Integral River of Fire Cuchillo Gaucho with Snakewood

Product Description for Integral River of Fire Cuchillo Gaucho with Snakewood

Maker: Mauricio Daletzky (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 98360
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 6.25 in.
Cutting edge length: 6.25 in.
Total length: 11.20 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.05 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.17 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.12 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.05 in.
Item weight: 6.00 oz.
Shipment weight: 21 oz.
Blade: River of Fire pattern damascus forged to shape from 1095, 5160, and 15N20 carbon steels
Bolster: Integral damascus
Handle: Stabilized presentation grade snakewood
Sheath: Precision fit sheath formed from matching stabilized presentation grade snakewood with feather pattern damascus
Description: Mauricio Daletzky is a bladesmith living in the picturesque town of Sauce Viejo, Argentina. He has been working as a bladesmith for over 27 years and creates some of the most dramatic, and elegant knives coming from the region. His skill and attention to detail are unrivaled.
Cuchillo gaucho is a generic term for a style of knife characteristic of the gauchos, horsemen of the plains of South America -- principally Argentina, of mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indian) heritage. Analogous to the cowboy of the American West and the Mexican vaquero, the gauchos were mounted cattlemen initially living and working in vast undeveloped areas at the fringes of "civilization". Aside from its obvious potential as a weapon in duels, which were to mark rather than kill an adversary the cuchillo gaucho has a reputation as a truly multi-purpose tool and was used for tasks as diverse as slaughtering and skinning cattle, working leather, cutting wood, and making adobe bricks. In the wilderness, the gaucho could listen for distant approaches by sticking his knife into the ground and pressing an ear against its hilt. The knife was the gaucho's primary eating utensil: a large chunk of meat would be placed in the mouth and the excess cut off with an upward stroke of the knife, stopping short of amputation of the nose. Afterwards, it would serve as a toothpick. And, of course, in the gaucho's twilight in the 20th century, its use as a can opener was inevitable.
This elegant cuchillo gaucho shows Daletzky's work at its best. The blade and integral bolster were forged from his own River of Fire damascus, beginning with 1095, 5160, and 15N20 carbon steels. In this wavy version of feather pattern damascus, a central river of fire travels an undulating path across the blade. The blade is heat treated to Hrc 58-59 for optimal edge holding. Creating an integral bolster shows tremendous skill at the forge.
The handle is formed from presentation grade stabilized snakewood (Brosimum guianense). The red-brown wood has dramatic darker striations that give it its name. Here, the contrast between the primary red-brown wood and the darker striations is particularly well defined. Thinner silver spacers provide a nice contrast. The handle is completed with a feather pattern damascus pommel.
The knife is accompanied by a matching wood sheath, formed from presentation grade snakewood, feature pattern damascus, and silver spacers. The fit to the sheath is absolutely exceptional.
Tremendous work throughout!


Availability: Not currently available