Norwegian Knives from Brusletto
The Norwegians want their knives to look good, and work very well.
The patterns have been refined over the last thousand years or so, and tend
toward elegant, functional, simplicity. Most of the styles are very
traditional, and many will suit the reenactor very well.
Brusletto knives are made from high carbon stainless steel
(Sandvik 12C27) hardened to about 58 on the Rockwell "C" scale. .
They come in a variety of elegant, but traditional styles. Workmanship is very
good. Most of the sheaths have a molded plastic insert to protect the sheath and
owner. Unless otherwise noted, they come with a gift box.
Storbukken
The Storbukken is a new design, just out. It's a big knife, with almost 6" of blade and 4 1/2" inches of
handle. The blade is about .152" thick. The handle is curly birch with an aluminum hilt. It weighs a bit less than 6 ounces and has a nicely solid feel in the hand. The weight is forward for efficient chopping, and the knife would make a good camp knife for clearing brush, building shelters, butchering game, etc. Yet it's not so large and heavy as
to be obnoxious on the belt. The sheath is stamped with an attractive design, as is the metal reinforcing
band. The sheath has a plastic insert and will take belts up to about 1 3/4". $99.
Tiur
The Tiur is a smaller companion piece, designed for the butchering of game of
all sizes. It has a thin (.077") blade about 4 3/4" long. The nicely sculpted handle is about 4 3/4" long. The elegant sheath has an understated
pattern on the band and blade area. Despite it's fairly large size the knife and sheath
together weigh less than 5 ounces. $99. Out of Stock
Rypa
The Rypa is still smaller, designed for more delicate tasks. It has a scapel-like 2 1/2" blade of Sandvik 12C27 steel. It's about .140" thick. The nicely sculpted handle is about 4 1/8" long, and fits my average sized hand
very well. This would be an excellent knife for whittling, caping, or any other precision task. It's ideal for
skinning small game, but would be just enough for deer sized animals in skilled hands. It comes with a
well made sheath with a reinforcing band stamped with images of a ptarmigan like bird (similar to a grouse),
which I gather is called a Rypa. The knife and sheath together weigh only 3 1/2 ounces and would almost
unnoticeable on the belt. I like this one. $94.
Fjord
The Fjord is designed for boating. The blade is short and wide at about 3 1/4" long and 1 1/4” wide. The generously sized handle is mahogany with aluminum end caps. It has a finger cut out and laser cut checkering for improved grip under wet and stressful conditions. Like most sailing knives, It has a lanyard hole to help prevent loss at sea. The knife has a solid feel in the hand, but is quite lightweight at about 3 1/4 ounces. The sheath has a plastic insert and will take belts up to 2”. The knife is a bit over 7 3/4” overall, and feels like a worker. The price is $110.
Troll
The Troll is a very traditional style with an oval "barrel" shaped handle of
curly birch. I like this style of handle because it has just enough shape for
control of the knife, without restricting you to a single grip. This is an advantage for carving
and utility use. The stainless blade has the black heat treat finish left on the sides for a rustic
look. The sheath is nicely tooled brown cowhide with a reinforcing band at the top.
There is a stud on the pommel that engages a keeper strap on the sheath. The blade is
8cm (3 1/4") and the length overall is 7 1/4". The weight with the sheath is a bit less than
4 ounces. This one feels very good in my average sized hand.
The price is $90.
Profileringskniv
This knife, with the awkward name, is a more basic version of the Troll.
It comes with a plainer birch handle, and the sheath has no tooling. There
is no gift box. Otherwise it seems to be the same knife, and it's half the price
at $45.
Granbit
The Granbit is a larger version of the Troll, better suited to larger hands.
The polished blade is 11cm. (4 1/4", length overall is 9"). The black cowhide sheath
is nicely set off by the German silver fittings.
Price $89.
Nansen
The Nansen commemorates the great arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen. Among
many other accomplishments, he founded the Norwegian Refugee Council, for which he was
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The knife is a joint effort of Brusletto and the Council, and
a portion of the proceeds help support their work. If you're interested, there's
a short biography.
The knife itself has a rather wide 3 3/4" (9.5 cm.) blade with an etch of Mr.
Nansen's signature. The blade is about .096" thich and is wide enough to grip with the fingers
when doing fine work with the point. The handle is curly birch in a very traditional style.
It's typical of knives used in the far North, where draw cuts are used almost exclusively due to
hands that are often gloved or numb with cold.
The sheath is also traditional, and hangs from a suspension thong. The price is $89.
Norgeskniven
The Norgeskniven has the same blade in a more conventional setting. The handle is comfortable
in a variety of positions, and feels really good in my average sized hand. The sheath hangs from
a belt loop and there is a strap to engage a stud on the end of the pommel.
The blade is 3 3/4", and the length overall is 8".
Price is $89.
Brusletto-Kniven
The Brusletto-Kniven is a working knife. It has the same 3 3/4" blade as the Nansen and Norgeskniven,
but with a plain birch handle rather than curly birch. The 4 1/4" handle is done in the style of
current Scandinavian custom knives, and gives excellent control.
The knife comes in a simple carton rather than the usual gift box.
It's quite a value at only $49>. One in stock
Rognald
The Rognald is a stubby work knife. With a 7cm (2 1/2") blade and generously proportioned
handle of curly birch, this would make a great whittler or utility knife. It's named after Rognald Brussletto,
the farmer-knifemaker who founded the Brusletto business in 1886.
I suspect he would have liked it.
The price is $60. Out of Stock
Hunter
The Hunter is a large, but fairly light knife with an aluminum guard.
The 5 1/4" (13.5cm) blade is wide but thin (.089") for effective slicing. I understand this is a
very popular knife in Norway, where hunters often have to quarter and partially butcher their
game in the field. Most of the gift boxes I have for this knife had a rough trip from Norway and
look somewhat the worse for wear.
The price is $80.
Bamse
The Bamse is another modern hunter. This time with both
guard and pommel of aluminum. The 12.5cm (4 3/4") blade is thicker than
the Hunter (.144"), and the knife has a solid feel.
The price is $95.
Spikkekniv
The Spikkekniv ("whittling knife") is a joint effort of Brusletto, Norges Husflidslag
(The Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Federation) and Skogselskaper (The Norwegian Forestry Society).
It's really quite sweet.
It's just a bit larger than the Balder, with about 2 3/8" blade and 4" of handle.
The blade is shaped for carving, and is made of carbon steel hardened to about 59 on
the Rockwell scale. It's the only Brusletto knife with a carbon steel blade. It's used to
provide a combination of superior edge holding and ease of sharpening. The knife is
intended as a first carving knife for children to interest them in whittling and woodcraft.
The handle is sized for a child's hand, but is still usable by an adult. Actually it fits my hand quite nicely. The handle is stamped with an image of the
project's mascot "Spikketrollet" which is suggested as an easy first carving.
As you can tell, I really like this one. It comes without a box, and the price is $38.
Out of Stock
Liten Profilingerkniv
The "Liten Profilingerkniv" (small advertising knife) is very similar. It has the same
handle as the Spikkekniv, with about 2 1/2" of stainless blade shaped for
general use. It reminds me of a pocket knife that doesn't fold. It has just enough
blade and handle to be useful, with minumum fuss and bother.
The knife and sheath together weigh just about two ounces. It's almost unnoticable
on your belt, but ready for instant use. It comes with a good quality sheath with a
belt loop that will take belts up to 1 3/4". I like this one as well. The price is just $35.
Balder
The Balder is a neat little utility knife. The 2" blade makes a handy paring or carving knife. The short
grip allows you to palm the blade for chip carving. It comes with a simple leather sheath and
unpolished stainless blade. The length overall is about 5", and it would make a neat neck knife
or patch knife. There is no box.
These are priced with the Swedes at only $19.
Brusletto Speider
"Speider" is Norwegian for "Scout", and this is one of the Norwegian Boy Scout
knives. It has a slightly upswept stainless blade of about 3 1/2". The birch handle is
just inder 4" long and there is a stout guard to keep the fingers off the blade.
The sheath has a plastic liner and a stout belt loop that will take belts up to 3".
The price is $39.
Haugtussa
The Haugtussa (The Mountain Maid) is wonderfully elegant little knife.
It's named after a famous (in Norway) song cycle by composer Edvard Grieg,
which in turn was based on a poem by Arne Garborg. The song idealizes the beauty of
mountain pastures in the Summer grazing season. This is the knife the herding
girl might have had tied to her apron while watching over the sheep. It comes packed with a
sprig of mountain flowers. The knife has 6.5 cm. blade and
German silver fittings. (Blade is 2 1/2", length overall is 6") it's priced at $87.
I have one in stock, and the gift box has some damage on one corner. $75.
Norron
The Norron was the first in a series of knives celebrating different time periods of
Scandinavian history. This one was released in 2000, and celebrates the Viking period.
The blade is about 3 1/2", and the knife is 8" overall.
The sheath and pommel have attractive knotwork designs. I like this one. It's a useful
size and shape, and feels good in my medium sized hand.
The price is $99.
Current stock comes without the gift box for $85.
Renessanse
The Renessanse is the third in a series of knives honoring different historical periods.
The knife for the year
2002 celebrates the renaissance period. The sheath and pommel are decorated
with matching baroque scrollwork and the sheathed knife makes an
elegant statement. It would have been just the
thing for a nobleman to display on his belt. Nevertheless the handle
provides a comfortable grip and the blade is a useful size and shape for
everyday necessities. The polished stainless blade is 3" long, and the knife
is about 7 5/8" overall.
The price is $99.
Nåtid
The Nåtid is the fourth in the series. The knife for the year
2003 celebrates the modern period. The handle is a composite of birch and walnut.
The 3 1/2" blade mirrors the logo on the sheath. This is a modernistic design that is still
practical and feels good in the hand. It would be an excellent knife for the hunter, camper,
or collector. $99.
Framtid
The Framtid is the fifth and last of the series. It’s a thoroughly modern design, and I believe the first Brusletto to use synthetic materials for the handle. The composite handle is a combination of black rubber and gray polymer. It has pronounced finger grooves for a solid fencing style grip. The blade is about 3 3/4” long, and the knife is about 8 3/8” overall. It has a surprisingly solid feel. The leather sheath is stamped with a modern design and has a plastic liner. $Out of Stock
Sprettern
The Sprettern, or opening knife, is built on the same handle. It's sharpened on the top curve, and is used in
dressing and butchering large game. It's used not only in opening the body cavity, but in stripping the meat
from the bones. It has an advantage in that the cutting is done
from the flesh side of the hide, so the blade doesn't get plugged with fur as a gut hook
sometimes does. This style is becoming very popular in Scandinavia. The blade is about 4 1/2" long, and the knife is about 9 3/4” overall. It's supplied with the typical sheath with belt loop. $77.
Brusletto Skinner
The Brusletto Skinner is also built on the same handle, and has a skinning blade of about 4". Along with the
Sprettern it would ideal for the hunter of really large game, which must be at least partly butchered to get out it of the woods. $77.
Ulu
The Ulu is the traditional knife of the Inuit, or Eskimo. It's used for
everything from skinning and butchering game, to food preparation and making
clothing. If my flea market observations are correct, a lightweight version
was quite popular in North American kitchens until fairly recently. This one
is larger and more substantial then the typical version. The stainless blade
is over seven inches from point to point, and about 1/16" (.073") thick.
The curly birch handle gives excellent control for a variety of grips, and
the piece feels solid in the hand. A sheath is provided, as shown in the
enlarged image. It is part of the Brusletto Langedrag Collection, named
after the Langedrag Naturpark. It is marked with the howling wolf logo of
the collection.
The price is $75.
There is also a companion cutting board. It's just under 12" square, and has a hollow
in the center to contain the food. $45.
Shipping and handling is $6 per order (not per item) anywhere in the US.
Standard shipping is by Priority Post, insured if warranted by the value of
the order. This doesn't usually cover the cost in most cases, but it's
easy to calculate, and is my way of saying "thank you". Shipping is
available for other parts of the world, but usually costs more. Email for a
quote.
New York State residents should add sales tax.
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 that same number. If your
timing is good, you can just speak to me and give me the order. 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).
Don't forget to visit the other knife catalog pages;
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