[1][2] Of uncertain origins, the Sorocaban knife probably began its development at the end of Brazil's colonial period, achieving its defining characteristics around the 1830s, during the Empire, according to iconographic evidence of the time.

However, only in 1810, after the transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil, did King John VI of Portugal grant permission for large scale industrial exploitation of the ore, allowing for the appearance of many local and foreign cutlers in the city.

Also during the 19th century, the centrality of Sorocaba in the network of trading routes established by the tropeiros allowed for its diffusion throughout the southern hinterlands of the country and consolidated the relationship between the city and the knife.

[2] From the end of the 19th century onward, the Sorocaban knife became industrially mass-produced, and most makers began replacing the enterçado construction technique with a full tang structure.

[1] In modern times, they have been mostly replaced by other implements and weapons, but antiques and premium handmade knives are highly sought after by collectors for their historical, aesthetic and cultural value.

The spine seldom exceeds thicknesses of 0.125 in (3.2 mm) and is often slightly curved upwards near the tip, much like a sabre, while straight blades, with some exceptions, are more frequently found among industrially made knives.

With the advent of industrialization and mass-production, manufacturers began to opt for the easier full tang construction and gradually replaced the enterço method, now mostly used by cutlers who wish to build historically authentic knives.