Ulu Knife- Utilitarian Skinning Knife/ Hunting Knife- 5"

Alaskan Ulu Knife: Damascus Steel Skinning and Hunting Knife, 5"

The ulu is the crescent-bladed knife of the Arctic, held with the handle above the blade and rocked through the cut. This is a working Alaskan ulu knife in pattern-welded Damascus steel, with a wood handle and a leather sheath.

A time-honored tool

Ulu knives have been found dating back to 2500 BCE, used by the Indigenous peoples of the Arctic for hunting, food preparation and sewing. They were considered sacred and were passed down through generations as carriers of ancestral knowledge.

The size of an ulu reflects its use: a 2-inch blade lived in the sewing kit for cutting sinew and shaping hides; a 6-inch blade was the general-purpose knife for skinning, food preparation and slicing; blades up to 12 inches were occasionally used for butchering. There are four traditional styles: the Alaskan, with a centre-mounted handle; the Canadian, with a single-stem handle; the West Greenlandic, with a triangular blade; and the East Greenlandic, with more pointed ends. This 5-inch ulu follows the Inupiat style, where the blade has a centre cutout and both ends fit into the handle for balance and control.

Damascus steel blade

The blade is pattern-welded Damascus: eleven pieces of steel, six of carbon steel (#43 and #40) and five of 1095 high carbon, forge-welded and folded five times to 352 layers, hardened to 55 to 56 HRC. It holds a keen edge and takes impact without chipping.

Specifications

• Blade length: 5 inches
• Blade material: high carbon Damascus steel, 352 layers
• Rockwell hardness: 55 to 56 HRC
• Handle: wood
• Sheath: leather

For skinning, hunting and the kitchen

The ulu is a hunter's skinning knife and a cook's chopping knife in one: the rocking cut works through hide, meat and vegetables alike. Keep the Damascus dry and lightly oiled and the pattern stays bright. See the rest of our skinning knives and hunting knives.