okapi folder , memories

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Sebenza4ever

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Have you ever used one of these? I used to have one when I was a kid and forgot all about them. Then I saw them again on a world knife website. When my father baught it for me it was fully greesed up to prevent it from rusting. Spent houers cleaning it up. I cant count the times it cut me. I was opsessed with keeping it sharp.

very inexpensive, High carbon steel. Quite Good
okapi12.jpg
 
I don't yet have one of the modern Okapi knives made in South Africa, although I'd like to bag one of their pull-ring lock knives.

A couple of years ago SMKW had a "warehouse find" of historic Okapi knives that were actually made in Germany for export to South Africa. I find them interesting 'objects' because of their knife-related background, but as 'knives' the quality was lacking, inconsistent at best.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
Bob,
I think that the one I had was made in Germany. As you said, they are interesting and for me will always be special :)
 
I've got one of the South African made ones and it cuts great. The only problem is that they come really dull and you have to reprofile the blade, this takes a good while. Or you can do what I do and get a local knife making friend to do it. Once you get it down to a nice fine edge it does real good.

The ring pull one is a remake of the old Spanish navaja design. It has a ratchet action that gets attention when pulled open fast.
 
I bough one when I was about 11 or 12, when a friend and I were travelling to the coast to fish. The salt water messed it up pretty bad, and I remember it snapping shut dangerously close to my fingers some times... not the best knife when your hands are full of fish slime. I'm sure it's still in my old tackle bag or something, now I'll have to go find it.
 
In many ways it's a typical cheap pocketknife, but it does have a carbon steel blade, so you can get it very sharp, and it certainly looks more interesting than most, with that traditional inlaid pattern.

Considering that it was marketed to a population low on financial resources, but in need of good cutting tools, I'd say it was a great idea.

Ragweed Forge sells them so cheaply that you can afford the extra few dollars he charges if you want him to sharpen it for you. But why miss out on the experience of learning to sharpen your own? The Okapi is a good practice knife for beginners.
 
World Knives http://www.worldknives.com/ has a great site. Gotta enjoy those French and Spanish blades. However, I always go to Linder: Bowie, pearlex boot knife and Sailor's Tool knife

Okapi large ring-pull (to close) ratchet knife $5 at Expo gun/knife show last year at tables for mountain men (along with hawks, black powder guns, and other possibles). I picked thru a box of 50 or so to find a couple beauties. They look the look from the 1800's and walk the walk. Tricky to close at first but I eventually learned. Love the inlaid metal artwork. Like few other knives. Never cut anything with it. I just like to look at it.

All the best

oregon
 
It is quite a surprise to see a post on a forum like this about the Okapi. Over here in South Africa and most probably the whole of Southern Africa it is the most carried knife/tool/weapon of all - the EDC of choice for many - and I have not given it a thought in some time. Last time was when I gave one as a gift to a hunting guide in the Kalahari a few years ago. Okapi's are sold just about in every small general merchandise store frequented by the the local population in rural areas and can be found easily in other areas/cities.
 
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