Our original Scout Knife was designed in 1925 and was released for Christmas. It was created at the request of the Boy Scouts of Great Britain, who wanted a model with an international design that would be suitable for scouts worldwide. It needed a sturdy finger guard and a design distinct from traditional Nordic styles, with a sheath that ensured the knife would not fall out.
The high-carbon steel blade’s shape was inspired by traditional American models. The handle is made from leather scraps leftover from sheath production, as well as domestic vegetable-tanned cowhide. The handle is finished with lacquer. Between the blade and handle is a 3 mm thick aluminum finger guard that effectively prevents fingers from slipping onto the blade. The knife’s end features a cast aluminum pommel, known as a "hook," which is based on the birch end of the carving knife developed in 1921.
The sheath is fully stitched and made from natural, uncolored domestic vegetable-tanned leather. It has metal reinforcements at the mouth and tip. The top of the sheath features a snap-fastened leather strap to keep the knife securely in place. The sheath is decorated with a subtle, traditional stamped pattern.
Our scout knives are available in four different sizes, all with the same shape and style of handle and sheath but with varying blade lengths. The Kolkka Scout Knife is essentially the same knife as the Children’s Scout Knife, but with a slightly longer blade and a pointed tip. This model is suitable for a smaller user who already has some experience with knives.
The Kolkka Scout Knife measures 20 cm in total length, with the knife being 19 cm long and the blade 10 cm.
High-carbon steel requires some maintenance. It should always be cleaned and dried after use, and the best protection against corrosion is an oil layer on the surface. We recommend leaving the knife out of the sheath to dry for a day or two after use, which also allows the sheath to dry properly. At the factory, we protect the blades with tar-scented CRC Sisu protective oil. WD-40 and CRC 5-56 also serve the same purpose. If using the knife with food, it’s advisable to protect the blade with food oil, such as sunflower oil. However, food oil is not suitable for long-term storage as it can become sticky over time.
Scout knives are prone to corrosion due to the leather in the sheath pressing against the blade. If the knife is left wet in the sheath, black spots will initially appear on the blade, and prolonged exposure to moisture will lead to rust. While the spots do not affect usability, they can be effectively removed with metal polish, such as Autosol.
The sheath is decorated with a stamped Ilkan Partiolaiset logo. For scouts, both the embossed design and blade engraving are included in the price.
