When making a quality knife, there are several elements that make the difference. Aside from the selection of materials, the number of man hours invested in the completion of certain operations is also crucial, since it is (partially, at least) the complexity of the construction process that makes the finished knife a precious object. In the modern-style zuava knife with brass button, for example, it is the pin that guides the button into its definitive position, thus simplifying the alignment with the internal structure of the knife.

Finishing is carried out in a single action using an abrasive belt. In contrast, old-style zuava knives are more highly prized because their construction is more challenging - the button is welded and finished before the pin is laid across and hammered into relief. This ancient technique demands finishing both of the head of the handle and the horn.

The reason that certain knives are more costly is also due to the amount of work that goes into creating the blade - on a normal zuava knife, the blade does not have a razor edge, while the blades in the Bergamasco and Valtellina knives have no layering. The old-style zuava has both of these features. The care and attention dedicated to the finishing of the handle - which, it should be stressed, is shaped and finished exclusively by hand - is highly evident in all Consigli knives, and particularly in the Maremmano and Senese models.
 Using small-scale files, punches, saws and other small tools, the master knifemakers embellish the horn with consummate skill. Horn tips are far more precious than iron tips, and in line with the company's quality strategy, Consigli specializes in making the finest horn tips available anywhere. The housings for the blade and spring on a Fiorentino knife are carved out by hand from a single piece of horn or wood. It is not hard to imagine the amount of work involved in overcoming the difficulties associated with assembling all of the components

together so perfectly that they create an impeccable knife that is very much all of a piece.

The knife that most effortlessly disguises its value, and the complexity of its creation, is the Maresciall, with its razor edge and layered, curved blade.

The blade complements the various steel components, which are hand-welded one at a time, and exceptional care is devoted to the assembly of the Maresciall's handle, whether it is made from wood, ivory or horn.

The handles must be finished with maximum care to avoid even minimal movements. Due to the fact that the handle is embossed above the steel parts, all of the components must be finished several times, with each successive phase becoming more difficult than the last due to the fact that edges are sharp, rather than rounded.