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.

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”.