Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - NAVAJA- CATALONIAN

Jim McDougall · 3rd January 2025, 07:56 PM

This HUGE navaja is one of those which is large but actually an intermediate size. The REALLY big ones were just for show, but this one is genuinely a fighting knife.

It is Spanish from northern regions, Catalonia, which borders southern France. Apparently this type navaja is termed 'gavinet' (Fr.=cabinet) probably to its obvious folding character. It also may be termed 'caracca' (Sp.=ratchet) for the toothed ratchet device which locks the blade open.

This is an older example, probably 1830s , after 1850s a ring was attached to the ratchet to disengage it in closing the blade into handle.

These of course became weapons as required during the Carlist wars (1833-1876)

3rd January 2025, 07:56 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,100	NAVAJA- CATALONIAN This HUGE navaja is one of those which is large but actually an intermediate size. The REALLY big ones were just for show, but this one is genuinely a fighting knife. It is Spanish from northern regions, Catalonia, which borders southern France. Apparently this type navaja is termed 'gavinet' (Fr.=cabinet) probably to its obvious folding character. It also may be termed 'caracca' (Sp.=ratchet) for the toothed ratchet device which locks the blade open. This is an older example, probably 1830s , after 1850s a ring was attached to the ratchet to disengage it in closing the blade into handle. These of course became weapons as required during the Carlist wars (1833-1876) Attached Images Last edited by Jim McDougall; 3rd January 2025 at 08:08 PM.