Wood Jewel

History Wood Jewel Company

Early 1980s: Kauko Raatiniemi manufactures next to the salariate (clocks, wood, willow magnifier). Full time at the beginning of the 90.

First employee 1995. Today ~20 people, shops Kolari, Äkäslompolo (Ylläs), Levi.

First knives at the end of the 1980s (a collector takes everything). Serious revival in the early 2000s by the son Tuomas. ~50,000 knives a year. More than 1,000 catalogue references (kuksa, jewelry, souvenirs): the knife is the heart, not the only product.

Materials: birch, reindeer wood, tinted plated birch. Blades carbon type 80CrV2 (often Lauri/same Kauhava steel family). Scandi. Sheath deep, braided strap, plastic insert.

Export NO, SE, UK, US. Look Sami / Lapland without being the prices of Karesuando.

Highlights / weak points

Forces

• Price: real horn + birch look at a competitive price.
• Lapon volume, stocks. Combo leuku + puukko in a sheath. Handle generally « barrel » solid. 80CrV2 expected.
• Shops on site (Levi / Ylläs) = local proof.

Weakness

• Uneven finish (secondary bevel, blade a bit of cross — frequent returns).
• Catalogue souvenir (hearts, keychains) dilute.
• Tinted plate = less noble than solid birch.
• Carbon = rust. Less « forge » than a Kamppila, less homemade steel than a Roselli.

In one sentence
Wood Jewel wins at the lapon decor and price, but this is not the most regular for blades.

Better sales

Three. The little one, the daily one, the camp.

1) Small puukko (~80 mm)
Birch + horn segments, brass. Size, belt.

2) The first Wood Jewel.
Hunting knife (lame) ~95–100 mm)

3) Leuku / combo leuku + puukko
Leuku ~210 mm + small in the same leather. The Lapland cliché.

Mention should also be made of:
Fish fillet knife
Mushroom knife