Knife shops, factories & museums of Spain.

[I'mSoSharp]

The museum is excellent, a huge display of old traditional Spanish knives plus sections displaying old knives from many countries & city's of the world. Sadly photography wasn't allowed else I'd have pages of them to show!

The building is deceptively small, a huge underground area has displays & a projected film in English if requested, sadly all other info is in Spanish but that doesn't detract from the great knife displays.
Chairs stacked outside as there was a stage & live bands playing on an evening.

There are many old photo's in the museum of different knife sellers over the years that have taken advantage of the train station to sell their wares, the style of selling knives from a slung bag is an image seen all over Albacete, a famous statue shows the same.

 

[I'mSoSharp]

Seeing as I had the time & was staying very near to the industrial estate that is home to a few famous Spanish makers I couldn't help taking a few pics. I had hoped for maybe factory shops but they are purely factory's, I enjoyed the challenge of finding them though.

Arcos, famous for kitchen cutlery.

The search for factories led to an excellent knife shop on the industrial estate so that was good fortune.

 

[I'mSoSharp]

Some photos inside Cuchilleria Albacete.

Sorry about the lighting reflected in the cabinets.

More knife shops soon..........

 

[I'mSoSharp]

Back in Albacete center I visited this shop.

Owned by the very nice Juan Luis Vergara where he has a great displays of knives much of them made by him, a very talented knife maker.

Knives made by Juan.

I couldn't help myself & left with this lovely carbon slipjoint in teak & Bull's horn.

Very pleased I am with it too!

 

[microbe]

If I am visiting larger cities in Spain, I am also looking out for knife shops. Unfortunately, many have closed over the last years years, like one that existed for generations in Malaga.
I picked up a few pieces here and there, not always Spanish, as they sell SAK's and Laguioles to.
A joker

A small Benitez

Cudeman MT1

Muela

From a few others I don't have pics, a wood scale toothpick from an unknown brand, and an Aitor swiss army knife variant - much larger then a SAK.

 

[Pinemoon]

Back in Albacete center I visited this shop.

Owned by the very nice Juan Luis Vergara where he has a great displays of knives much of them made by him, a very talented knife maker.

Knives made by Juan.

I couldn't help myself & left with this lovely carbon slipjoint in teak & Bull's horn.

Very pleased I am with it too!

Muy hermoso

 

[I'mSoSharp]

I've just found this YouTube video that is one of the videos shown in the museum.

It's a great insight into a Navaja being made in the traditional way with just hand tools.
The only bit that struck me when I saw it in the museum is the use of rebar as blade steel. To be honest it is probably as good as steel available at the time, & by the look of the rib pattern on the bar it's not the lowest quality.

 

[Prester John]

I've just found this YouTube video that is one of the videos shown in the museum.

It's a great insight into a Navaja being made in the traditional way with just hand tools.
The only bit that struck me when I saw it in the museum is the use of rebar as blade steel. To be honest it is probably as good as steel available at the time, & by the look of the rib pattern on the bar it's not the lowest quality.

Fascinating stuff. Thanks.

 

[I'mSoSharp]

Just got back from a stay over in Jerez & Cadiz, Jerez didn't have any shops worthy of showing but Cadiz had a small sharpener who sold a few knives, a lot were Spanish Albainox who sadly are getting everything produced in China now but there was some nice stuff as well.

Casa Serafin, one of the oldest businesses in Cadiz.

The real treat was about 15 miles inland from Jerez in a small village called Junta De Los Rios (where the rivers join) in a Venta (roadside stop) of the same name.

Venta Junta De Los Rios.

The bar inside, see on the wall down the end......

The bar from the other end!!

Nearly all "Flores Cortes" knives made in Don Benito, Spain with some Opinel & others thrown in.
My only complaint is they are all stainless, but I still succumbed to temptation

 

[Corso]

Cool thread

I definatly see one of those JJ Martinez navaja de campaña knives in my future

 

[RayseM]

Thanks for the tour I'mSoSharp Amazing to watch the knife process through such stages. Lots of crude before the refined product. Big one too!

Sadly the last time I was in Spain (early 90s) I was more interested in girls (well one very lovely in particular) than I was in knives. Oh well, it was a wonderful visit nonetheless.

If I ever get back there I will certainly visit Albacete and visit with @ArtesaniaHerreros - himself - José. Not likely but a good dream. As one can't have all the lovely ladies, one can't have all the lovely knives either. What kind of a world would it be if Ray had all that Though - I can admit to having some lovely knives - Spanish & otherwise - and being had (present & future tense) by a lovely wife - Scottish & no otherwise.

Ray

 

[Pinemoon]

Lovely to see the Spanish tradition. Nice video

 

[I'mSoSharp]

RayseM , when you visited Spain was it to stay at "hotel" Rota by any chance?
Rota is just around the corner from the places above.

 

[RayseM]

RayseM , when you visited Spain was it to stay at "hotel" Rota by any chance?
Rota is just around the corner from the places above.

No - once I spent 2 nights in Cadiz before boarding a schooner for a transatlantic sail, traveling by bus from Madrid to Cadiz. The last time I was there for more than a month living with my girlfriend near Barcelona. Spent most of our time up and down the Costa Brava. Would love to go back. I felt much at home on both of my travels through Spain.

Ray

 

[I'mSoSharp]

As many of you will know my reason for mentioning Rota is because of the U.S Naval base there, Jerez & Cadiz in the previous posts are just around the corner.

Below are images of a shop in Fuengirola (Malaga) on the south coast, the owner has a pretty nice display of Spanish made folders & fixed blades (sadly pretty much all stainless..).

 

[Eli Chaps]

So cool I'mSoSharp ! I really dig some of those Nieto's.

 

[alexfranco555]

I've just been for a week in Granada & visited a couple of very nice knife shops (that are next door to one another) so thought I'd share them here.
As I'm planning to visit more knife related places soon I thought I'd open a thread, it might help anybody visiting to find something of interest as Spain still has a fairly healthy cutlery industry.

The two shops.

Many more displays similar to these displaying everything from wall hanging tourist tat through factory traditionals & modern plus hand made.
I bought a couple of traditionals that I'll get some pics of & post up soon.

The shops-
https://www.google.com/search?q=el+llavin+de+oro+cuchilleria+granada&oq=el&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i61l2j69i60j69i59.3191j0j7&client=tablet-android-pega&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:17571858267129923543,rc_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20J.Ruiz%20-%20El%20llav%C3%ADn%20de%20oro,ru_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20J.Ruiz%20-%20El%20llav%C3%ADn%20de%20oro

https://www.google.com/search?q=cuchilleria+nunez+ruiz+granada&oq=cuchilleria+nunez+ruiz+granada&aqs=chrome..69i57.13486j0j9&client=tablet-android-pega&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:13990824341611267894,rc_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20Nu%C3%B1ez%20Ruiz%20-%20Hoja%20de%20Acero,ru_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20Nu%C3%B1ez%20Ruiz%20-%20Hoja%20de%20Acero

that store looks great, you've taken great pictures of those knives, totally beautiful

 

[Johnnythefox]

I've just been for a week in Granada & visited a couple of very nice knife shops (that are next door to one another) so thought I'd share them here.
As I'm planning to visit more knife related places soon I thought I'd open a thread, it might help anybody visiting to find something of interest as Spain still has a fairly healthy cutlery industry.

The two shops.

Many more displays similar to these displaying everything from wall hanging tourist tat through factory traditionals & modern plus hand made.
I bought a couple of traditionals that I'll get some pics of & post up soon.

The shops-
https://www.google.com/search?q=el+llavin+de+oro+cuchilleria+granada&oq=el&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i61l2j69i60j69i59.3191j0j7&client=tablet-android-pega&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:17571858267129923543,rc_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20J.Ruiz%20-%20El%20llav%C3%ADn%20de%20oro,ru_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20J.Ruiz%20-%20El%20llav%C3%ADn%20de%20oro

https://www.google.com/search?q=cuchilleria+nunez+ruiz+granada&oq=cuchilleria+nunez+ruiz+granada&aqs=chrome..69i57.13486j0j9&client=tablet-android-pega&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:13990824341611267894,rc_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20Nu%C3%B1ez%20Ruiz%20-%20Hoja%20de%20Acero,ru_q:Cuchiller%C3%ADa%20Nu%C3%B1ez%20Ruiz%20-%20Hoja%20de%20Acero

I have been to those very shops myself.

 

[Johnnythefox]

OK I have booked 2 days in Albacete,just missing the festival.

So I can go and explore.

What would you reccomend are there any artisan makers or big shops worth looking at?

 

[I'mSoSharp]

OK I have booked 2 days in Albacete,just missing the festival.

So I can go and explore.

What would you reccomend are there any artisan makers or big shops worth looking at?

Hi Johnnythefox , I've just seen your post.
There are quite a few shops in town (pictured in this thread) that'll show up on a Google maps "Cuchilleria" search, and there's one or two others on the industrial estate (Poligano industrial) but the factories in this thread don't have any shops/outlets. You could walk to the industrial estate from town centre (though I probably wouldn't bother) I'm guessing it's a few miles (by memory, it was over 5 years ago & I had my motorbike).

My post #24 is an artisan maker in the town centre, Juan Luis Vergara, that's one of his knives I bought, some of his work is displayed in the museum...... and I absolutely would recommend the knife museum, I visited it twice I enjoyed it so much!

Have a great time! Feel free to PM me if you any more questions.

.