Gaucho

Product Description for Gaucho

Maker: Bill Burke, M.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 85229
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 8.00 in.
Total length: 13.50 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.50 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.21 in.
Item weight: 9.60 oz.
Blade: 609 layer Wolves Tooth Damascus forged from 15N20 and 1084 carbon steel
Bolster: Integral Damascus ferrule
Handle: Rocky Mountain elk antler
Description: In 2006, Bill Burke has focused on expanding the types of knives that he is known for. Though he continues his love for the Fowler style knife, he also wants to create art knives and other styles with the same high performance edge. Bill found inspiration for this knife in the cuchillo gaucho.
Cuchillo gaucho is a generic term for a style of knife characteristic of the gauchos, horsemen of the plains of South America -- principally Argentina, of mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indian) heritage. Analogous to the cowboy of the American West and the Mexican vaquero, the gauchos were mounted cattlemen initially living and working in vast undeveloped areas at the fringes of "civilization". Aside from its obvious potential as a weapon in duels, which were to mark rather than kill an adversary the cuchillo gaucho has a reputation as a truly multi-purpose tool and was used for tasks as diverse as slaughtering and skinning cattle, working leather, cutting wood, and making adobe bricks. In the wilderness, the gaucho could listen for distant approaches by sticking his knife into the ground and pressing an ear against its hilt. The knife was the gaucho's primary eating utensil: a large chunk of meat would be placed in the mouth and the excess cut off with an upward stroke of the knife, stopping short of amputation of the nose. Afterwards, it would serve as a toothpick. And, of course, in the gaucho's twilight in the 20th century, its use as a can opener was inevitable.
Bill's Gaucho easily evokes the power of the traditional knife. The blade was hand forged to shape using a very tight temperature range. Bill created the Damascus in a Wolves Tooth pattern. The blade has been distal tapered, resulting in an optimal balance. A differential heat treatment and triple temper assure that this knife will be an extremely high performance knife. Like his Pronghorn Hunters, this knife was pre-tested for edge flex and cutting ability before assembly. The heat treatment follows the formulas developed by Ed Fowler, Bill's teacher, and has been proven to create some of the sharpest and most long lasting edges found anywhere.
The ferrule is integral Damascus -- a technique that is very hard to do and shows tremendous control. The elk antler handle is very comfortable in the hand -- seemingly perfectly fit. It is finished off with a Damascus butt cap forged from 15N20 and 1084 carbon steels along with pure nickel. The butt cap has been carved to meet perfectly to the elk antler's texture. Exceptional fit and finish throughout.


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