plastic, and the blade is either stainless steel or of laminated construction; harder steel which forms the edge is clad in softer steel. In Finnish, these knives also are usually referred to as puukko. In Finland, carrying a knife in public without an acceptable (usually job-related) reason is prohibited and the only urban areas where open carry is an everyday sight are military garrisons. Although open carry is illegal, this is not vigorously enforced. Construction workers often go to diners with a puukko hanging from their overalls and in the rural and Northern parts of the country it is not uncommon to go shopping in village stores in hunting clothes, including a puukko. For instance, the deep ecologist, ornithologist and writer Pentti Linkola, who supported himself as a fisherman, often appeared in public wearing his puukko. A puukko was traditionally the only civilian item that could be openly carried as a part of a soldier's combat gear without breaching the Finnish Defence Forces regulations. A good puukko was considered an essential outdoorsman's tool, and thus vital for a soldier in the field. Puukkos proved to be good close combat weapons in the Winter War and Continuation War. Paradoxically, the Defence Forces do not have knives on general issue, due mainly to the puukko having been a highly personal item — and even today most conscripts follow the age-old tradition of bringing their own into service. It is a custom of Finnish conscripts, especially non-commissioned officers, and officer cadets to carry a decorated and/or engraved commemorative puukko of their military school or training course as a part of their uniform, not unlike a commemorative dagger. The bayonet of the Rk-62 assault rifle was designed to also function as a puukko, as was the rare bayonet for the M/39 Mosin-Nagant. In Finland, receiving a puukko as a gift is considered an honour, the idea being that the presenter is giving the recipient a tool which is essential for both woodworking and preparing food and as a weapon and that the presenter takes into account the well-being of the recipient. Tapio Wirkkala, famous Finnish designer, designed a Puukko for Gutmann cutlery. The puukko has also given the root for Finnish language verb puukottaa, "to stab (with a knife)" or literally "to knife". See also Sami knife Mora knife Yakutian knife Sgian-dubh Kukri Swiss Army knife References External links Finnish National Board of Antiques