For centuries an indispensable aid in the toils of the fields, the history of the Island is condensed in Sardinian knives. Special uses and customs have developed around the knife, linked both to its primary function as a blade and to its symbolic meaning within a rural society that was often harsh and spartan.

Sardinian Handmade Knives

What does it mean to give a knife as a gift in Sardinia?

Even today, the knife represents a precious gift, a sign of esteem and respect. Yet, those who are lucky enough to receive it as a gift cannot accept the gift without paying a symbolic sum to the donor. This, according to tradition, would free the donor from the feeling of having given an object that, in the wrong hands, can bring pain and grief. Furthermore, the sharp blade can also symbolize the severed bond between the two parties, so always remember to "repay" the knife you receive as a gift. Another unwritten rule indicates that the knife is always offered open, holding it with the open palm towards the recipient, as a symbol of trust and certainty that it will never be used with bad intentions.

The Revolution of the Sardinian Knife

When technology revolutionized various sectors of the Sardinian economy (from shepherding to agriculture) in the mid-1950s, the knife in Sardinia changed its role in daily life. It transitioned from a multi-purpose tool to a decorative item, eventually becoming a true collector’s gem.

Just like the towns and territories from which they originate, Sardinia's gleaming blades are diverse: from the resolza of Pattada (a town in the province of Sassari) to the arresoja of Arbus-Guspini (in Southern Sardinia), and the lurisinca from Gallura, all these knives convey strength and elegance, and above all, robustness.

There are about a thousand knife makers in Sardinia, and the most renowned ones receive orders from various countries around the world, with waiting lists of several months. The value of each piece can vary depending on the knife maker's reputation and the materials used, such as gold, silver, or brass.

Coltello scultura cane, manico bufalo, 23 cm - Artigianato Pasella

Artigianato Pasella

Sculpture Knife Dog, Buffalo Handle, 23 cm

€270,00 EUR
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Sardinian Handmade Knives

The geography of the sardinian knife

An ideal journey through the history of the Sardinian knife can only begin with the resolza, originally from Pattada: a blade that reflects the history of the Sardinian agricultural and pastoral world. It is a folding knife, with a handle composed of two strips (cheeks) of male goat horn, firmly joined by rivets (small nails) that incorporate s’arcu, the metal bow that makes the handle particularly solid.

Also called pattadesa, it was an essential object in the shepherd’s saddlebag, which he owned two or three different ones depending on the function: working cheese, slaughtering cattle and so on.

The corrina, for some the ancestor of the pattadesa, is a more rustic knife, with a fixed olive leaf blade, set in a ram or goat horn. The blade was inserted into a piece of cork to avoid hurting oneself when putting it in one's pocket.

Another knife that falls into the resolza pattadesa category is the lussurzesa, a folding knife from Santu Lussurgiu (in the province of Oristano).

Pattadese, manico ginepro, lama 8 cm - Artigianato Pasella

Artigianato Pasella

Pattadese, Juniper Handle, 8 cm Blade

€99,00 EUR
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Sardinian Knife

Moving towards the cork oak forests of Gallura, you can find the Gallurese blade known as the lurisinca, or "woman of Luras" (a town near Tempio Pausania).
It was used for cork processing: it has a blunt tip and a lightweight handle made of fig wood. The blade is sharpened only on one side, and when it became
worn out, it was recycled and used to make otherknives, especially for cooking.

Heading towards the southwest of the island, between Cagliari and Oristano, we enter the world of mines.

The arburesa (made in Arbus, one of the most important mining centers) is the local knife, featuring a folding blade with a bulging, broad leaf shape, primarily used for hunting and skinning animals. It has a contoured handle and a curved shape that follows the edge of the blade.

Arburese, doppio collarino, lama cm 9. - Artigianato Pasella

artigianatopasella

Arburesa knife with double collar, 9 cm blade.

€136,00 EUR
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Sardinian Craftsmanship Knives

Just a few kilometers away, we find Guspini, the kingdom of the guspinesa, the miners' knife. There are two models, both with folding blades: one with a curved blade (myrtle leaf shape) and a curved handle; the other with a spatula blade, a blunt blade, and a squared handle profile.

The latter model was designed to circumvent a 1908 decree, in which Prime Minister Giovanni Giolitti banned carrying pointed knives with blades longer than four
centimeters, in an effort to reduce the frequent violent incidents in the region at that time.