Gaucho knives and cuchillos criollos of South America

kamagong · Jul 24, 2023

Me too

RayseM . Though undoubtedly stout, the thickness of the cuchillo criollo is just right considering its intended use. They may share a similar profile to kitchen knives, but they are field knives that need to meet the demands of the rough and ready.

kamagong · Jul 24, 2023

Trubetzkoy said:
I've got a treat for you guys:

I'd totally wear that knife to an asado.

Trubetzkoy said:
So, how do you guys feel about clip-point gaucho knives? I know they are by no means the norm, but they did exist, even back in the day, and they seem to have been most common in Brazil:

As a big bowie knife enthusiast, I like them quite a bit, and have been wanting to make myself one using an old chef's knife blade.

I like both types of knives. But while I like clip points for bowies, for cuchillos criollos I like spear points.

Trubetzkoy said:
A Sabatier blade could make for a very handsome gaucho knife, IMO. The issue with Sabatiers (in the narrow sense, i.e., in the French style) is that they tend to be pretty thin. I'd suggest keeping an eye for used German-style chef's knives, as some (especially older models) have fairly thick blades.

In the last few months (basically since I found this thread ), I've been working on several gaucho-style projects with German blades in my free time. Here's one that I did with a Hoffritz blade from the 80s (stainless, 8" long, 4.5mm thick) and the handle of an older Webster bread knife (sterling):

I still need to polish the handle, glue it to the blade, hand-sand the latter, and make a sheath, but you get the idea. Here's how it looked before:

Very nice work.

screened porch said:
Old pic; I'm out of batteries:

Awesome working knife. The honesteel is a nice touch.

Trubetzkoy · Jul 25, 2023

kamagong said:
I'd totally wear that knife to an asado.

Hell, I'd wear it to church if I owned it.

screened porch · Jul 25, 2023

Trubetzkoy said:
Hell, I'd wear it to church if I owned it.

That crooked-handled one you showed above is interesting. It looks like it was made to hold with the edge up.

Trubetzkoy · Jul 25, 2023

screened porch said:
That crooked-handled one you showed above is interesting. It looks like it was made to hold with the edge up.

You mean the one in the picture with the blue background? That is from Abel Domenech's online text A Short Essay About Gaucho Knives.

I think the shape of the handle has a merely aesthetic purpose. It reminds me a bit of some Sheffield bowies I've seen pictures of, such as this one (unmarked):

screened porch · Jul 25, 2023

Trubetzkoy said:
You mean the one in the picture with the blue background? That is from Abel Domenech's online text A Short Essay About Gaucho Knives.

I think the shape of the handle has a merely aesthetic purpose. It reminds me a bit of some Sheffield bowies I've seen pictures of, such as this one (unmarked):

Thanks for the link. I see there's no reason to fool with my chef knife handles. They're already cuchillas!
The second from the right is the sort of Sabatier I've been thinking about converting. (Gerber on the right, Paula Deen on the near left, and Copco on the far left.)

Yes, that's the one I meant.
There's a pretty strong tradition that the Bowie was held with the true edge up to fight, as I believe Alan Ladd holds his in The Iron Mistress.

Trubetzkoy · Jul 25, 2023

screened porch said:
Thanks for the link, I see there's no reason to fool with my chef knife handles. They're already cuchillas!
The second from the right is the sort of Sabatier I've been thinking about converting. (Gerber on the right, Paula Deen on the near left, and Copco on the far left.)

Yes, that's the one I meant.
There's a pretty strong tradition that the Bowie was held with the true edge up to fight, as I believe Alan Ladd holds his in The Iron Mistress.

That's quite the difference between the thickness of the Sabatier and that of the other knifes in the pic.

Regarding knives being held with the edge up, some also argue that the "Bowie No. 1" was intended to be held like that, although as far as I know it's merely a hypothesis. In any case, I don't think that's the intention behind the design of the bowie from my last post, as the pointy bump would be quite the hot spot against the palm. As for the puñal from Domenech's text, who knows. I struggle to imagine that type of knife being held with the edge up, due to the markedly offset blade (with respect to the handle) and the fact that these knives usually didn't have sharp false edges. But I could be wrong.

screened porch · Jul 25, 2023

Trubetzkoy said:
That's quite the difference between the thickness of the Sabatier and that of the other knifes in the pic.

Regarding knives being held with the edge up, some also argue that the "Bowie No. 1" was intended to be held like that, although as far as I know it's merely a hypothesis. In any case, I don't think that's the intention behind the design of the bowie from my last post, as the pointy bump would be quite the hot spot against the palm. As for the puñal from Domenech's text, who knows. I struggle to imagine that type of knife being held with the edge up, due to the markedly offset blade (with respect to the handle) and the fact that these knives usually didn't have sharp false edges. But I could be wrong.

I can't imagine holding the Bowie in your previous post. Too bad we can't feel them in hand. Though I'd still be speculating.

John A. Larsen · Jul 25, 2023

I have enjoyed this link, and suddenly remembered I had a gaucho knife too, that my Father had bought in Uruguay. The blade is marked "Franz Wenk Solingen", is 8 1/2 inches long with a nice distal taper, and a wedge on each side of the spine about 3 inches long. Silver handle, or at least I think it is silver from the tarnish, silver throat on the sheath as well as a silver tip. I have a tag on the sheath, which I have written "Made by Fabrica Nacional de Cuchilleria, Uruguay." I think they must have imported the blades and made the handles and sheaths in Uruguay. Not sure now where I got that information, but must have been from my Father. He sailed to South America for many years. I used to have a gord with a metal straw, with like a duck bill on the end for drinking Yerba Mate. He brought me the Gorda and some Mate, but I did not like it back then, maybe I should try it again. Unfortunately, the gord and straw were at my parents house, which my brother went and lost, but that is another sad story. John

kamagong · Jul 25, 2023

My mother-in-law recently mentioned that she wanted fresh pineapple.

"You have a pineapple cutter?"

"I sure do, it was handmade in Argentina."

CelloDan · Jul 25, 2023

screened porch said:
One of my favorite Argentinians and one of my favorite Brazillians.

Great to see them side by side :thumbsup:

Trubetzkoy said:
A couple days ago I found a verijero of that type relatively cheap, so I ordered it

That's cool, would love to see it when you get it . You are "in for more than a pound" now my friend

kamagong said:
I didn't take pictures the first time I used my puñal, but I remembered to do so this time.

Very nice Christian :thumbsup:

I had been waiting for this mi amigo

Trubetzkoy said:
I do not, yet, but I already started working on one:

Wow, keep on sharing my friend

John A. Larsen said:
I have enjoyed this link, and suddenly remembered I had a gaucho knife too, that my Father had bought in Uruguay

Would be a treat to see a pic of this treasure John :thumbsup:

I have been trying to catch up on this thread since coming back from boating trip.
I'll have to reread several of the previous posts as you guys are sharing very interesting info :thumbsup:

On our last adventure, my Verijero got to taste lamb chops

Asado a jeta :thumbsup:

Good job Toby

No comment

Have you guys had enough lamb chops ?

I almost got to taste raccoon

on this trip when one of these masked bandits robbed us in the middle of the day

I was about to dispatch it with my Verijero however the thought of cleaning all that blood from inside the boat made me reconsider

( just kidding of course

)

Prester John · Jul 26, 2023

CelloDan said:
I almost got to taste raccoon on this trip when one of these masked bandits robbed us in the middle of the day

Tastes like chicken!

Arathol · Jul 26, 2023

I saw this...

CelloDan said:
I almost got to taste raccoon on this trip when one of these masked bandits robbed us in the middle of the day
I was about to dispatch it with my Verijero however the thought of cleaning all that blood from inside the boat made me reconsider ( just kidding of course )

And immediately thought of this....LOL

Now she and her man, who called himself Dan
Were in the next room at the hoedown
Rocky burst in, and grinning a grin
He said, "Danny boy, this is a showdown"

But Daniel was hot, he drew first and shot
And Rocky collapsed in the corner.....

Trubetzkoy · Jul 26, 2023

John A. Larsen said:
I have enjoyed this link, and suddenly remembered I had a gaucho knife too, that my Father had bought in Uruguay. The blade is marked "Franz Wenk Solingen", is 8 1/2 inches long with a nice distal taper, and a wedge on each side of the spine about 3 inches long. Silver handle, or at least I think it is silver from the tarnish, silver throat on the sheath as well as a silver tip. I have a tag on the sheath, which I have written "Made by Fabrica Nacional de Cuchilleria, Uruguay." I think they must have imported the blades and made the handles and sheaths in Uruguay. Not sure now where I got that information, but must have been from my Father. He sailed to South America for many years. I used to have a gord with a metal straw, with like a duck bill on the end for drinking Yerba Mate. He brought me the Gorda and some Mate, but I did not like it back then, maybe I should try it again. Unfortunately, the gord and straw were at my parents house, which my brother went and lost, but that is another sad story. John

Nice! Do you have any pics? Franz Wenk indeed is (or was?) an Uruguayan business founded around the 70s, by an Italian immigrant, if I recall Domenech's information correctly. I also seem to recall that the provenance of their blades is not entirely clear, as they're not marked with any Solingen maker's name.

CelloDan said:
That's cool, would love to see it when you get it . You are "in for more than a pound" now my friend

I almost got to taste raccoon on this trip when one of these masked bandits robbed us in the middle of the day

Those are some great pics of your masked visitor. As for going for more than a pound, indeed, you're a terrible influence...

RayseM · Jul 26, 2023

Little coon there. Too young or starving to be scared of that skinny Canadian.

It must have had great success on that dock to be so bold.
Glad you didn't slice the little creature up for bait - hope you didn't feed it though. I was reminded as I looked through the post WE ONLY ATE freeze dried on our Rideau excursion.

Happy Summer!

kamagong · Jul 26, 2023

CelloDan said:
I almost got to taste raccoon on this trip when one of these masked bandits robbed us in the middle of the day
I was about to dispatch it with my Verijero however the thought of cleaning all that blood from inside the boat made me reconsider ( just kidding of course )

Oh no Dan. You forgot the gaucho's motto, "Todo bicho que camina va a parar al asador".

Trubetzkoy · Jul 26, 2023

The family grows:

(The sheath of the one on the right is a placeholder; I'll make one with silver fittings to match the material of the handle.)

CelloDan · Jul 26, 2023

Prester John said:
Tastes like chicken!

Yes it does Vince, ... how did you know ?

Arathol said:
I saw this...

And immediately thought of this....LOL

Now she and her man, who called himself Dan
Were in the next room at the hoedown
Rocky burst in, and grinning a grin
He said, "Danny boy, this is a showdown"

But Daniel was hot, he drew first and shot
And Rocky collapsed in the corner.....

Love it !!! , it made my day amigo :thumbsup:

Trubetzkoy said:
Those are some great pics of your masked visitor. As for going for more than a pound, indeed, you're a terrible influence...

"I thrive in the company of enablers"
CelloDan

RayseM said:
Little coon there. Too young or starving to be scared of that skinny Canadian. It must have had great success on that dock to be so bold.
Glad you didn't slice the little creature up for bait - hope you didn't feed it though. I was reminded as I looked through the post WE ONLY ATE freeze dried on our Rideau excursion.

Happy Summer!

They were the BEST freeze dry foods Ray !!!

Straight up from Maine :thumbsup:

I have pics to prove it ... wait a sec, I don't think we liked that one in particular if I remember correctly

Sorry Bro, my culinary skills have seen a meteoric rise in quality lately

The coons on some of those islands are becoming way to comfortable with humans and boaters. We have seen them get bolder and bolder every year however never thought they would get SO BOLD.
The ranger told us that finally the government had approved to trap and relocate them :thumbsup:

They were set to start this week actually.

kamagong said:
Oh no Dan. You forgot the gaucho's motto, "Todo bicho que camina va a parar al asador".

I did let this one go this time because we already had the lamb chops in the cooler and I had also forgotten my special blend of herbs and spices I like to use on racoons

Trubetzkoy said:
The family grows:

(The sheath of the one on the right is a placeholder; I'll make one with silver fittings to match the material of the handle.)

Very VERY nice mi amigo !
Great to see your collection growing !
You are very talented ! I can't wait to see what you come up with for the new sheath :thumbsup:

Toby shall henceforth be known as " Corazón valiente "

RayseM · Jul 26, 2023

Much nobler name :thumbsup:

I'll need to check my notes on the quinoa bowl vote.

Who is this T Trubetzkoy ? And does that silver work say Trubetzkoy on it?

That is beautiful. What a collection.

CelloDan · Jul 26, 2023

Toby's bravery in defending and alerting us reminded me that I had read years ago about how gauchos, especially those on the run from the law, would keep a small dog with them to alert them of imminent danger while they were getting whatever little sleep they could.

I was sure I had read it in the poem of Martin Fierro however I have not been able to find it there yet.

I did find a very nice excerpt from the book " The Gaucho Juan Moreira: True Crime in Nineteenth-Century Argentina" that speaks of it at lenght.
The link below direct to the specific page in the book.

The Gaucho Juan Moreira

Argentinian writer Eduardo Gutiérrez (1851-1889) fashioned his seminal gauchesque novel from the prison records of the real Juan Moreira, a noble outlaw whose life and name became legendary in the Río de la Plata during the late 19th century.John Chasteen's fast-moving, streamlined...

books.google.ca

Juan Moreira (? - April 1874) is a well-known figure in the history of Argentina. An outlaw, gaucho and folk-hero, he is considered one of the most renowned Argentinian rural bandits.