Regarded as man’s earliest tool, the usage of knife can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. The first knives were shaped from pointed rocks and were mainly used as protection, were also used during hunting and for everyday tasks like food preparation. And as the new age came and new discoveries were made, knives also took on change. From humble rocks, there now come knives made from aluminum, stainless steel and other heavy metals. And as a weaponry and hunting tool, knives also extended its usage to the kitchen as culinary tools and to hospital use as the surgeon’s knife. And to keep up with the ever-changing needs of this generation, one knife is set to take on a new form. The Sami knife, which has been in existence for almost 300 years now, is the subject at the Design Forum Finland. This call to update the knife’s traditional style is participated by twenty two designers both locally and internationally. The event is dubbed as the The Sami Knife II - where the designers expressed their new and unique views with this special one. The event was organized to increase promotion about disappearing craftsmanship with the said knife and to discuss how locally produced objects are disappearing because of global production. Sami knife’s new styles are on display at the Sami Museum Siida in Inari during the summer of 2009 and are set to tour the world after that. This knife has a long and wide blade that is perfect for light chopping, bone-breaking, wood-clearing and other tasks. The blade is often flat grind or convex, a special craft that has been used to make the blade tougher. It can also be remembered that the Sami knife is the specialty knife of the Sami people. These are indigenous people living in Northern Europe. They are best known for their reindeer herding. With this livelihood, Sami knives are proven to be durable and can stand low temperatures. Another notable knife throughout knife-history is the bowie knife. Nowadays, however, this type of knife is mostly purchased to be a part of collections. Incidentally, there is a bowie knife sale and an antique bowie knife waiting to be part of your knife collections. All you need to do is find the right sale (or maybe even just a garage sale) and your special knife may be just there waiting for you to come for it.
