Viper Bergamasco

[Railsplitter]

A few weeks ago, martineden (Alfredo) posted a topic about an Italian knife called the Senese. Alfredo's topic got me interested in these Italian traditional knives. Later on in that same thread, quattromori (Fausto) posted a picture of a Viper Bergamasco, also an Italian traditional knife, and I just had to get my hands on one.

I ordered the knife from Italy on 11/10/11 and it just arrived today so I thought I would post some pics and a very brief reveiw.

The Bergamasco is a slipjoint and the walk on mine is very smooth. The talk upon opening is very good but it is a little on the weak side when closing. It has an open frame design with no backspring and pillar construction similar to some of the more modern knives on the market today. (forgot to take a pic of that) The pillars are attached to the steel liners from the inside and do not go through to the outside of the handle scales. The horn handles are screwed into the the liners from the outside. Blade steel in N690.

I am still trying to figure out what makes the blade click into the open position since there is no backspring on this knife. There must be a cam or something inside the pivot that I cannot see.

I do have a couple of complaints about the knife. One minor, one not so minor. My minor complaint is that the color of the horn on mine is much lighter than the example in the picture that Fausto posted. The horn in Fausto's photo is a very nice golden brown color and it was one of the things that attracted me to the knife. Not a big deal though because I knew mine would not be exactly the same.

My other complaint is that the blade is way off center when closed. Not touching the handles or the liners but very close.

It is a very solid knife despite the off centred blade. No blade play and solid "lockup". Closed length is right at 4 1/2 inches.
Overall, i like the knife and I'm generally happy with my purchase.

Hope you enjoyed my brief reveiw and pics.

 

[richstag]

It is very different and elegant. The blade has beautiful grinds and the handle has very appealing contours. I like it, even the light horn. I understand your concerns though. Congrats on that one!

 

[2Dead]

Very nice looking knife Rick. What kind of horn is that?

 

[Campbellclanman]

Howdy Rick.
Nice review... but you got me thinking on the backspring...so I wanna see photos
I can see what you mean about the off-centre position, but I have never realy worried about that myself....I guess it would be different if I paid 1k for a custom knife... but as long as the blades dont hit...its all good.
Certainly a different looking knife, but in a good way, Im liking those Horn scales my friend....beautiful :thumbup:, I think you have scored a very nice knife, and its good to see something different.
Did you order a certain colour of Horn? I think the colour that you have is nice-in fact very nice!

Question... the steel, N690...is this Carbon or Stainless?

 

[Railsplitter]

Thanks, guys.

Trand,
To be honest, I don't know what kind of horn it is.

Duncan,
I will get some photos of the spine area in a little while. I had to look up the steel and apparently it is N690co as stated on the blade. It's a stainless steel with a chromium content of 17.00. I just ordered horn, nothing specific.

Back later with some more pics.

 

[Railsplitter]

Well, this pic is kind of a lousy one but here's a shot of the spine of the handle.

No backspring and no locking mechanism but the blade snaps into the open position firmly and with an audible click.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Wow!...Thats kinda cool Rick, I like that knife!!!

 

[Will Power]

Light coloured horn will darken quite quickly I've found, or at least change shade.
Interesting construction: traditional meets skeleton.
I think it will be bovine horn.
Thanks for showing it.

 

[knarfeng]

Howdy Rick.

Question... the steel, N690...is this Carbon or Stainless?

N690 is essentially 440C with small additions of Cobalt and Vanadium.
The result is a blade steel which holds an edge noticeably better than 440C and a tad better than 154CM if all are hardened to the same hardness. It also sharpens to a very fine edge with surprising ease. Probably my favorite of all melt alloys.

Rick, that's a great looking knife and you did a good write-up. I know the fellas here tend towards perfection, but honestly, to me that one is just lovely as is.

 

[quattromori]

Rick,
thanks for posting about this knife...I feel like I had a role in all this.
First of all, I'm glad the knife came to you safely and with no troubles of what we talked about.
The handle (which is cow horn, for those who were wondering) has indeed a very light colour. One good news is, it will darken over time, and get a nicer color.
As for steel, Frank told you more than I could have told you. It's a European stainless steel, not too common but, from what I've seen, generally appreciated.
As for the blade being off centered, you are right.
As for the click in the open position, I will try to explain what it is. These series of knives (made by Viper in traditional Italian patterns, in a modern interpretation) are designed by a knifemaker named Silvestrelli (also known as Silver). He came out with this "locking" thing. What you can't see is that the liners have a small "hole" (on each side) with a small sphere or something like that. In any "middle" position, the spheres make a very light friction on the blade. IN the open (and closed) position, the spheres get out of the liners and "secure" the blade. The system is called "action stopper". I've never tried it live, I was just explained (and shown) how it works. If I find some pics about it, I will post them here. Actually, looking carefully, in your last pic you can see what I'm taling about, a few mm right of the pivot, and "under" the blade (meaning down in the pic). There's a small "shade" where the sphere or cam is.
Hope this knife will earn more and more love from you, and maybe push you to discover other knives from my country.

Fausto

 

[quattromori]

I found those pics I was talking about...actually, it's made of two small liners, not just a sphere. Here you go:

Fausto

 

[sappyg]

That's a beautiful knife! I completely understand the attraction to these traditional Italian designs.

Thanks for the pics. Much appreciated.

 

[Railsplitter]

N690 is essentially 440C with small additions of Cobalt and Vanadium.
The result is a blade steel which holds an edge noticeably better than 440C and a tad better than 154CM if all are hardened to the same hardness. It also sharpens to a very fine edge with surprising ease. Probably my favorite of all melt alloys.

Rick, that's a great looking knife and you did a good write-up. I know the fellas here tend towards perfection, but honestly, to me that one is just lovely as is.

Thank you for comments on the steel, Frank. I have read a few (very few) discussions on various forums in which this steel was mentioned but I never took the time to research it. Sounds like an excellent steel. Thank you for the kind words as well.

Rick,
thanks for posting about this knife...I feel like I had a role in all this.
First of all, I'm glad the knife came to you safely and with no troubles of what we talked about.
The handle (which is cow horn, for those who were wondering) has indeed a very light colour. One good news is, it will darken over time, and get a nicer color.
As for steel, Frank told you more than I could have told you. It's a European stainless steel, not too common but, from what I've seen, generally appreciated.
As for the blade being off centered, you are right.
As for the click in the open position, I will try to explain what it is. These series of knives (made by Viper in traditional Italian patterns, in a modern interpretation) are designed by a knifemaker named Silvestrelli (also known as Silver). He came out with this "locking" thing. What you can't see is that the liners have a small "hole" (on each side) with a small sphere or something like that. In any "middle" position, the spheres make a very light friction on the blade. IN the open (and closed) position, the spheres get out of the liners and "secure" the blade. The system is called "action stopper". I've never tried it live, I was just explained (and shown) how it works. If I find some pics about it, I will post them here. Actually, looking carefully, in your last pic you can see what I'm taling about, a few mm right of the pivot, and "under" the blade (meaning down in the pic). There's a small "shade" where the sphere or cam is.
Hope this knife will earn more and more love from you, and maybe push you to discover other knives from my country.

Fausto

You most certainly did have a role in all this, Fausto. I would have never even heard of these knives if not for your post. I appreciate you posting the picture and thank you for all the help you provided while I was trying to find one of these.
Excellent information on the "action stopper" feature. From what I can tell, it seems to work like the little doohicky on some frame lock knives. I can't remember what it is called on those but I know I have seen them. It's like a little ball that sticks out of the liner and it engages a hole in the blade tang which holds the blade in place. Much like what you describe. I think it might be called a detent but I'm not sure.
Thanks for those pics. They pretty much clarify everything and now I know what my knife looks like without the scales.


I have been admiring this knife all day and I am really starting to like the horn color even though it is not quite what I had hoped for.

 

[black mamba]

I love the look of the lighter handles. They look a little like alabaster, or high quality marble.

Jerry Hossom did a line of knives for Spyderco with N690 steel a few years back-- that's a high enough recommendation for me!

 

[quattromori]

You most certainly did have a role in all this, Fausto. I would have never even heard of these knives if not for your post. I appreciate you posting the picture and thank you for all the help you provided while I was trying to find one of these.
Excellent information on the "action stopper" feature. From what I can tell, it seems to work like the little doohicky on some frame lock knives. I can't remember what it is called on those but I know I have seen them. It's like a little ball that sticks out of the liner and it engages a hole in the blade tang which holds the blade in place. Much like what you describe. I think it might be called a detent but I'm not sure.
Thanks for those pics. They pretty much clarify everything and now I know what my knife looks like without the scales.


I have been admiring this knife all day and I am really starting to like the horn color even though it is not quite what I had hoped for.

Rick, I've learned so much about knives on this forum, and I'm just glad if I can be of any help to you or to anybody else here.
As for the horn color, it will darken with time and use, and maybe get closer to what you expected. Sunlight also speeds up the process.
The world of traditional Italian patterns welcomes you just make sure your next one is a Sardinian traditional

Fausto

 

[Humppa]

Hi guys!

A really nice knife! I like it very much... Nice handles, nice blade and the "backspring" is a pretty cool thing...

Kind regards
Andi

 

[J D Wijbenga]

Nice folder! I like horn as handle material. It has lots of class. Thanks for showing the action stopper Fausto! I have read about this system in Italian knife magazines but your picture is worth "mile parole"

 

[quattromori]

Nice folder! I like horn as handle material. It has lots of class. Thanks for showing the action stopper Fausto! I have read about this system in Italian knife magazines but your picture is worth "mile parole"

You are welcome. When I first read about this locking system, I did spend some time trying to figure out how it worked. Then, on an Italian knife forum, I saw a thread about Viper's regionals and found those pics, and suddenly everything became clear.
Merry Christmas guys...and Rick, don't leave the Bergamasco at home today...

Fausto