Folder with a bloody history

[Sylvrfalcn]

Talking about the Spanish Navaja and the various folders it inspired. One in particular, the Okapi locking blade folder, is very faithful in size, shape, and design to original navajas from the 19th century, even though Okapis are made in South Africa by a company that started in Germany in 1902.

The original Navajas were simple, rugged, and inexpensive, knives favored by peasants, laborers, and gypsies. Guess what? The Okapi lock blade folder is simple, rugged, and inexpensive, and highly favored by "working class" folks in a number of countries.

Apparently in some places, particularly South Africa where it's made, this knife figures in a considerable amount of mayhem. I was able to glean a whole bunch of newspaper/police reports, murder trial case histories, etc. off the net, in which this knife was the instrument of the victim's demise. In fact, it seems to be so common as to require no further description beyond "Okapi knife", as in: "the victim was stabbed 24 times with an Okapi knife".

I've owned one of these knives for some time now (dayumed good knife for the price) and have come to appreciate it's rugged simplicity, light comfortable carry weight and funky rustic charm. Never knew it was so notorious as a weapon, but that won't put me off toting one. If you like folders, you'll enjoy one of these. Lots of folks on the net sell 'em, so shop around a bit. A good, useful, 4 inch blade, locking folder, for around ten bucks, makes for a fine bargain in this day and age.

Sarge

 

[Aardvark]

I sure like mine, Sarge. Bought it from Ragnar and carried it for a couple of years. People are always impressed with the wood and the decorations. I even tried out the 'mustard etch' on mine. The locking mechanism is interesting, too.

 

[munk]

Thanks for the heads Up.
If we worked for knife companies, we'd sell a million. Every time Sarge talks about a blade, I want one. When Aardvark weighs in, I want one.

I have to be very careful around you two.


munk

 

[MauiRob]

Very cool. Looks sort of like an Opinel (sp?) french, inexpensive, rugged folder.

 

[MauiRob]

Here's a picture...........

 

[Yvsa]

It is said that in the older days in Spain that the sound of a Navaja being opened in the dark near an alley or a dark doorway would cause a grown man to wet himself.
Once you hear one opened you will never forget the sound!
I have a nice one, beautiful stag handles, that Nasty covets.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Very cool. Looks sort of like an Opinel (sp?) french, inexpensive, rugged folder.

Right you are Rob, the styling is similar. Another French folder, that can trace it's ancestry directly to the Spanish navaja, is the Laguiole knife.

I have several, from three different makers (my favorite being Arbalete G. David), and in spite of being absolutely exquisite (if correspondingly a bit pricey) they're a joy to carry and use. Both my retirement gifts to myself came from France, a forged steel razor from Thiers Issard, and a big old G. David Laguiole knife with 4" blade, brushed stainless bolsters, and briar root handle.

Don't have one of the Spanish made navajas yet, but give me some time.

Sarge

 

[Aardvark]

If I weren't so hooked on one-handed openers, I'd have a Laguiole, too. I've liked that style for... well, never mind how long.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

If I weren't so hooked on one-handed openers, I'd have a Laguiole, too. I've liked that style for... well, never mind how long.

They're great knives, first rate materials, and "old world craftsmanship" for real. For all their genteel appearance, I carried mine on a deep sea fishing trip and used it for cutting up bait, fishing lines, et cetera, and it reinforced my preference for folders with a large single blade, and without bells and whistles. In Florida, a fixed blade knife can get you in trouble, the law very precisely, but somewhat cryptically, states that the only knife that can be lawfully carried (other than usual military/police/sporting exemptions) is a quote: "ordinary pocketknife". My Laguiole serves as my "Floridian EDC Knife" whenever I'm there visiting the folks.

Charming footnote on both my French knives and my French razor. The craftsmen take great pains to use the best of steels, and aren't too proud to import it. My Laguiole folders have blades of 12C27 Sandvik stainless from Sweden, and the razor was forged from genuine and certified high carbon crucible "silver" steel from Sheffield, England. The former a very good choice IMHO, and the latter the absolute benchmark when it comes to straight razors, wherever they happen to be made.

Sarge

 

[kronckew]

If I weren't so hooked on one-handed openers, I'd have a Laguiole, too. I've liked that style for... well, never mind how long.

they make one:

420 stainless, 3.75 in. blade, horn scales, file worked blade spine & back, liner lock. the apparent uneven finish on the blade is actually ballistol & a bit of dust. sitting on my computer desk along with another olive wood scaled languiole lockback & a slipjoint andujar copy of the traditional languiole.

edited: i've just realised i've got 13 knives sitting on the desk, 6 on the scanner and 3 on the top of my tower pc.
2 languioles, 1 andujar languiole style copy, a mora, sheffield seamans knife, 4" weidmannsheil damascus hunter, pesh kabz folder, little kershaw onion, a swedish barrel knife, german ww1 trench knife, gerber folder, and an ebony handled marjacq folder on the desk, an andujar ratcheting navaja, indian damascus zira bouk, another mora, a damascus hunter with goats horn handle,a gator tooth handled dagger, and a stag handled german spearpoint hunter on the scanner, an 18" barong , 9in pesh kabz, and a 4in. custom hunter on the computer.
good thing i'm not obsessed. don't dare mention whats in the bedroom & downstairs....

p.s. have wanted an okapi for a while, no dealers in the UK, so oddly enough, i just won one tonite on ebay that i've been watching for 3 days, us$ 9.99, not bad for a fancy working knife.

of my frequent users, the 4in sheffield seamans knife is my edc around the house & out walking the dogs on the farm, if i feel like dressing up i carry the weidmannsheil damascus hunter. the moras, opinels and marjacq are my wood carvers. in public, it's frowned on carrying anything with a lock or over 3in. so i have a nice little 3" olive wood andujar folder with a razor edge on the lil' darlin. at least thats the one i'll feel ok to pull out in public without causing a terrorist alert to the armed response unit.

p.p.s - reminds me, the police have just announced that no one should buy any replica guns for their kids for xmas as the police will be forced to shoot anyone carrying one in public. they're legal, but the police will shoot first to ensure their own protection if they see anyone carrying one. so much for english democracy. can't even carry a bb gun or water pistol.

 

[Nasty]

Indeed Yvsa...take good care of my knife while it is with you!

I agree...the Okapi is a great working knife that goes everywhere since it's not so expensive that I am afraid of losing it. If you haven't got one yet...do so...you'll like it!

 

[Doug C]

Kinda' makes me look at my Okapi in a different light.The 1095 does take a razor edge and are great users! :thumbup:

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Dang...thanks folks.....yet another knife that I "need" (actually, I may order a couple)

Good thing I'm already putting in an order there next week. (Spending $100 bucks or so on some Frost Moras for my kitchen

 

[bilestoad]

I've always wanted a top notch Navaja, but I've never been able to discover who makes a good one, even though there are several makers.

 

[kronckew]

I've always wanted a top notch Navaja, but I've never been able to discover who makes a good one, even though there are several makers.

here's an interesting site, never bought anything from them tho so caveat emptor.

Linky

 

[bilestoad]

Thanks for the link!

 

[SASSAS]

I was hoping to pick up an antique laguiole in Paris, but didn't see one.

I ordered an Okapi for 9.99 after reading this.

:thumbup: :thumbup: Two thumbs up for discount enabling.

 

[Rugger]

Last camping trip I took (way too long ago) I used the hell out of my Okapi. Good little knife. Those & the Opinels fly way under the radar & are damned good knives & would be a value @ twice the price point.

 

[stevomiller]

I have a Laguiole Originale that the wife gave me one year for our anniversary. The info that came with it claims that the blade was hand forged from 440c, and the handle is a burl from I think juniper root. It is quite a beautiful knife, takes and hold an edge very well, and fits nice in the pocket and hand. One needs to be careful when ordering Laguiole knives, as there are quite a few phonies coming out of China these days. One thing I do NOT like about this design is the lack of a blade stop built into the ricasso area of the knife. If someone inadvertantly lets your blade snap shut (into the closed position) the tip section of the edge will impact the back spring damaging it. I know better, but every time I let anyone use it, I tell them not to let it snap shut. They forget and do so 99% of the time ~ then I have to pull out the stones again. I think I am going to glue a thin strip of brass or delrin to the backspring.

stevo

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

I know what you're talking about Stevo, I don't let people handle my Laguioles, instead I'll just ask 'em what they want cut and cut it for 'em. Actually, back when I worked for a living, somebody was always asking to borrow my knife out in the field, so I carried one special for that purpose. Standard GI issue four blade folder, you know the kind, looks like an all stainless steel Boy Scout knife. That poor knife suffered terrible abuse, but my primary knife was always razor sharp and ready to go when I needed to cut something.

Side note; my large Laguiole folder (4" blade Arbalete G. David) incorporates what they refer to as a "positive blade stop". There's a small steel rod that looks like an extra rivet, passing through the inside of the handle just aft of the blade pivot. If the knife is snapped shut, the tang comes to rest against that steel rod, preventing the blade edge from contacting the back spring. Works so well I have to wonder why they don't do that on the smaller ones.

Sarge