Navaja carraca! from Spyderco

[jzmtl]

I wasn't going to get this because of the high price and I'm on hiatus for new knives, but a friend was getting rid of his and I just got paid, so I said what the heck...

The original Spanish Navaja was known as a fighting knife, with blade up to a foot long. The locking mechanism make a ratcheting sound when open, which combined with the fact it's the weapon of choice for lowlifes the "carraca" sounds usually means "trouble".

This is the modern interpretation by spyderco/Ed Schempp. It has a 3 7/8" blade, so pretty much same size as an endura. The fit and finish is great as usual from their taiwan contractor, right up there with the best of japan (moki), if not slightly better. It's a liner lock as oppose to the locking lever of the original navaja carraca, and a gear is placed outside the washer in non-locking side, and a spring under bolster engages it to make the click noise, which is very muted actually.

The blade and handle shape is pretty wide as most other Schempp designs, a little too funky for some people (but not me). It feels very solid, and the wide/heavy blade gives it a more forward balance than on most folders.

Overall I like it, though as mentioned the shape is on the wide side, coupled with its size so probably not well suited for EDC in today's world.

There are a couple of things I don't like about it though. While usually I'm function over form, this is one of the occasions I'd like to see form first. The clip screw holes on bolster really made is not as good looking as it could be, same goes for the other new spyderco, the vallotton. While the gear/noise is a nice throwback to the original navaja carraca, I can't help but to think if they were to remove this very complex mechanism, the knife would be much more affordable (no other manufacturer were willing to make this knife because of this from what Sal said). The gear also present another problem, the blade is no longer smooth to open/close, though not a huge problem, can be annoying when you are used to the butter smooth action on other knives.

Oh, I'd also like to see the choil smaller and edge extended all the way to handle (though the present way seems to be how Mr. Schempp always do his knives).

Enough talking, onto pictures.

[J-sews]

An unusual profile to both blade and handle there Jie. A good looking knife though!   What is this "gear" thing about? Does it serve some function other than making a clicking noise?

[jzmtl]

An unusual profile to both blade and handle there Jie. A good looking knife though!   What is this "gear" thing about? Does it serve some function other than making a clicking noise?

I should explain, the original Spanish Navaja was known as a fighting knife, and the locking mechanism makes a ratcheting sound (carraca) when blade is opened. The gear on spyderco version serves no real purpose other than make the noise as homage to the original. I'll add this to the original post too.

My new camera is nowhere nearly as good on macro so you'll have to make do with these:

The gear nested next to pivot:


The tip of spring sticking through liner, engaging the teeth on the gear:


See here for a bit more info on the original navaja. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navaja

[J-sews]

See here for a bit more info on the original navaja. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navaja

Ahhh, I get it now. The clicky noise thing now makes sense, as does the unusual profile of the blade and the handle.


So if the ckicky thing really gets to annoying you (because it makes blade opening less smooth) would it be difficult to just remove it?

[jzmtl]

From what I see it should be quite easy, but it doesn't annoy me per se, just that I think the knife could do without it. I'm going to keep it as is, apparently if the spring isn't placed exactly where it should be it can break. 

[jekostas]

Blade profile looks like a boat.  First thing I said when I first saw the prototype, first thing I said when I first picked it up, and it's the first thing I think when I see it now.

Sweet knife though, no doubt.  Very nice, Jie.  If it were like... 2/3rds the size I'd be all over it, but I've also got very small hands.

[edcgear]

First thing I say when saw this one is 

Nice knife

[jzmtl]

Blade profile looks like a boat.  First thing I said when I first saw the prototype, first thing I said when I first picked it up, and it's the first thing I think when I see it now.

Sweet knife though, no doubt.  Very nice, Jie.  If it were like... 2/3rds the size I'd be all over it, but I've also got very small hands.

Hehe, that's funny, lots of people were saying it isn't big enough. 

[Sean]

Nice! 

Spyderco offers up so much diversity in their lineup.  I'm amazed at the new stuff
coming out and at the Proto's as well.
I'm holding out for a bit and praying that this little guy we'll see shortly.  Hopefully
 it will stay the same looking as pic.

[jzmtl]

I like that too, but I suspect the price will be higher than I'm willing to go for.