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 has been rewarded for his skills in Finland and in foreign countries. He received for example three successive victories on hunting knife-series in finnish "Hunting and Fishing" -magazine. He won the ART-series in a knife show in Wisconsin USA 2002, and he has been rewarded in Gembloux Belgium. For his knife-merits, he has been nominated to be the citizen of the year in his hometown Ikaalinen, and Finnish Knife Association has selected him to be the bladesmith of the year 2008.

In the spring 2009 he became qualified master bladesmith (FNBE).

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."