Thanks. And also for recognizing the correct species! lol
Being half Norwegian in terms of family history, etc. I adopted the glyph of the Reindeer used on the handle as a kind of personal maker's logo and I usually hand carve one on the knives and handles that I make. I think the original rock art that I used as a basis is in Alta, Norway. The conifers represented on the handle are also a nearly exact copy of some found in the rock art in the Alta area. As I've said before I love the Nordic style of knives...their 'form follows function' ethic, the deceptive simplicity, the clean lines and extreme emphasis on the quality of the materials used (super steels with a balance between edge holding and ease of maintenance). On my personal pocket knives I'll usually opt for some of the ubber cool and super tech stainless powder steels used today, but in fixed blades I prefer high carbon steels that above all else will hold a scary sharp edge nearly forever.
Time for some shameless self-promotion - examples of what I like to do follow:
A Leuku made with a
Kankaanpaa blade of Bohler Uddeholm 0.8% carbon steel and African Blackwood / ivory micarta and nickel silver spacers. This one has a 'partial convex grind'.
A knife made for a BoB bro...EnZo D2 blade with Snakewood handle. Convex grind, which is my favorite.
My favorite...a personal carving knife...2 1/4" Roselli Ultra High Carbon (a proprietary steel with a carbon content of 1.5 - 2.0% hardened to HRC of 64 - 66) blade with Snakewood handle, brass and black micarta guard, cap and spacers. Scandi grind.
And the first one I did that has a Yrjo Puronvarsi blade (hammered out of old Krupp carbon steel, unique with their rhombic transversal section, i. e. they are thickest in the middle where the grind line begins) and a handle of Gabon Ebony and Reindeer Antler, etc. in which the butt forms a stylized head of a seal, complete with sterling eyes and nose holes (these latter are tube form which the eyes are solid...so she can breathe! lol). The spaces are black micarta, nickle silver and brass and two are file worked (which I'll never do again as the fitting was a total bitch and ended up about 'half right' - but quite 'festive'!). A scandi grind.