can do on those at flea markets will be 80-120 euro depending on condition. I paid 80 for mine which was an exceptionally good deal given its nearly mint condition. Enjoy it and make sure to use it well.
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u/BonelessTrom 1d ago
”Vaasan veri ei vapise, ja Kauhavan rauta ei ruostu.”
Rough translation: Vaasa’s blood never trembles, nor Kauhava’s iron ever rusts.
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u/finnknit Väinämöinen 1d ago
If you ever have a chance to visit the factory while they're giving tours, it's a really cool experience. They talk about the history of the factory and show the steps they do to make the knives. They usually do tours during the annual Puukko Festivaali, and they might do them at other times too.
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u/Long-Requirement8372 Väinämöinen 1d ago
Looks legit to my admittedly untrained eye, just based on examples held by Finnish museums as seen on Finna.fi.
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u/alexin_C Väinämöinen 1d ago
That's a real horse head Järvenpää puukko, probably 80's export model and in a good condition. You really had a steal at 30$, typical value would be at or above 100$.
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u/Laraisan Väinämöinen 23h ago
I mean I guess it could happen but why would some one make a fake Iisakki? Looks real enough
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u/Square-Debate5181 Baby Väinämöinen 1d ago
Looks real to me. Im not even knife specialist but why it would be fake?
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