Spanish Navaja from Santa Cruz de Mudela

S

surfer

Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Messages
491
Just bought this navaja from Santa Cruz de Mudela, a tiny town in la Mancha / Ciudad Real with a rich cutlery tradition.

The navaja is handmade by Juan Jose Martinez, deer stag slaps, Carbon steel blade, traditional backlock with lever.
Total lenght open 24,5cm, blade 11cm, blade thickness 2mm :)
outcuts every Opinel!!!!!

regards
surfer
martinez1.jpg

martinez2.jpg

martinez3.jpg

martinez4.jpg
 
Outstanding! May I ask how you found that place? I've been trying to find a carbon steel Navaja for a while now.
 
Very very nice...

I got three navajas by Exposito some time ago (not custom though), two have horn scales and one has plastic, the plastic handled one has become a regular since I don't feel too bad about abusing it, it has proven to be a practical and solid design: well made, strong lock, fine steel (mine are stainless), feels good in the hand, and pretty too. I may be biased because of my Spanish heritage but it really is a classic.

Luis
 
I really love these knives!. I cannot help to compare them to the Texas Toothpics as for the design.. I may be wrong here, but I wonder if the TT design was inspired by this wonderfull pattern by our nieghbors to the south??.

By the way, that is one BEAUTIFUL knife there Surfer!!
 
I found that knife in a small cutlery shop here close to where I live (Málaga - Spain) they had a lot of JJ.Martinez in carbon steel, not what I wanted, but they ordered them and a week later the new navajas arrived :)

Don Luis, I have a big Exposito navaja as well, but in stainless and too big to carry legally (here 11cm blade is max. lenght). Expositos are a little more fancy, lots of fileworks, but they are much more expensive as well.
I allways wanted a navaja from Santa Cruz, there you can find a lot of 1 man or family cutlers, by far not as industralized as you can imagine, some hammers, files, jigs.... that's it :)

Sunnyd, I'm nearly shure that the Texas Toothpick is inspired by the navaja, these patterns are a good 200 years old.
Exactly the pattern I show, is about a 100 years old, but the bladeform and the curved handle is from late 17th century.

regards
surfer
 
..I couldn't resist... just bought another one, with a slightly diferent blade shape :)
..have to resist..there are so many diferent shapes..have to resist..
martinez6.jpg
 
maybe the pictures will explain..
The lever, when lifted, will lift the bakcspring and release the blade.
verschluss_2.jpg


verschluss_3.jpg


verschluss_4.jpg
 
Sufer,
I lived in Spain several years ago. I went over there following a Spanish girl! I ended up staying for a year. Love it! Malaga is one of my favorite cities in Spain. Marbella, Malaga, and Sevilla were my favorites.
I bought one of those knives from Santa Cruz Mudela, for my father. He has never used, he put it up because he thought it was too valuble to carry. I wish I would have bought one myself.
Oh yeah, how does it do cutting chorizo y queso? Jamon serrano?
Thanks,
Shane
 
...how does it do cutting chorizo y queso? Jamon serrano?...
Click to expand...
Mine take and hold an edge just fine, I've gotten them sharp enough to cut a hanging hair.

Here's a picture that I posted in the cigar thread over at the Gadgets ang Gear forum, the navaja makes a mighty fine cigar cutter.

Luis


Click to enlarge
 
Surfer,

Nice Navajas !

Quite rare in carbon steel , I have tried to find some when I spent some time in Perpignan , without luck...

Does the shop send knives or take order by mail ?

Thank you.

ELDE
 
ELDE said:
Surfer,

Nice Navajas !

Quite rare in carbon steel , I have tried to find some when I spent some time in Perpignan , without luck...

Does the shop send knives or take order by mail ?

Thank you.

ELDE
Click to expand...
I would love one of those carbon steel Navajas as well. Do they have a website? (I read and speak spanish). Thanks for any info.
 
The ones I've seen are really good blades. They open with a...click-click-clack? It wakes people up.
 
Hi Surfer,

I love navajas. You got a very good one. I have an Exposito with a 15cm blade. Looks great.

Is the rear bolster on yours one piece sheet metal or is part of a bras frame with a split down the midle like most of the others these days? Not clear from the photos.

Would love to get one with a flat grind and carbon steel blade. Loked at those websites bit couldnt see one like yours

Best Regards
Frank
 
Hello Frank,
the front and rear bolsters are made of solid brass, rivited on the steel liners.
So you have at the rear bolster:
brass bolster
steel liner
steel spacer
steel liner
brass bolster

Try to get in contact with cuchilleria sevilla or filofiel, maybe they can order you one you like. But I think shipping will be as much or more than the knife.

regards
surfer
 
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