Jukka Hankala lives in a town called Ikaalinen, in Finland. He has always been interested in forging and he made his first works at his home farm when he was a little boy. Forging has been a hobby for him for several years, and during those times he has produced different kinds of works from candlesticks to a massive missionary candelabrum for the Church of Ikaalinen. His interest in forging inspired him also to forge knives, which has become more important part of his life during the years. Nowadays Jukka works almost as a full-time bladesmith in addition to farming. He is interested especially in old, traditional knife-models, like Toijala-knife, damascus knives and hunting knives. Making a knife is very challenging and time-consuming, because Jukka designs every knife himself, and he also makes all the phases by hand.

Jukka's hard work with different kind of knives has also been discovered in domestic and Scandinavian prize contests, where Jukka has received several first prizes. On March 2003, he won the Art-class on a knife-show in Wisconsin, USA. In finnish weapon and wild magazine called "Ase- ja Erä" was an article (6/2001), which stated the following (free translation):

"Finland is full of bladesmiths one more skilful than the other, it shows for example on knife contests. One of the most remarkable masters is Jukka Hankala, whose Tommi-knives and Toijala-knives approach perfection. That goes without saying, that Jukka Hankala is one of the most distinguished bladesmiths, it can be seen in his sense of style also among other than traditional knives."