Spyderco Ulu?

[Doc Dan]

Has Spyderco ever made an Ulu? I do not remember that they have.

The Ulu is the knife commonly used in the far north for everything from making at igloo, cutting hair, skinning an animal, or cutting roots and vegetables. It is a very versatile knife and has been copied by many manufactures over the years. It does have a learning curve to use, but it is very efficient, especially in the kitchen and so is associated primarily with women in those cultures. However, men use them, too.

Sadly, today there are a plethora of cheap ulu knives sold for souvenirs, but a good one is a real treasure. I think Spyderco could make one of these slicing monsters and make it where it slices even better. I don't know if this would be interesting to Spyderco, or not, but it is very different than their usual knives and would fit right in with their Ethnic Series. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

I would suggest LC200N or BD1N and keep the cost down so people in Alaska, norther Canada and the Yukon, and Siberia and Greenland could afford them.

[Bemo]

I love knives with a history. And I've known about the ulu for years if not decades but have never added one to the collection. If Spyderco were to make one I'd certainly pick one up. I like this idea.

[zhyla]

I’ve always heard how versatile these are but I’ve never figured out a way to use them in the kitchen that was productive. The handle location just does not work for me period.

[ykspydiefan]

I'll be the second to buy one. I live in northern Canada, not far enough to be in traditional Ulu country, but far enough to see real Ulus in real use. Usually, they are made of salvaged metal and very thin. Most of the indigenous harvesters I have met care not for steel quality, they all have superb sharpening skills, and sharpen all the time. It is not uncommon for a hunter to go out with 10 or 12 knives to get through a moose, and they would be knives handed down from his father.

It really blows my mind the difference between the Slysz Bowie community and a traditional indigenous hunting community. They both have a knife, but it means something so very different. Personally, I am stuck in the middle being really average and normal but somewhat crazy due to the polarities in our world.

Many cultures claim to have originated this blade style, in Canada, there is a remote village named Ulukhaktok, meaning the place where the parts to make ulus are found.

An Ulu in Lc200n would be mind bending. A fleshing tool, with a high wear steel, that could scrape off a moose hide with out having to be sharpened would change the lives of many northern people.

I own 2 cheap ulus that work great for fleshing snowshoe hare hide and other pelts, and 1 traditional ulu that is more of a blubber cutter, it's expensive and I have no access to blubber. I have found ulus are not versatile, but excel in working game.

[sal]

Hi Doc,

We've thought about it a few times. when we divided up the country for the sales crew ( 1984), nobody wanted to take Alaska and Hawaii, so Gail and I volunteered. We spent about a month a year in Alaska working the Fur Rondy and the state Fair. We spent about 2 months a year in Hawaii working shows in Honolulu and then taking the kids outer island and staying in campgrounds. Snorkeling for breakfast. Great times for sure. We just got back from Kauai yesterday.

We haven'e been to Alaska for a few years, though we do Hawaii more often.

We've designed a few Ulu's. One had a more traditional knife handle that bent down to the Ulu blade. Fireman was inquiring about such a design a few months ago. We did watch them in use in fish packing plants and they were faster than traditional knives as they could cut in both directions, but as mentioned, it does have a learning curve to develop the skill. In the lower 48, they work well for chopping in a wooden bowl.

I can consider one. I think I know enough about them to work a design, but as usual, Ii would be interested on any thoughts or opinions. I would also want to do more research to find the best blade shape and handle shape. I thin BD1N would be the best steel and I think an inexpensive handle that offered grip would work. FRN would be best, but the tooling is very expensive. I think maybe canvas Micarta would work.

As mentioned, most are made for souvies, but i would prefer a high performance model. We've had one in out Tokonoma for a while, Antler handle and shiny blade. I'm no expert, but of the ones Iv'e used, I prefer the longer edge, 6"-7"

I'll watch the thread.

sal

[Josh Crutchley]

Has Spyderco ever made an Ulu? I do not remember that they have.

The Ulu is the knife commonly used in the far north for everything from making at igloo, cutting hair, skinning an animal, or cutting roots and vegetables. It is a very versatile knife and has been copied by many manufactures over the years. It does have a learning curve to use, but it is very efficient, especially in the kitchen and so is associated primarily with women in those cultures. However, men use them, too.

Sadly, today there are a plethora of cheap ulu knives sold for souvenirs, but a good one is a real treasure. I think Spyderco could make one of these slicing monsters and make it where it slices even better. I don't know if this would be interesting to Spyderco, or not, but it is very different than their usual knives and would fit right in with their Ethnic Series. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

I would suggest LC200N or BD1N and keep the cost down so people in Alaska, norther Canada and the Yukon, and Siberia and Greenland could afford them.

I thought they did but when I went looking all I could find was the Maddox. If you do a google search you'll find threads from the early 00's talking about Spyderco planning on making one and even talks of a prototype. I also remembered seeing a Spyderco patent for a retractable ulu that sounds just like the prototype they talked about.

[sal]

Hi Josh,

Good find. We designed a retractable blade Ulu style blade years ago. It was a reverse auto in that when you pushed the button, the blade retracted. Reverse S blade shape. It was more of a modern box cutter than an Ulu. I've pulled them out of archives a few times considering a run. I'll dig them out again. We made protos in two sizes. green G-10

sal

[Josh Crutchley]

Hi Josh,

Good find. We designed a retractable blade Ulu style blade years ago. It was a reverse auto in that when you pushed the button, the blade retracted. Reverse S blade shape. It was more of a modern box cutter than an Ulu. I've pulled them out of archives a few times considering a run. I'll dig them out again. We made protos in two sizes. green G-10

sal

That would be awesome to get a look at the real thing. I can only imagine what else is in the archives.

[Doc Dan]

Hi Doc,

We've thought about it a few times. when we divided up the country for the sales crew ( 1984), nobody wanted to take Alaska and Hawaii, so Gail and I volunteered. We spent about a month a year in Alaska working the Fur Rondy and the state Fair. We spent about 2 months a year in Hawaii working shows in Honolulu and then taking the kids outer island and staying in campgrounds. Snorkeling for breakfast. Great times for sure. We just got back from Kauai yesterday.

We haven'e been to Alaska for a few years, though we do Hawaii more often.

We've designed a few Ulu's. One had a more traditional knife handle that bent down to the Ulu blade. Fireman was inquiring about such a design a few months ago. We did watch them in use in fish packing plants and they were faster than traditional knives as they could cut in both directions, but as mentioned, it does have a learning curve to develop the skill. In the lower 48, they work well for chopping in a wooden bowl.

I can consider one. I think I know enough about them to work a design, but as usual, Ii would be interested on any thoughts or opinions. I would also want to do more research to find the best blade shape and handle shape. I thin BD1N would be the best steel and I think an inexpensive handle that offered grip would work. FRN would be best, but the tooling is very expensive. I think maybe canvas Micarta would work.

As mentioned, most are made for souvies, but i would prefer a high performance model. We've had one in out Tokonoma for a while, Antler handle and shiny blade. I'm no expert, but of the ones Iv'e used, I prefer the longer edge, 6"-7"

I'll watch the thread.

sal

I do think BD1N would be a great steel and I would favor G10 handles because these knives get into blood, dirt, and all sorts of stuff. Knives of Alaska makes an Ulu out of D2, which will rust. Also, it has a very thick edge. True, such an edge would be great for going through tough items like moose hide, walrus hide, or bone, but for normal uses it is terrible.


One of the advantages of the Ulu is that the force is straight down the arm to the edge, instead of from the arm on the side. A regular knife has the force directed away from what is being cut and extra force is needed to bring the edge to bear. It is not really efficient. We can think perhaps of using the edge versus the point in straight line attack. The Ulu directs all of the force straight in line with the arm and so it takes less effort. A good one can cut vegetables as well or better than an expensive chef's knife, and very fast, too. There are videos on YT that show the knife in use in various applications.

Now, having said that, would a high hollow grind be better, or a full flat grind. That would be interesting to test.

[Wandering_About]

Replying only to express interest in trying out a Spyderco made ulu. No particular input other than that.

[knifemovieguy]

I would prefer Yakut folder

[ChrisinHove]

Interesting.

How does a Ulu differ from the culinary herb chopping knife or hachoir?

[ZrowsN1s]

An interesting knife. Rocking it to cut instead of chopping would probably extend the life of the edge a bit. Combine that with a stainless/ high wear resistant steel, you'd have some real edge holding in a kitchen slicer.

I've been very happy with BD1N in my Z-Cuts. The price too. Still I wonder what some of the high end stainless steels might be like on the z-cut platform. And what would the price increase be like?

[bearfacedkiller]

I would be interested. I have thought about making one out of an old circular saw blade. That seems somewhat common.

Bench made produced a hybrid ulu that looks like it would process game really well.



I personally would prefer to see one that is more traditional that I could use in the kitchen. Since I would be using it for food prep I would want it to be very thin. Definitely curious what a high performance ulu made by spyderco would look like.

[Sumdumguy]

The only thing that comes to my mind is the Maddox.

[JRinFL]

I bought my wife a ulu years ago. She used it once or twice and now it sits in a dark cabinet somewhere. There is a reason they never really caught on in the wider world.

[Sumdumguy]

I bought my wife a ulu years ago. She used it once or twice and now it sits in a dark cabinet somewhere. There is a reason they never really caught on in the wider world.

I bought one for my father years ago, with a shallow wooden bowl and he uses it to chop up herbs and stuff. Similar to a mortar and pestle. But, with a blade.

Aside from that though, it isn't anything to write home about.

It's one of those things that is a regional specialty. If you grew up using it, you can understand what it's for and can handle it like a surgeon. For the rest of us, it is alien and requires too much specific "training".

[zhyla]

One of the advantages of the Ulu is that the force is straight down the arm to the edge, instead of from the arm on the side. A regular knife has the force directed away from what is being cut and extra force is needed to bring the edge to bear. It is not really efficient. We can think perhaps of using the edge versus the point in straight line attack. The Ulu directs all of the force straight in line with the arm and so it takes less effort.

If vegetables were difficult to slice that may be an interesting argument for the ulu. Maybe it’s better at chopping, but kitchen knives are all about slicing.

There is a reason they never really caught on in the wider world.

Well, it’s not like the eskimos had big trade routes exposing many other cultures to their tools.

It’s important to remember that the blade design predates metal working in that area. When you have to make a cutting tool out of bone or horn you make different choices. Also anyone who saw their bone-bladed ulus probably was not impressed — steel is so much better.

[JRinFL]

But the ulu has been known and made in steel for many, many decades now. It still has not caught on and doubt it ever really will.

[Doc Dan]

It should, though. It is really not well known in the lower 48, nor in the rest of the world, for that matter. However, that knife will zip through veggies with that rocking motion and like Sal said, it cuts on two sides. The rocking motion chefs use on a chef knife to slice vegetables is even better on an ulu.
https://youtu.be/I3hc4RuohB4