A full 24 hours with the Zuava.

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Oct 2, 2004
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Okay, it's been a day now, with all the new knife obsessive fondling that coves with a new knife in the mail. Like any good knife nut, I put it to work immediately just to see how it cuts. I went out and put some new stakes in the tomato plant pots, and some jute twine needed cutting. A pencil was sharpened, some nice fresh French baguette was sliced, and fat trimmed off some meat for the Weber. So I now have some impressions of a Zuava.

It's a strange little knife, but a very capable one. Someitmes one has to sample the exotic to find that no matter where you go, there you are. Or like the great mind doc once said, "Someitmes a cigar is just a cigar." TYo paraphrase Sigmond, sometimes a knife is just still a knife.

The Zuava, although looking much different, is a very nice knife, and does a great job at cutting things like a knife should do. It slices and dices, and feels good if stance in hand. In a vey weird way, it kind of reminds me of a peanut that has been doctored to remove the criticism of the handle being too small, or blade too short, or whatever. The big downturn at the butt of the Zuava gives a very very sure grip for such a small knife. Even though it's a three finger trip, its really locked in there if you squeeze down. It also bears a very strong resemblance of the Sardinian resolza in that matter. These Italians seem to have great knack for making things feel good and look good.

The zuava blade carried a good thickness down the spine, leaving a good amount of meat in the steel for harder use. Though on the small size, this is not a delicate knife. The olive wood scales are thick enough to give a very good cross section to grip while working. Wood to metal fit could be a bit better, but the way the scales are fit, with the wood a bit proud on the corners, is very typical if some working class Italian cutlery I've seen in the past. This knife was designed go look pretty good, but not enough to detract from the far tit was made to buy, drop in pocket, and go to work. The steel is pretty good, arrived sharp, has cut a good amount of stuff, just broke down a large cardboard box, and is still as sharp as it arrived.

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Oh, as far as it feeling bigger than it is in hand, here it is with a 93mm Wenger SI for scale. Not giving up much in blade length, but the handle is shorter with the strange downturn that feels so good.
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The blade is a tad shorter than the standard SAK blade, has a kind of sodbusterish shape to it. But as far as the distinctive and different shape to it, it cuts as well as every other knife, and better than some. The wide flat ground blade profile cuts like the Opinel peanut, and resolza in that respect. Meaning be careful, if this one bites, it's going deep.

So far, it proves itself as a good knife.
 
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Nice real world write-up, Carl! I do like the looks of that one. It just looks like a tough user, which is precisely what it seems to be made for. If you have a chance, could you post a picture of it while closed?
 
Nice real world write-up, Carl! I do like the looks of that one. It just looks like a tough user, which is precisely what it seems to be made for. If you have a chance, could you post a picture of it while closed?

Here ya go! Plenty of blade to easily pinch open without ugh effort at all.
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Carl,
thank you for the review 8and thanks to Jack for his generosity). I have never handled a Maserin traditional myself, so it's good to hear your opinion on it :)
I am, anyway, quite familiar with this pattern, one of the most "Spanish" ones among Italian regional patterns. I'm not much a fan of its handle and blade shape, it does feel very solid in hand (I only handled bigger versions that allowed for a full hand grip). Glad you're enjoying it ;)

Fausto
:cool:
 
Thanks for putting the knife to work Carl, and for the write-up and pics, great to read what you think :)

Jack
 
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