Maserin Classic Line Colt Caccia Bone

This particular folding model has an early to mid-19th C look about it, accentuated by the bolsters with the typical ‘bulls horns’ shape cross guard. Strangely enough, although it’s advertised as having a bone handle, the grip scales are in fact corno biondo, which means light horn - it literally translates as ‘blonde horn’. This is a very traditional material for Italian knife handles, and I’ve had several of them, but not at this sort of price (£40.95) which is very reasonable. The polished horn is well finished and the shape flares – getting progressively wider from the bolster back to the handle base which, incidentally, features a split ring connected directly to the end of the back spring. The scales are attached to a steel inter-frame which sandwiches the backspring and blade when closed.

Unusually for these modern times, this knife is a slip-joint model (non-locking) which is the sort of folding knife that most of us grew up with before the current fashion for locking knives. Back in my boyhood (and before) this would have colloquially been called a ‘jack knife’ or ‘pocket knife’, which simply meant a large, strong folding knife, but the maker describes it as a folding hunting knife. The 440 stainless steel spear-point blade has a traditional nail nick to aid opening; again this blade shape is not quite so fashionable in this day and age, but it suits the ‘retro’ look of this knife perfectly. Although not featuring a ‘lock’, the backspring mechanism holds the blade firmly enough when deployed, without being too ‘rock solid’ to make it difficult to either open or close.

This is a great looking knife – if you like the nostalgic styling, which I obviously do – and it comes at a fair price, complete with nylon pouch.

PRICE: £40.95