No, “Lil’ Nilakka” isn’t just a tongue twister… it’s also one of Spyderco’s newest knives. The Lil’ Nilakka is a custom collaboration between Spyderco and Finnish knife maker Pekka Tuominen. It’s a take on the traditional Finnish “puukko” knife that draws inspiration heavily from shapes found in nature and focuses on outdoors use. The small size, rare blade steel, and unique handles give a traditionally outdoors-specific design a new role as an EDC.
As its name suggests, the Lil’ Nilakka gives you all of the design seen in the standard Nilakka in a smaller package that’s better suited for EDC at a modest 5.6” overall length with a 2.3” cutting edge. But what really shines is the premium RWL34 Damasteel blade. Rarely seen on knives, this steel is known for its high strength, strong resistance to corrosion, and extreme edge sharpness that’s easy to maintain. It’s an excellent fit for a blade that’s traditionally “zero ground,” as the same shape that gives it its sharpness also makes its edge prone to damage and difficult to sharpen. Spyderco applied a full flat grind and even precision-machined a secondary microbevel to the blade for a practical balance of sharpness and durability.
The blade deploys manually via Spyderco’s signature round hole into a sturdy liner lock mechanism that’s easy to operate thanks to a thumb cutout in the handle. And those G10 handles look pretty close to ivory, but they’re much more resistant to wear (and certainly less illegal) than the real thing. The smooth handles and compact size at just 3.30” closed help the knife glide into the pocket, while a wire-style pocket clip keeps it secure for tip-up carry.
If you’ve been looking for a small, unique knife for your carry, the Lil’ Nilakka is certainly capable. It’s available in limited numbers as a first-of-its-kind “flash batch” at the link below.
