Hukka Jolle: a soapstone sauna elf with a stacked cone hat
The Hukka Jolle is a small sauna elf carved from Finnish soapstone. Its cone hat has a stacked, tiered point, giving it a different outline from its brother Tahvo. It has a cheerful smile, stands just under 3 inches tall, and weighs less than half a pound. Hukka carves it in Tuupovaara, Finland. Soapstone is used to build many sauna stoves, so it handles the sauna’s heat without trouble.
In Finnish folklore the sauna elf is the guardian of the sauna. Set Jolle on top of the heater stones, electric or wood burning, where its face shows, and throw water on the stones as you normally would. It is just one small stone, so it does not change how the heater works. It also works as a small massage stone. Let it warm on the stones, lift it off, and wait until it is comfortably warm to the touch. Then press the point of the hat into a tight spot on your shoulders. It comes as one solid piece with nothing to assemble. Want a festive hat instead? See the Hukka Sulo sauna elf with a holiday hat. The Hukka Jolle ships free from My Cozy Outdoors with No Sales Tax (except WY) and the full manufacturer warranty.
FAQ
What makes Jolle different from Tahvo?
Both wear cone hats, but Jolle’s is a stacked cone, a tiered point rather than a single one, which gives him a distinct silhouette on the stones and a slightly different massage tip. Otherwise they are twins: 1.77 inches (45 mm) wide, 2.83 inches (72 mm) tall and 0.44 pounds, both carved from Carelian soapstone in Tuupovaara, Finland. Collectors usually end up with both.
How do I use a sauna elf as a massager?
The page suggests the stacked cone hat as a pressure point reliever and the smooth head as a gentle massager. Let Jolle warm on the stones during your session, lift him off with care, and wait until he is comfortably warm rather than hot, testing on your forearm first. Then press the point of the hat slowly into tight spots in the shoulders and roll the rounded head over the neck and back.
Does the elf affect the sauna heater?
No. Jolle is a single 0.44 pound piece of soapstone, the same family of stone many heaters use, so he is simply one more stone on the pile and does not change the stone load or the heat. Place him on top where his face shows, clear of the elements and of any gaps your heater manual asks you to keep open, and throw water on the stones as you normally would.
Is Jolle real Finnish soapstone?
Yes. The Features tab lists 100 percent authentic Finnish Carelian soapstone made in Tuupovaara, Finland, and Hukka Design describes its elves as natural Karelian soapstone that lasts over time with no chemicals added during manufacture. Soapstone’s high heat capacity and resistance to harsh conditions are why it is trusted on the stones. Discover the rest of the family in our Hukka range.
What is a sauna elf in Finnish culture?
Finnish folklore fills the sauna with spirits: the saunatonttu, or sauna elf, guards the building and watches over the bathers, keeping the peace as long as they behave respectfully. Hukka’s Jolle is that guardian carved in stone, meant to sit among the heater stones and, as the page puts it, keep his cheerful smile no matter how high the temperature climbs. He ships boxed with free shipping, arriving in an estimated 7 to 10 business days.