Need opinions on this Spanish Navaja, please

[mykem]

....So, go a buy a navaja from Martinez Albainox. Beautiful, shiny, big, noisy. If you like it, go and buy. Not that bad for such a cheap folder....

...But if you really are asking for opinions, mine is that if you want to get a genuine Spanish navaja, better look for it in a Spanish manufacturer. Martínez Albainox isn´t a manufacturer, but a distributor...


...Probably because none of its marketed brands are made in Spain, but mostly in China. In fact, one of the reasons of the bad image of this company is that it´s importing chinese knock-offs of traditional and cheap Spanish models made by small family-owned factories, at much lower prices....

But in this particular case I wouldn´t call the folder a fake, because it´s a common model that´s been made for a long time by a great number of manufacturers. It´s just a China made folder. Not bad, just Chinese....

....Please, take into account that I´m in no way bashing this company, among other reasons, because as far as I know, they´ve never said especifically that their knives are made in Spain.

If I had to bet, I would now bet the knife in question was not made in Spain.

It sure seems as if the Spanish members are saying, "Made in China." And I think they would know better than I.

And I guess I even understand why some of my Spanish compadres seem angry about copies of Navajas being made outside of Spain: "stolen heritage" and so forth.

But I like the attitude of the man quoted at the beginning of this post. He refrains from calling this knife junk, crap, ca-ca, garbage and all the rest. He seems objective and straightforward.

So I think I will buy this knife, see if I like it "in person," and if I do, buy one made in Spain by a known and respected Spanish knifemaker at a later date.

It will then be interesting to do a side by side comparison.

 

[mykem]

Yep. I am from Barcelona, Spain.

In our country everyone knows Albainox imports cheap Chinese crap aimed for tourists and such, teenagers ... .

Spanish CEO, Chinese manufacturing and QC, they are the worst junk in the market.

Yes, yes. The worst of the worst of the worst.

Calm down, amigo. Calm down.

 

[ThePeacent]

My two favorite are Dubost - St. Joanis, of Thiers, France.

The shop began fabricating specialty knives out of precious metals and of the highest workmanship in 1900. Many were imported to the American market and carried by gentlemen of the United States.

You're looking for something quite like these two.

Avoid all chinese junk, they just hurt the traditional classics. Imagine a Chinese Opinel?

Or how nice would a United Cutlery Douk Douk?

That's how I (and many others) feel about Albainox here. A Spanish man taking profit of unaware and easy-to-fool people to sell crap that falls apart and breaks after a week of use, merewall hangers and decorative items, many times sold as classic, national made products.

 

[mykem]

Can you name some sources for an authentic Navaja? I'd like a nice one some day...

Yes, please. A list would be nice.

It would be nice to know if there are any US sellers of these knives too.

 

[katanas]

You might try Worldknives. They carry a few of the Joker line and they are good people.

 

[stonesell]

The Joker Navaja knives are really poor quality. I had one of them, and they are only good for looking at, but overall, pretty useless for anything else.

 

[Llasi]

Navajas Barbudo.
Handmade spanish knife with modern materials.

http://navajasbarbudo.es/

 

[Hackenslash]

Thanks! Wow, those are kinda hot! That's exactly what I'm looking for...

 

[mykem]

There is a video hot link to this knife in the first post and the #16 post.

Oh hell, why not? Here it is again. No need to watch the whole video. The knife we're talking about begins at the 6:25 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Iu8JKz9_s


Has anyone looked at this video? I mean there are a lot of comments on the knife and it's importer or maker, whichever the case may be, but I do wish someone would reference the video to point out what maybe good or bad about the knife.

Thanks.

 

[sevilla]

Yes, please. A list would be nice.

It would be nice to know if there are any US sellers of these knives too.

Regarding Spanish manufacturers of typical navajas, you can look at Cudeman, Celaya, Expósito, Joker (beware with JKR, its second brand, China-made), or Nieto. All of them from Albacete. You can also take a look . at J.J. Martínez, from Santa Cruz de Mudela, a really interesting manufacturer, with a lot of hand-made fit and finish and moderately priced. Of course, don´t forget to check Muela catalog.
And if you´re ready to step up and get handmade, there´s a lot of Spanish navaja knifemakers. Perhaps one of the best ratio price-quality you can find is Miguel Barbudo, as Llasi says.
Hope it helps.

 

[Llasi]

Hackenslash, you may be interested in:

http://armasblancas.mforos.com/9331...-miguel-barbudo-belleza-clasica-imperecedera/

http://armasblancas.mforos.com/933172/11708150-artesana-flamenca-de-miguel-barbudo-todo-un-lujo/

http://armasblancas.mforos.com/9331...gre-de-barbudo-version-moderna-de-un-clasico/

http://armasblancas.mforos.com/9331...rbudo-tipo-machete-en-asta-fotos-fabricacion/

http://armasblancas.mforos.com/933172/11522064-machete-titan-barbudo-anadidas-fotos-con-funda/

 

[EChoil]

Thread's getting good now....

Beautiful knives, Llasi.

This is enlightening. Not sounding very good for Albainox. Thanks to those in Spain for posting.

I've seen a lot of the Cudeman and Nieto knives that I like a lot. I'd seen mention of the Albainox brand and always assumed it to be of Spanish manufacture. So are ALL Albainox distributed knives supposedly Chinese or only some of them??

I shop and browse a lot at the Aceros de Hispania site...wonder how those in Spain feel about their brands. I thought they stated that their knives were all made in Spain but I may be wrong about that.

 

[sevilla]

Thread's getting good now....

Beautiful knives, Llasi.

This is enlightening. Not sounding very good for Albainox. Thanks to those in Spain for posting.

I've seen a lot of the Cudeman and Nieto knives that I like a lot. I'd seen mention of the Albainox brand and always assumed it to be of Spanish manufacture. So are ALL Albainox distributed knives supposedly Chinese or only some of them??

I shop and browse a lot at the Aceros de Hispania site...wonder how those in Spain feel about their brands. I thought they stated that their knives were all made in Spain but I may be wrong about that.

I wouldn´t trust in brands like Alpino, Crossnar, Magnum and Rui. I assume you know that some firearms brands (Colt, Smith&Wesson, etc) don´t make their knives on their own, and they usually don´t say where they´re made. On the other hand, some well respected cutlery brands like Puma and Boker (even Spyderco!) have economy lines that are made in China. As far the main company holds the QC, that´s perfectly right for me.
It´s a pleasure to be able to help in Bladeforums: not my usual forum, but in fact the first one I started to lurk on, and post later, about knives.
Best regards.

 

[Llasi]

My new "Flamenca", from "Navajas Barbudo".

Hand made in Spain. Horn, titanium and VG10.

 

[Zuluninja]

that barbudo is a thing of beauty, thanks for sharing, Llasi, I had no idea of this maker! What part of Spain is he from?

another good maker from Albacete with reasonable prices is Juan Luis Vergara. Very nice guy, from a family several generations deep into knifemaking. I got this beauty from him for 36 euros:

 

[Llasi]

that barbudo is a thing of beauty, thanks for sharing, Llasi, I had no idea of this maker! What part of Spain is he from?]

Valdemaqueda, a town of Madrid