Building a Navaja with Traditional tools

J

jon_slider

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Aug 24, 2010
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By 3rd Generation Navajero Manuel Fernández Panadés of Albacete.

[video=youtube;rSUKUKzVCc0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSUKUKzVCc0[/video]
 
Absolutely loved that video.... Thank you for sharing! I have wanted a navaja ever since I started my collection... and this just stirred me all up again! lol! :)
 
Jonathan, from the title, I thought perhaps you had decided to take up knife making with a very ambitious first project!
Very entertaining video. Amazing what can be done using a mill bastard file.
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Absolutely loved that video.... Thank you for sharing! I have wanted a navaja ever since I started my collection... and this just stirred me all up again! lol! :)
Click to expand...

Cool, glad the language was not a barrier. Jack Black often posts about his love of the Pequeña
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1088969-The-Mighty-Pequena?
in my opinion it is also a Navaja.

I see at least 3 phases of Navaja evolution
1. As a friction folder, which both the Opinel and the Pattadesa also share design with
2. As a slip joint with a backspring but no lock, like the Pequeña, and also like the French Laguiole de Thiers, which has a vestigial "Fly" that to me bears strong resemblance to the Spanish lever lock.
3. As a knife with a lock, with or without a backspring, such as the one this video shows, but also as the Opinel with the Virolock. There is also a Spanish knife similar to the Opinel with Virolock called the Navaja Extremeña, whose logo looks a lot like the Acorn used by Boker and Remington, though others claim it is actually a Beret, which is French for the Basque hat called a Boina in Spain, where I lived as a boy.
 
Jon, Thank You so much for this wonderful video link! I thoroughly enjoyed watching this man at work. He obviously loves making his knives. It was very cool to see how he fitted things together :) It's not always about milling machines and exact tolerances, this man makes things fit together by eye and feel...simply amazing :thumbup: I loved watching every second of this video :)
 
Yeah, no language barrier for me, since my Spanish is as fluent as my English :)

There is a navaja style found on one of my favorite online vendors... but it is made by Joker, and it seems they have somewhat of a mickey mouse build quality to them. When I wanted a French made Laguiole knife, I was lucky to wing it and order a Forge De Laguiole, which is considered a great quality maker of that sort of knife.... but the navaja, seems not so easy. I will have to wait and see what eventually I can land in my hands. The video showing that giant family heirloom navaja his collection/personal museum contained, was one that would be the focal point in my collection... lol! ;)
 
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Thanks for posting that Jon, a wonderful watch. Loved that bow drill, gotta build one of those.:D Wayyy back when I was an apprentice my old master used to say "it's easy when you know how". Thanks again.

Best regards

Robin
 
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