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Pros: Blade Sharpness, Finish, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Sheath/Scabbard
Cons: None
Fine, Featherlight, Finnish, Field Knife
The Marttiini Ilves ("Lynx") 131 is the supposed original knife model designed by Janne Marttiini back in the 1930s, according to the Marttiini website. The curly birch handle is eye-catching yet simple and lightweight. The handle is lacquered for weatherproofing but still has some tack to the texture. The blade is an unnamed stainless steel in Scandi grind that is sharp out-of-the-box. Even after cutting through apples and oranges, the blade did not show signs of tarnishing. The reindeer leather sheath is conformed tightly to the knife and features beautiful detailing. The little hump on the spine of the sheath is supposed to keep the blade oriented correctly when moving, according to the mfg website. The overall performance of the knife is effortless for most tasks, yet, bear in mind the ~3mm (~5/32") thick blade "splits" more than "slips" through. If you are familiar with the Morakniv knives, then these Marttiini knives are a more polished version of those knives.