Facón

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A facón is a dagger of goodly length, worn at the back and tucked into the belt of the gaucho in order to be quickly drawn with the right hand. Used in the South American pampas, especially in Argentina and Uruguay, they are often seen with a decorated metal hilt and sheath. The facón could be up to some fifty centimeters in length, though there are examples of knives up to seventy five centimeters long.

The facón was the primary tool of the gaucho and the main article of combat for the duelo criollo. When used in this context, the right hand held the knife, and the poncho was wrapped about the left arm to absorb cuts and stabs, as seen in the photograph to the right.

As Charles Darwin said of the distinctive men who wore and used the facón, "Many quarrels arose, which from the general manner of fighting with the knife often proved fatal."

[edit] References

• Darwin's Journal