Nieto Knives

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Rich S

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Sep 23, 2005
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Anyone had any experience with Nieto brand knives from Spain? I like the looks of the Nieto Navaja Linea Wasp. They use AN-58 steel - I'm not familiar with that one. How does it sharpen and hold up?
Rich
 
My parents visited Spain and brought me an M. Nieto lockback as a gift. Very nice knife, fit and finish is good, smoothest lockback I've ever handled and quite handsome. Mine is in 440C, so I can't speak to the AN-58. Mine is a designated dress knife for the occasions when I'm called on to wear a suit.
 
Never heard of AN-58, googled it and the knife steel FAQ says: "Low carbon, stainless steel. used in cheap stainless knives." Might be ok though?
 
Hi Rich . I only have one nieto knife and I have had it for about 26 years . I can't speak for the quality now but this one in 440c as stud the test of time ..
 
Nieto is one of the top 5 best known brands in Spain, on par with Muela, Aitor, Cudeman and J&V (and many more I'm not mentioning).

I like them and they make solid knives. I can't speak for the price/quality relation because in Spain, spanish knives are ridiculously cheap in comparison with other international brands (especially north-american brands).

They have great designs and cool special runs. What bothers me most is the steel though. It is good, it will last for life, etc..., but all other brands use "better" ones, 440C for example. Nieto somehow still refuses to change the steel on their knives.
 
DPC said:
Nieto is one of the top 5 best known brands in Spain, on par with Muela, Aitor, Cudeman and J&V (and many more I'm not mentioning).

I like them and they make solid knives. I can't speak for the price/quality relation because in Spain, spanish knives are ridiculously cheap in comparison with other international brands (especially north-american brands).

They have great designs and cool special runs. What bothers me most is the steel though. It is good, it will last for life, etc..., but all other brands use "better" ones, 440C for example. Nieto somehow still refuses to change the steel on their knives.
Click to expand...

:confused: ...
 
I live here, in Spain. I owned three Nieto knives. Two were folders (AN58 both) and one of them was a fixed Blade I bought in a marketplace. They are well established here and the general opinion among knife nuts is they are just behind Muela and Aitor (the pre 2003 ones, not the new Aitor Pielcu brand) and on par with Cudeman, Joker, etc.
Good quality, don't expect much from AN58 though. In my experience it's soft and easy to grind (I re-ground my two folders), holds an edge worse than my Cold Steel's AUS-8 (with much better corrosion resistance), and worse than my 440C blades, but above 440A and B, easy to resharpen as well. I'd put it right next to the Krupp 4116 steel from my Roach Belly or Tanto Lite.

If Nieto hadn't moved part of their production to China, they'd still hold their position as "Instant Spanish Classic" brand, but nowadays they have different lines of chinese knives (some of them re-branded as Puma knives, the cheapo line from the German Puma brand) and only some of their fixed blades and classic looking folders are worth buying, IMO.
 
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