Italian Traditional Knives!!

[waynorth]

I am going to try to gather up a sampling of Traditional Italian knives, with your help!!
These three are called Sfilatos (Italian plural, Sfilati). The first two come from major cutlery centers in Italy, and the third is a Canadian-made replica.
First, a Dark Horn example from Frosolone, The middle one is a very worn, light or undyed bone knife from Maniago, and the third is a Canadian made replica of the second knife!!

 

[PaperKnife]

Check out: Resolza / Pattada style knives

 

[Just Tom.]

Sfilato from Frosolone by Fraraccio (inexpensive plastic-handled version). A very sharp and solidly built knife.

I believe the founders of both Imperial and Colonial emigrated from Frosolone.

See this about Imperial:

Imperial Schrade - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

from the Colonial website:

THIS COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN 1926 BY ANTONIO PAOLANTONIO AND HIS TWO BROTHERS. EXPERIENCED CUTLERS FROM FROSOLONE, ITALY, THEY IMMIGRATED TO THE U.S. AND WORKED FOR EMPIRE KNIFE COMPANY AND MILLER BROTHERS CUTLERY COMPANY UNTIL THEY STARTED THE COLONIAL KNIFE COMPANY IN 1926.​

 

[lambertiana]

I'll throw in a pattada

 

[WValtakis]

I needa Pattada

 

[waynorth]

I'll throw in a pattada

Nice Pattada!!

 

[Campbellclanman]

Charlie that trio is great - with the great additions from Tom and Lambertiana!

The older Maniago middle knife is really eye catching with it’s gorgeous Bone Handle and I really appreciate the long use where someone loved to carry that Knife! Charlie how is the Walk and Talk of that Knife still?
I can imagine such a long blade with great use over time developing play? Then again the Barlow - like Bolstering must help with that.

The Top Knife looks an attractive Worker - Italians love to use Horn on a lot of their Knives don’t they! Always in the Stiletto range of Knives Horn prevails. and is always so nice to look at!

That third Knife is an excellent Mirror Image of that lovey middle Maniago example, so that’s a big congratulations to the Maker Rhidian, and a thank you Charlie for sharing these meravigliosa examples kind Sir.

 

[Âchillepattada]

Fantastic ! Charlie is interested in Italian knives

I won't show here some Pattada knives because there are plenty of pictures on the Sardinian connexion thread .
Here are some other shapes .

Here is a castrino from Davide Steri ( I won't explain the use ...)

A Gobbo from the Abruzzo region :

A few Bergamaschi from the north from the great Maestro Luca Pizzi , with 1300 layers damascus blades .
With the Pattada it's my best shape.

An interpretation of the Bergamasco by the Sardinian Davide Steri , even more artistic and aggressive. With a san maï blade.

Â

 

[Campbellclanman]

Gorgeous Knives Âchillepattada

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

Look around the Bay and you can find a variety blade lengths of the narrow pointy folders from M. Fraracco. My largest has a 5.75-inch blade. The prices are modest and they come straight Italy.

 

[waynorth]

Fantastic ! Charlie is interested in Italian knives

I won't show here some Pattada knives because there are plenty of pictures on the Sardinian connexion thread .
Here are some other shapes .

Here is a castrino from Davide Steri ( I won't explain the use ...)

A Gobbo from the Abruzzo region :

A few Bergamaschi from the north from the great Maestro Luca Pizzi , with 1300 layers damascus blades .
With the Pattada it's my best shape.

An interpretation of the Bergamasco by the Sardinian Davide Steri , even more artistic and aggressive. With a san maï blade.

Â

Thanks for showing us your wonderful collection of Bergamaschi, Â!!!
Nice Gobbo also!!

 

[waynorth]

Immigrants to America, Felix and Michael Mirando, with Domenic Fazzano founded Imperial Cutlery in 1917, after working for Empire Knife Co for several years. Their father, Cosimo Mirando came over from Frosolone, Italy to work with them in ensuing years. They had all practiced knifemaking throughout their lives in both countries!!
This Sfilato was made by Cosimo Mirando in Frosolone!!!
But it was in the Imperial Schrade collection, when it was sold, when Imperial Schrade closed in 2007. I feel fortunate to have found this speck of history of a great lineage of Cutlery!!
In the last pic you can see that the handles are Dark Horn!!

 

[Un-Chained]

Charlie.... that’s just so purrrdy

 

[waynorth]

Charlie.... that’s just so purrrdy

Thanks Gus!! The guy must have had the thumbs of a knifemaker! A real nail-breaker!!!

 

[waynorth]

I believe the founders of both Imperial and Colonial emigrated from Frosolone.

Both families (Paolantonio and Mirando) prospered from the great opportunities America had to offer, in almost perfect parallel! And the Cutlery industry, and all of us have enjoyed the fruits of their labors!!

Charlie that trio is great - with the great additions from Tom and Lambertiana!

The older Maniago middle knife is really eye catching with it’s gorgeous Bone Handle and I really appreciate the long use where someone loved to carry that Knife! Charlie how is the Walk and Talk of that Knife still?
I can imagine such a long blade with great use over time developing play? Then again the Barlow - like Bolstering must help with that.

The Top Knife looks an attractive Worker - Italians love to use Horn on a lot of their Knives don’t they! Always in the Stiletto range of Knives Horn prevails. and is always so nice to look at!

That third Knife is an excellent Mirror Image of that lovey middle Maniago example, so that’s a big congratulations to the Maker Rhidian, and a thank you Charlie for sharing these meravigliosa examples kind Sir.

Duncan, the walk and talk are still worthy of a new knife!! the spring is still flush!! And the blade is tight!! I suspect the joint was oiled during its early life!!
I think a later Dremel tool had its way with this nice knife, to remove its valuable patina!!
Yes, Horn prevails (see post above!)! And, Rhidian did an excellent job!! He is making a different knife for me as we speak!! A new star is Born, IMO!!

 

[Campbellclanman]

That’s really good - apart from the Treatment of the Blade! It still has some of its old Patina here and there though - Thank goodness it’s not horrifically Shiny! Still a beaut in my and yours too I imagine!
I was looking through at knives for sale on a particular site and came across a very nice old Knife, one I would normally dive through Glass to get - but it has been cleaned so much that it’s Super Shiny that I am not sure I’m even going back to look at it, it will always be Shiny now

 

[Will Power]

Fantastic ! Charlie is interested in Italian knives

I won't show here some Pattada knives because there are plenty of pictures on the Sardinian connexion thread .
Here are some other shapes .

Here is a castrino from Davide Steri ( I won't explain the use ...)


A Gobbo from the Abruzzo region :

Â

Really outstanding knife A

 

[waynorth]

Here is il Gobbo!! Translates to the "Hunchback"! Not a PC name, perhaps,
but a graceful knife!! It shows some French influence, I would say, sporting a forged "la Mouche" on the backspring, along with filework!! At 4 3/4" with light Horn handles, it's a hefty, useful knife!!

 

[Un-Chained]

Such beautiful pics Charlie
The stone and beads are quite purrrdy as well!!

 

[waynorth]

Mentioned above, and many times, but I thought I would add some examples here of the Pattada; a traditional knife on the Island of Sardinia!!
Most that I have seen are friction folders, with no backspring!! The bolster is formed of sheet metal, wrapped around the end of the full-length horn handles, often decorated. These never seem to suffer from the horn curling away, like I have seen on many slipjoint knives!!
The Pattada is seen in many sizes. Here we see a robust 6" knife, and one in lighter format at just shy of 3 3/4"!! The Beautiful leaf-shaped blades are very useful for the many Shepherds on the island!!