Yrjo Puronvarsi (YP) blades are hammered out of old Krupp carbon steel, and are unique with their rhombic transversal section, i. e. they are thickest in the middle where the grind line begins. The blades are now being forged by Antti Makinen, Yrjo's grandson.
"What I’m about to tell you is the story of a Finnish family who has devoted many of its members to the art of forging. Our story takes place in Härmä, a small town 24 km south of Kauhava, the historic “puukko capital” in western Finland.
We are in 1850 and it’s in this year that a man from the Puronvarsi family starts his own business as a blacksmith. The son, Matti, following in the footsteps of the parent, learns and passes the craft on to one of his descendants, Esa Puronvarsi. In 1927 Yrjö Puronvarsi is born, who in his youth, along with his eight brothers, learns the art of forging from his father and uncle. He will be the only one to carry on the job, although there will be a period in which twenty family members will work as smiths at the same time. Yrjö has three children, two boys and a girl. Neither of the sons was ever interested in the family job, while the daughter, Ulla, in the early ’80s, became the mother of Antti Mäkinen. Antti begins his smithing career in 2006.
We’re almost to the present day. Yrjö, the blacksmith who worked longer in the family, passed down to his nephew his knowledge to create his heir. Today, being 85 years old, he doesn’t forge anymore full-time, but still works six days a week, for the love of it and for exercise."
