Gaucho Knife

[cortez kid]

I have this knife. Labeled juca? Industria Agentina. Case and handle in silver with gold inlay. Seems to be real fancy. Is this a "dress" knife. Like the fancy saddles and such of american cowboys. I assume it has value because of the metals involved. Not really interested in money value as much as history and rarity. Dad got this in late 60's. It's been passed to me. Will pass it on to a "deserving " grandkid. Looking for a story.
good shootin
kid
PS. case has alpaca stamped on it. Don't know how to post picture.

 

[auschip]

Like this?

 

[Titus]

In grad school, the crew I ran around with included a guy from Buenos Aires, and he was officially in charge of running the charcoal grill at our at-least-once-a-week barbeques. He always had his knife and while it wasn't as done up as the one in auship's post, it was one sweet knife. I don't know that they're rare (in Argetina anyway), but they are nice and to be handed down from your father is even better. Man, do I miss standing around that grill with loaves of bread, bottle of wine, cutting off slices of beef and sausages! That's living!

 

[cortez kid]

I've got good memories around this knife myself. Dad never used it but we both admired it together, along with his old Ruger single six. As far as looks, not exactly like auschip's, but so close, no need to argue. They are both beautiful and the workmanship is very high. Nicer in person than in picture. Thanx guys
good shootin
kid

 

[black bear]

I am originally from Argentina and I well remember those "facones" or "facon" for the singular.
They are dress knives mostly, because I used to see the gauchos dressed in full regalia with wide belts made out of silver coins, shiny boots "bombachas" pants and their facon in the back angled to be grasped by the right hand.

This was in "fiesta" time or in dances and in "asados" their horses also having the best saddles and reins covered in silver coins.

Now in a day to day basis and working with the cattle, they didn't wear any fancy clothes or boots and their facon was a regular one maybe with a silver handle but without the gold appliques or the silver "vaina" (sheath) also not saddles for the horses just a piece of sheepskin on top of the mount.
great knife, great memories.
I don't know if the tradition is still mantained because I am talking of 40 years ago, in the Province of La Pampa.
I guess I am not spring chicken any more
black bear

 

[Paul Gomez]

Most people are unaware of the links between the 'gaucho knife' and the 'Bowie knife'.

The original 'Bowie knife' designed by James Bowie's older brother, Rezin, was a modified 'gaucho knife'. The facones, commonly called 'Spanish daggers' in this part of the country, were the basic field knife pattern popular with most outdoorsman. The unguarded blade and the relationship between the handle and blade are the distinguishing points [besides blade shape] of the older knives.

Rezin Bowie severely damaged his right hand when he thrust his spanish dagger into a bull's skull, after his musket shot failed to put it down [& subsequently, provoked it to attack]. He succeeded in killing the animal, but his hand ran over the edge, partially severing his thumg, in the process.

The knife that Rezin designed to prevent this from occuring again, consisted of a blade with a deeper/wider profile. THe design was still guardless, but the edge was further from the hand due to the width [spine to edge] of the design. The first knife of this design was made by a local, white blacksmith named Jesse Cliff/Cliffe/Clift.