Rare folding knives for your enjoyment

[fernando]

It is only natural;we are neighbors ... stumble upon each other .

[fernando]

Only that the country Spaniards carried in their sash and the Lisbon scoundrels hid in the sleeve; differences to note.

[Interested Party]

I have a series of questions as always.

I've always wanted to know if there is an advantage to the ratcheting system? Does it serve as a backup lock in case the blade is bumped out of the main notch (caja [esp]) that locks the blade in the open position?

To complicate matters and begin to relieve my confusion the first example of post #1 would have a spring (molla [it.], muelle [esp], mola [port]) that Medrano in "Navaja antigua" p62 caption 2.3 of a Salvatici illustration in Italian describes as "molla fissa a finestra e tallone a tre scrocchi" other captions describe similar lock releases to post #1 as having a ring (cierre de anilla [esp]. Fernando's source in post #24 calls the spring system a "triplice de calço na mola." So when we describe these knives, we use a terminology of spring system combined with lock release system?

Finally, does anyone have any recommendations for books on folding knives in Spanish and Portuguese that provide a good foundation for the discussions we are having? I wouldn't mind titles of books on fixed blades as well

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

[fernando]

I guess part of the answer is determined by comprehending the different namings; technical, popular, romantic.
I will try and clear it with a couple drawings ... hoping not to increase the confusion .


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[Interested Party]

Thanks Fernando. From what I can tell the locking systems in Spanish are cerre de anilla if there is a ring. Cierre de golpe if it doesn't have one but the spring is released at the top of the hilt. If no lock but a back spring is present cierre de muelle, no spring no lock cierre de pulgar. A lockblade would be cierre de fieles. I don't know what a lock back would be or if the system was used in the southern Mediterranean region in the 18th and 19th centuries. Where would I find the terms in Portuguese?

So, to be clear; the ratchets are only for the sound?

[Chris Evans]

Hi Interested Party,

Originally Posted by Interested Party

Thanks Fernando. From what I can tell the locking systems in Spanish are cerre de anilla if there is a ring. Cierre de golpe if it doesn't have one but the spring is released at the top of the hilt. If no lock but a back spring is present cierre de muelle, no spring no lock cierre de pulgar. A lockblade would be cierre de fieles. I don't know what a lock back would be or if the system was used in the southern Mediterranean region in the 18th and 19th centuries. Where would I find the terms in Portuguese?

So, to be clear; the ratchets are only for the sound?

1. As Fernando rightly says, the terminology of locks is muddied by popular usage and there is some overlapping. This Wikipedia article in Spanish gives a fairly good account (use Google Translate): https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navaja_de_Albacete


1. Regarding the ratcheting teeth, you may find this thread of interest http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=carraca


2. The principal work on the old Spanish navaja is Rafael Martinez Del Peral y Forton’s La Navaja Antigua Española. Forton wrote extensively on the navajas but this is his magnum opus of some 490 pages. It is not perfect, but remains the indispensable work on the subject in the Spanish language.

Cheers
Chris

[Interested Party]

Thanks Chris. Perla y Forton has been on my list for a while but has been repeatedly push back. Rereading the 2017 was very helpful. I had not stumbled onto that Wiki thread before. It is helpful.