The douk-douk is a French-made

pocket knife A pocketknife (also spelled as pocket knife) is a knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle. They are also known as jackknives, folding knives, EDC knife, or may be referred to as a penknife, though a penknife may also be a specif ...

of simple sheet-metal construction. It has been manufactured by the M. C. Cognet

cutlery Cutlery (also referred to as silverware, flatware, or tableware) includes any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture. A person who makes or sells cutlery is called a cutler. While most cutlers ...

firm in Thiers, France, since 1929. Couteau Doukdouk

Design origins

The external engraving of the ''douk-douk'' was created in 1929 by Gaspard Cognet of Cognet, Antoine & Gaspard for sales to France's colonies in

Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...

. The handle depicts a " douk-douk", or Melanesian spirit incarnation. Cognet based the design on an engraving in an illustrated dictionary. Later other designs such as the "El Baraka" and "Tiki" were developed for other regional markets, particularly in

French Algeria French Algeria ( until 1839, then afterwards; unofficially ; ), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of History of Algeria, Algerian history when the country was a colony and later an integral part of France. French rule lasted until ...

, and even south into Sub-Saharan Africa. Originally intended as an inexpensive utility pocket knife for the ordinary working man, the popularity of the ''douk-douk'' caused it to be pressed into service as a weapon when necessary.Sarrat, Jean, ''Il était une fois mon Algérie à moi: Biographie'', Editeur Indépendant, , (2007), p. 238 During the 1954-1962 FLN-led revolt in Algeria, the ''douk-douk'' was used as weapon of assassination and terror; Algerians who ran afoul of the FLN frequently had their noses removed with a knife, many of them ''douk-douks'' (or more properly the ''El Baraka'' model which was sold in Algeria, due to Muslim ideals on what sorts of images were appropriate). It could easily be converted from a folding-blade pocket knife into a useful fixed-blade knife by the simple expedient of hammering the ends of the sheet-metal handle together behind the blade's bolster, locking the blade into the full-open position. Doukdouk

Description

The douk-douk is a very simple

slipjoint A slipjoint knife is one of the most ubiquitous types of pocketknives. A slipjoint knife consists of a handle with one or more folding blades. These blades are held in position by a strong "backspring" which biases them towards the open and clos ...

knife, having no locking mechanism, but only a very strong backspring to bias it towards the open, closed and 90 degree positions. This intermediate position is to help prevent the blade from snapping shut on the users fingers if the user accidentally folds the blade while cutting. The knife consists of only six parts: *A folded sheet-metal handle, which is very slim *A blade, of a soft and easily sharpened steel, generally of the " Turkish clip" profile reminiscent of a scimitar. The blade has indentations at the back, and is decorated with acid-engraved

arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foliate ...

s. The blade has no nail-nick, but is easily grasped for opening since it tapers at the spine. *A strong backspring *Two rivets: one to hold the blade, the other to hold the backspring and bail *A metal bail or lanyard loop The cutlery firm of M.C. Cognet has continued to produce the knife up to the present day, using the same simple methods. Today they are offered with several decorative designs, stainless or carbon steel blades, in three different sizes.

Variants

Current variants * ''Sorcier'' (Sorcerer) — Standard pattern. Blued handle, engraved with the image of "Douk Douk", a Melanesian mythical figure * '' El-Baraka'' — Nickel-plated handle, engraved with a Tuareg

Agadez Cross The Agadez Cross (also Agadès Cross, Cross of Niger, French: Croix d’Agadez) is the most popular category of Saharan Berber jewelry made especially by the Tuareg people of Niger. Only a few of these pieces of jewelry exactly resemble a cross. ...

(allegedly marketed to Muslim colonies in North Africa where the humanoid figure of the Sorcier model would be culturally inappropriate) * ''Tiki'' — Engraved with a Polynesian

tiki In Māori mythology, Tiki is the first man created by either Tūmatauenga or Tāne. He found the first woman, Marikoriko, in a pond; she seduced him and he became the father of Hine-kau-ataata. By extension, a tiki is a large or small woo ...

idol * ''l'Écureuil'' (Squirrel) — Nickel-plated handle, engraved with a squirrel. Primarily marketed within France. Unlike most other variants, L'écureuil has a spear profile blade.

References

External links

Site officiel de la coutellerie M.C.Cognet

All kinds of Douk Douk review

Sources