Basque-Yatagan
The original homeland of te pocketknife BASQUE-YATAGAN [bask.ja.ta.ɡɑ̃] are the Pyrenees and the Basque regions on both sides of the border between France and Spain. There they ... know more
The original homeland of te pocketknife BASQUE-YATAGAN [bask.ja.ta.ɡɑ̃] are the Pyrenees and the Basque regions on both sides of the border between France and Spain. There they still speak the old Occitan accent and call it LOU COTEH PYRÉNÉES.
The Yatagan blade of the BASQUE-YATAGAN is of oriental origin. The Crusaders brought it with them when they returned from the Orient in the Middle Ages and made it at home in Spain and southern France, from where it spread. The line of the blade shape consistently continues in the curved handle of the knife, the main feature of which is a pattern of rivets arranged in a characteristic way. They can be raised in relief or be flat with the surface of the handle, depending on the task for which the knife was used and the status of its owner.
The vernacular says that BASQUE-YATAGAN are the knives of the shepherds who, in the wild mountain regions of the Pyrenees, are on their own with their animals, have always known how to deal with bears and wolves and therefore need a solid, steadfast knife, a "compagnon fidèle" , a reliable buddy. At the same time, in the version with the profiled rosettes, it was the farmers' knife, especially in the region around Bergerac, famous for tobacco and cigar production. We know this from another knife based in the region, the AGENAIS: harvesting the tobacco, a juice escapes from the cut of the leaves, which makes the knife slippery. In this case, the relief of raised rosettes forms an anti-slip protection and is, in the end, a very early form of a work safety measure.
Contrary to what the vernacular asserts, the spread of the BASQUE-YATAGAN was by no means limited to the working and peasant class. To these days it is widespread in all social classes and is popular with its decorative rosette pattern.
By its nature the BASQUE-YATAGAN is a powerful knife that does not have to shy away from any work and is definitely an outdoor knife today at its best. This also corresponds to the fact that its handles are traditionally made from hard and resistant materials.
The BASQUE-YATAGAN based on the classic components were made by the manufacturer PARAPLUIE for PassionFrance. As a sign of their traditional roots and authenticity, they bear the PassionFrance logo, the Coq, and the respective logo of the forge that made them on the blades next to the knife name.
A Petit-BASQUE-YATAGAN with a 10cm handle length and a “Lauburu” (Basque Cross) plaque is made by AU SABOT.
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