Joker Mount Knife Puukko CL127, Curly Birch Wood Handle, 3.94 inches Blade in Sandvik 14C28N Steel, Includes Brown Leather Sheath, Tool for Fishing, Hunting, Camping and Hiking

After getting the smaller 126 as a gift for a young lady freshly into woodcarving, I became enamored with this series by Joker. Both of these have hand-filling handles perfectly executed in beautifully patterned curly birch (more on that later) that apparently fit a variety of hand types, mine included. The grinds are symmetrical and the edge is shaving sharp out of the box. The sheath is the typical folded leather type, well executed, that Joker is known for; however, the fit is a little disappointing as, like fellow reviewer Fuchs mentions, the knife doesn’t quite fit all the way in and sticks out a little too much. These particular models are designed for carving (eating!) wood and have a true scandi zero grind edge. Based on my experience and the experience of others, this type of grind is, IMHO, a great tool for bushcraft when combined with an axe/hatchet, large knife and/or saw. The edge is very acute (read delicate) and, although great for carving, is typically a poor batoning choice. Therefore, using it as a one-knife option is also likely a poor choice. The stick tang, although supporting a fabulous handle, is another reason for not beating on this tool. Joker has plenty of other options for a survival knife or one-knife option. Please reconsider if that’s your purpose for this one. Along with the fit of the sheath, the only issue I could find so far is a tiny black spot on an otherwise flawless 90 degree spine. The steel is a pretty good choice if you want to continue to run the true scandi edge, as it is a great balance of toughness (to prevent edge chipping), edge-holding ability and - wait for it - ease of sharpening. With a true scandi grind that has no microbevel, wearing down that much material to sharpen such an edge on a tough super steel like , for example, CPM 3V or, worse, S30V would take the lifetime of a small animal. That’s why most “scandi” grind knives made with steel that’s difficult to sharpen have a microbevel. An example is the two Gerber bushcraft knives, the Principle (true scandi with relatively soft and easy to sharpen 420HC) and the Terracraft (microbevel in S30V powdered super steel). 420HC is okay, Buck gets a lot out of it, but 14C28N is superior for this purpose. So if you’re after a one-knife option or a survival type blade you can beat through logs, there are better options, even in Joker’s stable (check out the Lynx if you want this size). If you want a quality bushcraft/carving knife in the old Scandinavian style at an amazing price that rivals a Bark River (another brand I like to use), however, the 126, 127 and maybe even the 128 are great options.

I've paid a lot more for my bushcraft knives but this one is my favorite thus far. Holds an edge very well and feels so comfortable in my hand for woodworking and any other task.

Having purchased the Joker Lynx a week prior, and realizing how nice it was, I knew I had to get this one. Everything about this knife screams quality. The wood handle fits great in your hand, the steel is the same as the stainless Mora Garberg and its Terava counterpart, and the blade has excellent geometry. It’s a keeper for sure.

The Joker Puukko is no joke!