Ring pull navaja

[Mumbleypeg]

This knife was MIA for several years but I found it yesterday. It was given to me around 20+ years ago by a friend (now deceased) who said he bought it at an antique shop in Europe. He had it several years before he gave it to me. So I’m not sure how old it is. It is a navaja with an interesting ring pull mechanism. No markings anywhere I can see.

When opened the blade locks up tightly, and the ring must be pulled in order to close the blade. When the ring is pulled the locking mechanism is released and the blade “jumps” slightly to a partially closed position. There it stops similar to a half-stop, but not halfway closed.

This is necessary because in order to pull the ring far enough to release the blade lock one must have a grip around the frame. Without this partially-closed stop the blade would cut your hand. Once released to this position the blade may then be pushed closed the remainder of the way into its frame.

The frame is carved from a single piece of horn (or that other stuff).

Not sure if this ring pull mechanism is common to other navaja style knives? Any info regarding the mechanism or the handle material is welcome. I did find this older thread having a knife that appears to be its twin: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=56787&hilit=Navaja

Ken

[Doc B]

That's pretty neat. Hadn't seen one like that.

[LongBlade]

Cool knife and unique mechanism Ken ... What’s the closed length of that one?

[Mumbleypeg]

Lee, it is a unique mechanism. The LeBalkanique knife in that other thread looks like the same mechanism. Mine is not a big knife- 3-1/4 inches closed length.

Ken