Navaja, opinion requested

[Chris Evans]

Detlef

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hope that the scales from my one are from real horn instead of plastic.

The most common way of making a navaja handle was from a piece of horn, without liners, though some had liners as well, especially those made from stag antlers. Those three small pins, from the middle to the end, embedded in the handle suggest the presence of a liner, in which case the scales could well be plastic, but not necessarily. These days the firm of Exposito makes navajas with horn scales pinned to liners.

As for dating it with accuracy, very hard to say as these were seen as late as the early sixties, after which stainless steel blades tended to replace carbon steel. However, if the handles are plastic, then closer to 1950 than much earlier.

Cheers
Chris

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Chris Evans

Detlef



The most common way of making a navaja handle was from a piece of horn, without liners, though some had liners as well, especially those made from stag antlers. Those three small pins, from the middle to the end, embedded in the handle suggest the presence of a liner, in which case the scales could well be plastic, but not necessarily. These days the firm of Exposito makes navajas with horn scales pinned to liners.

As for dating it with accuracy, very hard to say as these were seen as late as the early sixties, after which stainless steel blades tended to replace carbon steel. However, if the handles are plastic, then closer to 1950 than much earlier.

Cheers
Chris

Hello Chris,

still have the hope that the scales are from horn. Will provide the information of the used material when it arrived.

Regards,
Detlef

[Chris Evans]

Detlef,

According to this cached post by Antonio Montejano, a distinguished contemporary Spanish engraver, the engraved and enameled navaja became widespread in the 1945-75 period. He adds that these works were not of the best quality or taste: http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...&ct=clnk&gl=au

Cheers
Chris