An Italian Regional knife: the Bergamasco - a little cabinet of curiosities

[BigBiscuit]

And I yours Charlie. Reciprocity amongst knife knuts my friend.
I still have the telescope and sextant as well.

 

[Jack Black]

What a great opening post, I really enjoyed reading it again :thumbup:

Excellent tale Bob :thumbup:

 

[Herlock]

Hi!

Sorry for late comment here, didn’t realized this post was still “alive” .

@ Waynorth: Thanks! Glad you liked it . No worries, I like to see pics and don’t consider this “my” thread. Not an expert in all regional knives but I’d agree on the Zuava. Intersting the fact the Zuava has several interpretations in different Italian Regions (from Tuscany to Friuli). I’ve been told it got its name from the Napoleon regiments, the Zouaves, who, it’s said, carried this regularly. Don’t know if this is true or a “urban legend”, but it’s fascinating !

@ Meako: Thank-you! Happy you enjoyed the read!

@ Cambertree: Hi! Thanks! Yes, I also like very much the history and the stories around knives, being them modern or traditional. It’s true that neighbouring regions but even valleys or villages influence each other quite much. I look at this as a sort of “best practices sharing”, when someone has something which is working fine, well, why re-inventing the wheel again?! Fascinating to find and track these influences and similarities :thumbup:.

@ BigBiscuit: Nice story! I also have a few of these “treasure hunt” stories from my childhood; great experiences and a few interesting objects to talk about still nowadays!

@ Jack Black: Thanks again for appreciation!

Take care! Ciao!

 

[Âchillepattada]

WHAT a great pleasure to read that you have also written about this marvellous knife .
I just come back from Bergamo where I have visited my friend Luca Pizzi.
A part of being a marvelous damascus maker Luca is one of a small number of knife-makers to maintain alive the tradition .

Here are mine :

But Luca use it also to express his great artistic skill :

http://www.forgiapizzi.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/psico1.jpg [IMG]

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[Chui]

- what a lovely breath of fresh air and that damascus is a joy to behold....thank you for sharing Âchillepattada

 

[Peregrin]

WHAT a great pleasure to read that you have also written about this marvellous knife .
I just come back from Bergamo where I have visited my friend Luca Pizzi.
A part of being a marvelous damascus maker Luca is one of a small number of knife-makers to maintain alive the tradition .

Here are mine :

But Luca use it also to express his great artistic skill :

http://www.forgiapizzi.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/psico1.jpg

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Fabulous work! Thanks for the pics!

 

[Jack Black]

WHAT a great pleasure to read that you have also written about this marvellous knife .
I just come back from Bergamo where I have visited my friend Luca Pizzi.
A part of being a marvelous damascus maker Luca is one of a small number of knife-makers to maintain alive the tradition .

Here are mine :

But Luca use it also to express his great artistic skill :

http://www.forgiapizzi.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/psico1.jpg

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A great new addition to this fascinating old thread :) :thumbsup:

 

[waynorth]

Wonderful addition to the thread, and some great modern Bergamasci (sp?), @Achillepattada!!!
It is indeed a rich life to live in Europe, and access so many rich traditions!!

 

[J D Wijbenga]

They look very nice @Achillepattada! Thanks for showing!

 

[Âchillepattada]

Thank you gentlemen

If you like it here is another creation from Luca Pizzi with his terrible damascus :

Another italian knife-maker, Roberto Ottonelo created a model based on the bergamasco design : the Masunin
I like it .

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[Âchillepattada]

Hello ,
I have to talk about another great knife maker of Bergamo : Giuseppe Pala.
He is brilliant to imagine new shapes but also to execute in a modern way the traditional Bergamasco.

Here is a slip joint with a boxwood handle :

I must have a break with my american slipjoint obsession to buy one of these beauty
We should all have two birthdays per year


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