Terävä jääkäripuukko review

About a month ago I was watching a video on the Ranger Fieldcraft and Survival YouTube channel and noticed the channel owner using a different knife than the one that he usually uses in his videos.

So regardless of whether you prefer a more traditional style, or wish to attach it to your pack or harness, you can just choose what suits your desires.

Similarly to the Peltonen Sissipuukko, the sheath has a small protrusion at the mouth that you use by pressing your thumb against when removing the knife from the sheath. When I finally got the chance to make these ideas into a real life knife it was simple, everything was thought out:

The recipe:

• A long, gently formed handle that would give great hitting power for long swings, this would be the knives primary function.
• As a secondary function I wanted the handle to also offer a good grip for detailed work.
• Simple and strong construction, full tang and moulded rubber grip.

After a few drawing we got to work with Laurin Metalli, one of the biggest named in the Finnish puukko and blade industry [the same blade manufacturer as for the Peltonen Sissipuukko].

In one word: Awesome.

So, being so excited about the Terävä Skrama, what is the Terävä Jääkäripuukko like? Its flexibility allows the knife to be worn in a vehicle without getting in the way of a seat-belt or jabbing you while you’re sitting in a chair.

Having a rubber handle over the tang has another set of benefits.

The Terävä Skrama is designed to replace an axe, and is far more dynamic and offers a lot better control than an axe does. The gear I carry in the field, regardless of the situation, all have multiple functions. The Terava's leather sheath is heavier but quieter and does not have slots in it for wrapping extra cordage.

The SRK has a bowie shaped blade with a sabre grind and the Terava has a Scandinavian grind with a small secondary bevel. What better place to test it out than the frozen hardwood forests of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan?

My jaw almost hit the forest floor when I batoned a forearm thick branch from a fallen tree. I have large hands and it fits my hand like a glove.

Some of you may be familiar with Varusteleka because they sell a ton of hard to find European military surplus gear to bushcrafters in the US, Canada and the UK. 

Now, I have seen a lot of destruction videos in my time, but this one took the cake. A double fold at the top of the sheath can be fastened with a stud, and a hard-plastic inner liner prevents the blade from damaging the inside.

Specs	Metric	Imperial
Weight (w/o sheath)	190 g	6.70 oz
Total length	270 mm	10.6″
Blade length	140 mm	5.5″
Blade thickness	4.20 mm	0.17″
Edge angle	23°
Steel	80CrV2, 59 HRC

Varusteleka Ergonomics

There have been moments during my time in the military, or recreationally, when wearing gear was not the most comfortable.

The Varusteleka Jääkäripuukko cut through the wood like a shark cuts through an 80’s surfboard, and with only a handful of strikes, I had a cut and split piece of frozen timber. When handling this knife in person for the first time, my initial thought was, “this blade means business!”  The weight feels comfortable, not too heavy as to be cumbersome, and not too light to feel fragile, but an appropriate balance.

The quality in all details is very good, and while there are no details that really stick out, the overall simplicity is a great quality in itself, a quality that far too many makers manage to miss while searching for uniqueness. The shape of the sheath along with the plastic liner and quality/thickness of the leather made it an excellent platform for stropping:

I was able to quickly bring the Terava back to hair shaving sharpness using this method -- pretty cool!

The knife feels very snug and safe in the sheath as it is, but the mouth of the sheath also has a press button for extra safety. Sign up and get your free digital copy

Written by Patrick Diedrich