8" Strømeng Sami Knife with FINGER GUARD

DISCONTINUED ITEM - ONLY SIX LEFT IN STOCK!

Since prehistoric times, the Sami people of Arctic Europe have lived and worked in an area that stretches over the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Russian Kola Peninsula. Traditionally, the Sámi have pursued a variety of livelihoods, including coastal fishing, fur trapping, and sheep herding. Their best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding.

What is an authentic Sami knife?
It is a Sami-produced knife, which fulfills Sami needs for a strong and reliable tool. The design of the knife is the same today as it was hundreds of years ago.

The ancestors of the Strømeng family started as blacksmiths in Karasjok in the late 1700s. Since that time, the craft traditions have passed down from generation to generation. Currently, it is the sixth generation of the Strømeng family that are making knives. The Sami knife has deep roots in Sami culture and their way of life. The time and equipment may have changed, but the knife still enjoys a place of honour in Sami culture as an essential tool.

Is there a spirit in the Sami knife?
The handle fittings have always been constructed of brass. Since the pre-Christian era, brass has been a sacred metal to the Sami people, as it was supposed to ward off evil spirits. In addition, ancient Sami folk made use of the knife medicinally, for example when treating ailments such as warts, boils and to stop bleeding.

Such is the cultural bond between Sami and the knife, that children receive their first knife between the ages of 8-10.

The Strømeng knives have a handle of slow-growing birch oiled with linseed oil, and sturdy sheaths made of cowhide. The knife blade is carbon steel with the designation NB1248U and a hardness of 59 Rockwell.

Here are a few useful tips for you:
The blade closest to the shaft is mainly used for rough work.
The middle part of the blade is used especially for precision cutting.
When chopping, one or two fingers are placed behind the pommel to shift the force forward. Do not use the entire arm in the stroke during chopping, only the wrist - thus you gain better control of where you are cutting.
If there is a need for greater force for chopping wood and small branches, then the outer part of the blade is used.
Being a carbon blade, it is important to keep the blade clean and dry after use.