• Douk Douk

  • The name douk douk evokes a Melanesian god. For many years now, a successful dagger has borne this name all over the world. Entirely hand-crafted, the douk douk knife is so popular that it is better to know how to distinguish it from counterfeits. History, characteristics and use of this jewel of French cutlery.

Our douk douk knives

What is the douk douk knife?

Hikers, fishermen, adventurers or DIY enthusiasts, people who are interested in the douk douk knife have reasons to be attached to this accessory with its certain advantages.

History of the Douk Douk Knife

In 1929, the Cognet cutlery company created the douk douk knife with the aim of selling it on the then flourishing Oceania market. The craze for this new product was a straw effect and sales experienced a drastic decline.

The course was then set on other markets:







It was Algeria in particular that welcomed the douk douk. It spread to black Africa under several derivative models produced by the Baraka or Tiki brands.

The quality of the blade and the accessibility of the knife quickly won over consumers. In many provinces in France, the accessory became the national pocket knife. It also remained a weapon of war in France where its possession by civilians was prohibited.

The return of the French troops once again fostered interest in this all-purpose knife. Gaspard Cognet , creator of the famous douk douk, and his team got back to work, and total success was achieved.

General presentation of the multipurpose object

The douk douk knife is held by the square heel of the blade. It is made up of six pieces . The assembly of these is possible thanks to a specially dedicated machine. The handle is made of a thin metal sheet. As for the cutting part, it is stainless steel or carbon steel . Among the major components of the device, there are two rivets and a spring.

The whole is provided with a loop that allows the tool to be hung: this is the original configuration of the douk douk knife. The manufacturing process remains manual. If there is a novelty in the production method, it is the introduction of stainless steel to compensate for the vulnerability of the device to rust.

Main features

Here are some typical specificities of the douk douk knife:











The handle comes in several colors, mainly:









A douk douk knife is also and above all recognizable by its arabesques engraved with acid . Several models are distinguished both by their sizes and by the material of the blade. Furthermore, the forced notch of the knife, although robust, does not constitute a blockage and facilitates carrying without authorization.

The possibility of locking the blade guarantees safe and comfortable use. In addition, due to the presence of rivets, it is impossible to disassemble the tool at the level of the arrangement of the handle and the blade. One of the most appreciated features of this instrument is its ease of maintenance .

The use of douk douk

The douk douk knife is adopted all over the world. Whether you live in the mountains, in the desert, in the bush or in a jungle, this object remains an essential ally in everyday life. It is because it adapts to many tasks that dockers, explorers, hunters, fishermen and other craftsmen are attached to it.

When you love spending time in camps and in nature, it is difficult to do without this discreet and efficient folding knife .

Douk Douk in the kitchen

The ultimate kitchen utensil, the douk douk knife easily cuts meat and vegetables. Need to process seafood? The tool is fully dedicated to the task. The ability of this object to adapt to multiple maneuvers is reason enough to no longer clutter yourself with a myriad of knives.

Douk Douk in the wild

Is a vine trapping a foot or any luggage? Nothing easier than to unfold your douk douk knife and free yourself. Want to gut a fruit to eat it? Your faithful friend will gladly lend himself to the exercise.

It is not uncommon to need to build a makeshift hut in the middle of the bush. This essential piece of French cutlery also knows how to be useful in these circumstances.

The douk douk accompanying the fisherman

Just like the hunter or the farmer, the fisherman has an interest in equipping himself with a douk douk knife. During a long game of fish hunting, a wolf's hunger can quickly arrive.

But when preparing for your fishing days, you may forget a knife. As long as going out with your douk douk becomes automatic, you have every chance of having a good time.

A hunter wishing to skewer two medium-sized rats need only grab his tool to carve a shrub branch into a stake. It will then be easier to roast or braise meat.

The douk douk, the handyman's friend

The jacks-of-all-trades say it loud and clear: the douk douk knife is a precious ally. Stripping an electrical wire, cutting a string or even carving a wooden stake have never been easier than with this precious piece of metal.

Douk Douk Maintenance

There are no miracle solutions to get the most out of your douk douk knife. You just need to take proper care of it, and that involves a good:







Here's how to do it.

Clean your tool well

Carbon steel is known for its tendency to rust quickly. This is what motivated the use of stainless steel blades. However, good precautions should be taken.

Systematic washing is recommended. Indeed, the acidity of certain substances contained in food promotes rust. It is therefore necessary to get rid of them to protect the blade. Abundant water and soap will be enough to achieve this.

It is therefore important to wipe the accessory with a dry cloth to prevent moisture from stagnating in the joints.

How to sharpen your all-terrain knife

Before any use, it is advisable to check that the edge is clean. Otherwise, sharpening is essential for two reasons. The first concerns comfort of use, and the second, protection of the blade. A knife that cuts poorly requires too much effort and quickly becomes damaged .

How to store your douk douk properly

It is not only the blade of this instrument that is made of metal, but also the handle. Thus, it is rust that is most feared. This is why a dry place is best for good preservation of the knife.

In addition, choosing a case means making sure that the material does not retain moisture. When you do not plan to use your douk douk knife anytime soon, a pouch is unnecessary. You just need to coat the object with grease before leaving it in a dry environment.

What you need to know about the douk douk knife? It is accessible, easy to maintain, robust and versatile.