The Handle


All handles used in Marttiini® knives are manufactured by Marttiini itself in the turnery in Laukaa or Rovaniemi.

Many alternatives are used for handle materials and very typical are the different kind of wood materials. Traditionally the handles are made of pale Finnish curly birch. Curly birch grows only in a bounded area in the middle of Finland. This hard, thick grainy material is very suitable for knife handle, it is durable, easy to timber, beautiful and very sought-after. Due to limited availability it is more valuable than ordinary Finnish birch, which is an other highly used, traditional pale wooden material. To satisfy the demands of the international markets, Marttiini has for years use the other darker-tone wooden materials like hazel and rosewood. These beautiful hardwoods give the knife the valuable, more international expression.

As a company located in Lapland, Marttiini has always wanted to highlight the Lappish traditions and the arctic exotic. These features have inspired designers in their development of the unusual collector’s knives. These decorative knives have rich combination of materials: reindeer horn bone and curly birch. The hand made handles are decorated by engravings and a mythological rattle inside the horn bone knob chases away evil spirits. Each knife is an individual masterpiece but also a durable, usable knife.

Marttiini has done a lot of developing work to find a good and durable cover for the wooden handles. To better the grip and protect the wood handle, all handles have a lacquer or oil coat. The coat protects the handles also from humidity and dirty. Marttiini uses two different lacquer: the cellulose lacquer or the new, plastic lacquer. The cellulose lacquer is durable, widely used and gives the light yellow-tone for the handles. The new plastic lacquer is non-toxic, water soluble material, and used for the new models like Golden Lynx. This lacquer save well the color tone of the pale woods. The oil coat is more suitable cover for the hardwood handles, like Bird- and Deer Knives. The oil protect the handles, but also give the good and solid grip.

During the ten last years plastic, rubber and their combinations has been gained ground. They are ideal for handle materials, as the rubber/plastic handles are easy, favorable and quick to produce. They fulfill perfectly the requirements in the wet circumstances. Handles are also hygienic, safe and secure and the grip is tough. These combinations offer a different kind of feeling for grip: softer if there are more rubber and more solid if there are more plastic.

The ferrules keep the handle and the blade design together, covering the timber holes and rivets. The materials are nickel, brass, bronze, copper and nowadays also plastic. The special, cast, animal-figure ferrules made of bronze or copper give a valuable, as well as solid expression.

The patented Condor ferrule and handle design was initially brought to perfection the traditional Lynx-knife series. Encouraged by the success of the ”new generation” of Lynx knife Marttiini adapted the design for hunting and all-purpose knives. The ferrule can be golden metallized to give the valuable expression but also a colored plastic ferrule for the economy knives. The handle material can be rubber or plastic as well their combination (naturally in different colors). The finger guard and the roughened surface of handle add the secure and guarantee the outstanding grip even when hands are wet or slimy.


CURLY BIRCH & BIRCH
The traditional handle material of Finnish knives is curly birch. This tree grows mostly in central and eastern Finland. The fiery looking curly birch is perfect material for a knife handle, because it is durable and beautiful. There is a limited amount of this fine looking curly birch on the market, making the price considerably higher than in the case of ordinary birch. Ordinary or straight birch is also used to make the handles of several traditional Marttiini knives. In some models the wooden handles are heat-treated, giving the wood the beautiful dark look of hardwood. This treatment also makes the handle very durable against, for instance, moisture.

Wooden handles are given a wax, varnish or stain finish. The wax deepens the glow of the wooden handle and at the same time protects it from dirt and moisture. A waxed handle also feels pleasant. Varnishing emphasises and protects the natural colour of the birch. It also protects the wood from wear and moisture. Staining gives the handle a shade that changes over time without covering the tree rings. Staining makes the handle supply a firm and safe grip.


BONE
Marttiini’s Lappish tradition and exotics are best displayed in knife handles where reindeer and elk antlers are combined with the beautiful Finnish curly birch. Reindeer antler processing is a demanding handicraft where skills are valued.


RUBBER MIXTURE
The Condor knives of the Fishing, Hunting and Kitchen series have handles made of a rubber mixture suitable for handling foodstuffs. The ergonomically-modelled rubber handle is machine washable, easy to care for, hygienic and safe. The rubber handle also feels pleasantly warm in the wilderness, even when it’s extremely cold or humid. The handle’s roughness and finger guard guarantee a safe and firm grip on Condor series knives.
The traditional handle material of Finnish knives is curly birch. This tree grows mostly in central and eastern Finland. The fiery looking curly birch is perfect material for a knife handle, because it is durable and beautiful. There is a limited amount of this fine looking curly birch on the market, making the price considerably higher than in the case of ordinary birch. Ordinary or straight birch is also used to make the handles of several traditional Marttiini knives. In some models the wooden handles are heat-treated, giving the wood the beautiful dark look of hardwood. This treatment also makes the handle very durable against, for instance, moisture. Wooden handles are given a wax, varnish or stain finish. The wax deepens the glow of the wooden handle and at the same time protects it from dirt and moisture. A waxed handle also feels pleasant. Varnishing emphasises and protects the natural colour of the birch. It also protects the wood from wear and moisture. Staining gives the handle a shade that changes over time without covering the tree rings. Staining makes the handle supply a firm and safe grip. Marttiini’s Lappish tradition and exotics are best displayed in knife handles where reindeer and elk antlers are combined with the beautiful Finnish curly birch. Reindeer antler processing is a demanding handicraft where skills are valued. The Condor knives of the Fishing, Hunting and Kitchen series have handles made of a rubber mixture suitable for handling foodstuffs. The ergonomically-modelled rubber handle is machine washable, easy to care for, hygienic and safe. The rubber handle also feels pleasantly warm in the wilderness, even when it’s extremely cold or humid. The handle’s roughness and finger guard guarantee a safe and firm grip on Condor series knives.


FERRULES

Several wooden handle knives have metallic ferrules. The raw material used is either brass, German silver, cast bronze or stainless steel. The characteristics of brass, German silver and bronze include patinisation over time. Patinised ferrules may be polished with an ordinary metal cleaning agent.
The Condor series finger guard ferrules are made either of PP or ABS plastic. PP plastic is a full-coloured, tough and machine washable material. ABS plastic is used in handles where an impressive metallic coating has been added though an electro-chemical process. We do not recommend machine washing for metal coated handles, since powerful washing agents and high water temperatures could damage the coating.

The Sheath


The sheath covers and protects the knife, as well as protects the user to hurt himself. A perfectly fitting sheath has been designed for each knife model. Sheaths are reinforced by rivets on the edge of the sheath, press-stud sticking, band round the sheath or plastic inner sleeve.

The most typical material for sheaths is a top quality bull hide. To find the best quality leather hides, Marttiini uses a lot of work testing the leather samples. Nowadays the material comes from Italy and Spain. The leather sheaths are completely hand made. The leather hides are cut to the different sizes. The sheaths are sewn by using ”the milk glue” to hold the edges tight together. The plastic inner sleeve is pushed into the sewn, printed and wet leather sheath.

To offer a large product selection Marttiini uses alternative material for sheaths also. The plastic sheaths are made to go along the rubber/plastic handle knives for wet conditions. These sheaths are protective, practical and also low-priced and widely used also in the economy knife -range. The plastic sheaths are available in different colors.

All Marttiini® products carry a three year guarantee to be free of defects in materials and workmanship.

Janne Marttiini’s work continues. Each individual knife must pass a rigid quality control to have their blades engraved with "J Marttiini, Finland".


LEATHER SHEATH
Leather stealths of Marttiini knives are made of plant or chrome tanned leather. Leather is mostly acquired from Europe. Stealths are made of natural and painted leather.
Knife stealths are still mostly made by hand. Each stealth must be exactly the designed size and appearance so that it forms a perfect couple with the knife. A template iron is used to cut a blank from leather and before sewing the edges are glued together. Several stealths have a plastic sleeve inside that prevents the blade from penetrating the stealth.
Stealth impressions are made either on the stealth blank or the finished stealth. The stealth’s surface finishing may also include varnish that increases its dash and protects the stealth from dirt and moisture. The rivets and possible bronze bands reinforce and decorate the stealth.

CORDURA SHEATH
Cordura is an especially durable certified nylon fabric produced by DuPont. It is stab and tear resistant, fast drying, easy to care for and light.

PLASTIC SHEATH
A durable and hygienic plastic stealth is practical with knives that are used under damp and dirty conditions.