Spanish Navaja "Cola de Crotalo" (Tail Rattler)

Object Name/Title

Spanish Navaja "Cola de Crotalo" (Tail Rattler)

Catalog Number

111-0265

Physical Description

This is a classic example of a Spanish Navaja de Muelles (Spring Knife) from the late 18th century. The knife features a distinctive "cola de crotalo" (rattlesnake's tail) design, where the tip of the handle mimics a rattlesnake's tail. The blade and handle together create an elegant, curved profile characteristic of traditional Spanish navajas. In open position, the knife presents an imposing profile befitting its dual role as both a utility tool and personal defense weapon. The blade features a nicked area near its fold point, indicating extensive period use.

Knife Type

Spanish Navaja, specifically the Navaja de Muelles (Spring Knife) variant

Maker/Workshop

Unknown, Spanish manufacture

Date of Creation

Circa 1790

Component Materials

Blade: Steel
Handle: Stag Horn
Fittings: Metal (spring mechanism and pull ring)

Measurements

Open length: 17 inches (43.18 cm)
Handle length: 9 3/8 inches (23.81 cm)
Blade length: 7 7/8 inches (20 cm)
Overall width: 1 3/8 inches (3.49 cm)
Weight: 10 ounces (283.5 g)

Edge Type

Single-edged blade with period-typical grind pattern

Spine Profile

Curved spine following traditional Spanish navaja form

Locking System

Spring lock mechanism with metal pull ring release

Deployment Method

Manual fold with spring-assisted lock engagement

Spring Mechanism

Under-blade spring lock, characteristic of late 18th century Spanish design

Handle Scales

Single-piece stag horn construction

Bolster Style

Metal bolsters with traditional Spanish styling

Pivot Mechanism

Period-typical pivot construction with reinforced mounting

Object History

This navaja represents a significant period in Spanish maritime history. It belongs to a tradition of knives that were particularly popular among sailors of the Spanish Main, with similar examples recovered from the 1622 wrecks of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha and Santa Margarita. While primarily known as fighting knives, navajas served multiple practical purposes in maritime and civilian life, including cutting lines, peeling fruit, shaving, and even preliminary surgical procedures. The addition of the spring lock mechanism and pull ring release represents the technological evolution of these knives in the late 18th century.

Acquisition Source

(1) Navajas of the Galleons by Corey MalcomThe Navigator: Newsletter of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, Vol.21, No.4 July 2005(2) The Surgeon by Jan Sanders van Hemessen, 1550(3) La Navaja Espanola Antigua, "cola de crotalo" (The Old Spanish Knife "tail rattler") by Martinez Del Peral Forton, Rafael 1980

Subject Terms

Spanish weapons; Maritime artifacts; Naval equipment; 18th century arms; Folding knives; Spring knives; Personal defense weapons; Maritime tools

Temporal and Spatial Coverage

Temporal: Late 18th Century
Spatial: Spain, Spanish Maritime territories

Related Collections

The F.E. Williams III Collection of Antique Weapons and Artifacts

Collection Attribution

Frederick Eugene Williams III (known as Jack Williams), Collector

References

Malcom, Corey. "Navajas of the Galleons." The Navigator: Newsletter of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, Vol.21, No.4 July 2005

Sanders van Hemessen, Jan. "The Surgeon," 1550

Martinez Del Peral Forton, Rafael. "La Navaja Espanola Antigua, 'cola de crotalo'" 1980

Rights Statement

© weaponscollector.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Attribution required: "From the F.E. Williams III Collection at weaponscollector.com