Gaucho knives and cuchillos criollos of South America

[CelloDan]

It's quite the rabbithole indeed. And the fact that older pieces are so hard to date, because of the "imported blade + local handle/scabbard" custom, makes it all the more addictive. Frustrating at times, but addictive.

Being from Chile, unfortunately I haven't been able to find many examples made in my country, and it appears that we never developed a knife-making tradition comparable to that of Argentina or Brazil, or even Uruguay. However, the two the historical examples I've found are very interesting pieces. One is the Cutts & Sons from The Antique Bowie Knife Book which I shared earlier in this thread. The other is the one pictured below, sold a while ago at Swords and Antique Weapons, for God knows how much:

Though it has no maker's mark, both the blade and the scabbard are engraved. The side of the latter shown in the second picture includes the words from the Chilean coat of arms (Por la razón o la fuerza 'By reason or by force') in a phrase which translates as follows: "It is the duty of every man to defend his honor and fatherland with steel, by reason or by force." I do wonder how "with steel" and "by reason" would go together, though...

It's a fascinating piece !
The engraving so is elaborate, even on the blade itself which I had not seen before.
The writing has some misspelled words as per our modern Spanish.
I wonder if it's an older form of the language.

Can we have some cerveza tambien?

Umm, let me do some research on it
It's looking highly unlikely though

Gauchos love their wine with the asado

I don't drink wine so for myself I will have to stick to

 

[Jack Black]

I don't drink wine so for myself I will have to stick to

Never too late to learn

 

[kamagong]

I really like the size and feel of my Verijero and I am constantly looking for ways to use it ... which most times involves food lol
I also find myself just picking it over and over as it feels quite satisfying to do so. It is very ergonomic.
...
Thanks Vince I love my criollo !
I now fear losing it as I have become quite attached to it.

'Tis better to have loved and lost Dan.

The awesome thing about the criollo gaucho is the different sizes available. You really like your 12 cm verijero, while I think my 19 cm puñal is just right.

 

[screened porch]

It's quite the rabbithole indeed. And the fact that older pieces are so hard to date, because of the "imported blade + local handle/scabbard" custom, makes it all the more addictive. Frustrating at times, but addictive.

Being from Chile, unfortunately I haven't been able to find many examples made in my country, and it appears that we never developed a knife-making tradition comparable to that of Argentina or Brazil, or even Uruguay. However, the two the historical examples I've found are very interesting pieces. One is the Cutts & Sons from The Antique Bowie Knife Book which I shared earlier in this thread. The other is the one pictured below, sold a while ago at Swords and Antique Weapons, for God knows how much:

Though it has no maker's mark, both the blade and the scabbard are engraved. The side of the latter shown in the second picture includes the words from the Chilean coat of arms (Por la razón o la fuerza 'By reason or by force') in a phrase which translates as follows: "It is the duty of every man to defend his honor and fatherland with steel, by reason or by force." I do wonder how "with steel" and "by reason" would go together, though...

That decorated fuller is wonderful.

 

[kamagong]

That decorated fuller is wonderful.

The entire package is wonderful. The metalwork, on both silver and steel, is executed at a high level.

 

[Trubetzkoy]

The writing has some misspelled words as per our modern Spanish. I wonder if it's an older form of the language.

Not strange considering the age of the knife. Back then, there was much less linguistic standardization than today. In fact, Chile didn't officially adopt the Royal Spanish Academy's orthography until 1927. And you see something similar in other countries. For example, Juan Manuel de Rosas's puñal had the phrase Soy castigo del malbado (instead of malvado) etched on its blade, as you can see here.

 

[Prester John]

Umm, let me do some research on it
It's looking highly unlikely though

"I don't always drink beer, but when I do, it's Dos Equis."
--The Most Interesting Gaucho in the World

 

[Arathol]

It's a fascinating piece !
The engraving so is elaborate, even on the blade itself which I had not seen before.
The writing has some misspelled words as per our modern Spanish.
I wonder if it's an older form of the language.

Just one of many Spanish dialects that have developed over the years.
I have known many native Spanish speaking people over the years, mostly from the islands and Central America.
Many of them didn't pronounce certain letters in some words as you would think they should be. "V" for instance was pronounced as a "B" as in the case above. The word Chevrolet was pronounced Chebrolet, very was bery, vacuum was bacuum etc. The end result is spelling by phonetics only, which means words might be spelled wrong.

 

[CelloDan]

View attachment 2257150
"I don't always drink beer, but when I do, it's Dos Equis."
--The Most Interesting Gaucho in the World

Oh man, I just almost spit my mate all over my work computer
Very nice Vince

V" for instance was pronounced as a "B

I still speak like that …. Not bery often though

 

[Trubetzkoy]

Just one of many Spanish dialects that have developed over the years.
I have known many native Spanish speaking people over the years, mostly from the islands and Central America.
Many of them didn't pronounce certain letters in some words as you would think they should be. "V" for instance was pronounced as a "B" as in the case above. The word Chevrolet was pronounced Chebrolet, very was bery, vacuum was bacuum etc. The end result is spelling by phonetics only, which means words might be spelled wrong.

Well, Spanish hasn't had a phonological distinction between b and v since the Middle Ages, so that's not too crazy to hear . In fact, Chilean Spanish has been recently described as the only dialect that seems to even use a sound comparable to the English v (with one's teeth touching the upper lip) in modern times at all, though not in contradistinction to the b.

 

[Angry Waiter]

After I come back from a trip I usually give it 20 or so passes on the sharpmaker brown ceramic rods and the carbon steel is back to scary sharp.

Hello. Spyderco Sharpmaker?

I use one and I like it very much.

 

[CelloDan]

Hello. Spyderco Sharpmaker?

I use one and I like it very much.

I did an initial bevel reprofiling and sharpening at 17 degrees with a guided system.

Now I just maintain it with a few passes on the sharpmaker brown rods at 20 degrees every now and then.

 

[Prester John]

Hello. Spyderco Sharpmaker?

I use one and I like it very much.

My next knife-themed purchase!

 

[Angry Waiter]

My next knife-themed purchase!

It is a great value Vince. Had mine since 2013 and it gets the job done.

 

[Angry Waiter]

I did an initial bevel reprofiling and sharpening at 17 degrees with a guided system.

Now I just maintain it with a few passes on the sharpmaker brown rods at 20 degrees every now and then.

Thank you for the response. This thread has me thinking….

 

[Prester John]

Thank you for the response. This thread has me thinking….

An Angry Waiter needs a Gaucho knife.

 

[CelloDan]

 

[Trubetzkoy]

I've got a treat for you guys:

I saw it for sale on a European website recently, at a crazy price of course -- but damn, one almost feels tempted. Unfortunately there are no pictures showing the entire unsheathed knife, but you get the idea. I particularly like the deep false edge.

 

[screened porch]

Ah, Paris.

 

[CelloDan]

I've got a treat for you guys:

I saw it for sale on a European website recently, at a crazy price of course -- but damn, one almost feels tempted. Unfortunately there are no pictures showing the entire unsheathed knife, but you get the idea. I particularly like the deep false edge.

I am a bit concerned about the handle and its potential for creating hotspots

It is a very interesting knife.
Likely done for artistic purposes mainly.
What material is the handle ?