"rachet" knife

[Pete1977]

anyone know what these are? I've heard everything from a switchblade, to an okapi. They were common in the Kingston Jamaica slums in the old days.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

anyone know what these are? I've heard everything from a switchblade, to an okapi. They were common in the Kingston Jamaica slums in the old days.

They're called Navajas, they're spanish.

Usually used by the local hoodlums, the racheting sound of the knife was supposed to scare people enough that they'd hand over their wallets without a complaint.

Pic courtesy of Knives of Spain click here for Knives of Spain

 

[Pete1977]

thanks.


My brother did a report for a caribbean sociology class on the Jamaican gangs in the 60s, and several of his sources say that they were german switchblades. Michael Thelwell's book "the harder they come" gives an excellent description of the life of Trenchtown denizens and describes the rachet as an okapi, with its "wicked humpbacked blade".

the ratcheting sound of the knife opening, however, was used in intimidation, as well as the speed with which the user opened his knife, and the technique they used to open it.

I've had okapis and they do ratchet but I've never been able to open one quickly.

thanks for the info, I hadn't thought of the navaja before

peter

 

[Josh Muller]

one of the benefits of the navajas is that they come in sizes normally unheard of in folders, full on chopper sizes... always wanted one (about 20-30" total (might have to have custom made), but could never come up with the money for a non use spendature