Jakob Nylund, born in 1989, and Simon Nylund, born in 1992, grew up in the Finnish countryside. Their early years included farm work, hunting, and swimming in the bay. Working with their hands became a natural part of life. Over time, both brothers developed a strong interest in forging and handmade knives. Their rural childhood gave them many chances to learn practical skills and understand the value of careful handwork. These early experiences helped shape their path as custom knife makers.
Their early work focused on fixed blade knives. They took ideas from the Finnish puukko, a traditional knife known for its simple shape and local roots. The brothers then created their own hunting knife designs with curved handles, palm swells, and bird’s beak pommels. These shapes helped give their work a clear identity. Rather than copying older designs, they used familiar Finnish forms as a starting point and added details that reflected their own ideas.
How Their Own Damascus Steel Began
Around 2009, Jakob and Simon were making knives with blades from other makers. They had only recently begun forging their own blades. A major step came with their first Damascus steel billet, which they forged together. The result drew interest from knife makers in Finland and other countries. This early response showed that their work with patterned steel had the potential to become an important part of their craft.
Damascus steel forms through the repeated joining and forging of different steel layers. The process creates visible patterns across the finished material. Each stage calls for control over heat, hammering, and the way the layers bond. For the Nylund brothers, making their own Damascus steel opened a new path for their designs. It also allowed them to develop materials that could give their work a more personal style.
Their work later included Nylund nickel Damascus over an RWL-34 steel core. This combination brings a patterned outer layer together with a separate core steel. It also gives their knives a recognizable look that links material choice with handmade construction. Their work with Damascus steel reflects years of learning, testing, and shaping metal through traditional forging methods.
Finnish Roots Shape Their Handle Designs
The brothers draw on Finnish knife traditions while adding their own ideas. Their handles have used Karelian birch, exotic hardwoods, bone, and metal inserts. Karelian birch is especially linked to northern craft, with its natural grain giving each piece a distinct look. Differences in grain and color mean that each handle can have its own appearance.
Palm swells and bird’s beak pommels became key parts of their early hunting knife designs. These forms helped them build on familiar Finnish shapes without simply copying older patterns. Their work shows how local craft traditions can guide new designs. By pairing traditional handle shapes with modern steel and new materials, Jakob and Simon created a style that connects their Finnish roots with their own creative choices.
Awards That Marked Their Progress
The Nylund brothers gained major recognition at the Solingen Knife Show. In 2013, they won Best Folding Knife for a folder engraved by Swedish Sámi engraver Johan Sandström. This award showed that their work could bring together metalwork, design, and skilled engraving. It also marked a key step as they moved beyond their early fixed blade models.
In 2015, they won Best Fixed Blade Knife at the same show. The winning piece featured African ironwood, mammoth ivory, and their own Damascus steel. The materials gave the knife a strong visual contrast, while the handmade construction reflected their growing skill. The award also showed how well they could combine different materials within one design.
These awards marked important steps in their careers. They also showed the range of their work, from traditional fixed blades to folding designs with more complex parts. Their success came as they continued to develop new forms and refine their approach to materials.
From Fixed Blades to Modern Folding Knives
International knife shows in Helsinki, Paris, Las Vegas, and New York helped shape the brothers’ next steps. These events exposed them to new design ideas and increased their interest in folding knives. Meeting makers and collectors from different places also gave them a chance to see how custom knife design was developing.
In 2016, they made their first flipper models for the East Coast Custom Knife Show in New York. They named the design Draupnir, after the ring linked to Odin in Norse mythology. By 2018, they were also making folders with pocket clips. These changes marked a new stage in their work, with more attention to folding parts and compact designs.
Their folding knives later moved from liner locks to back locks. They also explored materials such as copper, anodized titanium, carbon fiber, Timascus, and zirconium. Each choice offered a different color, surface, or pattern, allowing the brothers to develop fresh looks while keeping their handmade approach. Their folders show how they adapted their original ideas to new forms without leaving behind the skills they learned through forging.
A Shared Craft with Individual Ideas
Although Jakob and Simon work as brothers, they have said they enjoy developing their own projects. This balance lets each maker follow personal ideas while sharing knowledge, tools, and experience. Their work has also included a collaboration with Austrian engraver Chantal Schaschl. Working with other craftspeople adds new details to their designs while keeping the brothers’ own work at the center.
Every Nylund knife is made by hand, according to the supplied maker information. Their pieces come in polished Karelian birch cases lined with reindeer leather. These details reflect the care given to presentation as well as the knife itself. Their body of work shows how two makers can share a family background and a craft while building individual ideas over time.
Ending Thoughts:
At KnifeLegends, our collection features handmade knives from makers whose work reflects distinct skills, materials, and design choices. Jakob and Simon Nylund stand out for developing their own Damascus steel, drawing on Finnish knife traditions, and earning awards for both fixed blades and folding knives. Their work brings together patterned steel, carefully chosen handle materials, and original forms. From their early puukko-inspired designs to their later folding models, the brothers have built a clear style through years of hands-on work. Visit KnifeLegends to explore our selection of custom knives and learn more about the makers behind each design.