Did I find a deal or a dud?

P

PirateSeulb

Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Messages
3,372
I was at an antique shop and saw a Laguiole style knife for $20 and picked it up. It needs some cleaning and the tip can just barely be felt if you drag your finger across where it sits in closed position. To me it looks like a white bone handled Forge De Laguiole knife and it measures ~11cm closed as best as I am able to measure it. The marking is different but from what I have found this is an older marking from them. I also don't know if it is stainless or not though I am inclined to believe it is stainless.

Only have the one picture right now but will try and get more later
AD4-A31-B4-FFF8-4-A96-B47-6714-D2-ADCBF1.jpg

I would like to know approximate worth of it in its current state and if I fix it and modify it, I want to fix where the blade tip rests and add a sharpening choil though I debate on the choil. I do like the weight and feel of the knife so far so not looking to unload anytime soon but want to know if repairing how the blade sits is worth it. It also needs to be sharpened the front half if duller than a butter knife.
 
Last edited:
You should be able to lower the tip with a file or sharpening stone on the kick. (go slow and check often. It don't take much to lower the tip)
It looks like a nice knife, and the price sounds fair to me. However, I am not a "expert" so I can't say for sure if you found a deal or dud.
I suspect you found a deal. :)
 
I see now the picture ain't great but I had to hide as much of what is on my work desk as I could. I will hopefully get more in the next day or 2.
 
I have that exact one maybe a slightly different size they don’t seem to get any love around here and I’m not sure why, I think they are the company that worked with Mont Blanc to do a laguiole edition. I’ve gotten two versions about 12ish years ago, I think they are more than 100 and less than 200 for the single blade versions. It’s dull at the front because the blade slams into the back spring I’d file the top of the blade rather than the kick to lower the blade.
 
I figured the dullness was due to use the knife has clearly seen some use. I am loving the look of it the more I handle it. The style reminds me a lot of large toothpick knives.
 
I would like to see a better pic of the stamp. I'm not an expert on Laguioles, but that one looks nice, in that pic.

For $20, it's difficult to go too far wrong... especially if it is a Forge de Laguiole.... they make nice knives. Even the "lesser" brands are worth at least $20, I imagine.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but a typical Laguiole doesn't have a kick and the blade rests on the spring. I believe some of them have a stop pin where the tang comes to rest so as to preserve the edge.
 
For 20 it looks like a total bargain, but we need to see proper pictures of the blade ;) Many Lags have stamped blades and if it's a Forge one you should be able read read it...11cm is a pretty usual size for Lags, some are 8,9,10, 12 and 13cm. The blade is likely Sandvik (as it looks mirror polish but again a proper pic is essential) As for suggestions about filing the kick, what kick? Lags operate without them as Bastler Bastler points out above, some do have stop pins but you should close them properly and not let it slam shut...

You need to sharpen it up and historically speaking, the Laguiole appeared long before the Toothpick but there are certain similarities yes as it may be descended from the Spanish Najava knife. Anyway Jolipapa Jolipapa or @Âchillepattada know far more about their national knives than I can hope to :thumbsup:
 
afishhunter said:
You should be able to lower the tip with a file or sharpening stone on the kick. (go slow and check often. It don't take much to lower the tip)
It looks like a nice knife, and the price sounds fair to me. However, I am not a "expert" so I can't say for sure if you found a deal or dud.
I suspect you found a deal. :)
Click to expand...
The blade is flush with the tang with no kick, so I'd better leave it like it is. A close up of the tand could help dating, but I think it is an early FdL, say 90s. The fly also would help, depending it is soldiered or forged with the spring.

afishhunter said:
You should be able to lower the tip with a file or sharpening stone on the kick. (go slow and check often. It don't take much to lower the tip)
It looks like a nice knife, and the price sounds fair to me. However, I am not a "expert" so I can't say for sure if you found a deal or dud.
I suspect you found a deal. :)
Click to expand...
The good price of a knife is the price you're ready to pay for it.

hornetguy said:
I would like to see a better pic of the stamp. I'm not an expert on Laguioles, but that one looks nice, in that pic.

For $20, it's difficult to go too far wrong... especially if it is a Forge de Laguiole.... they make nice knives. Even the "lesser" brands are worth at least $20, I imagine.
Click to expand...
+1 :thumbsup:

Bastler said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but a typical Laguiole doesn't have a kick and the blade rests on the spring. I believe some of them have a stop pin where the tang comes to rest so as to preserve the edge.
Click to expand...
On early FdL there's a well in the spring that prevents the blade hitting it. It is good to remember that French knives are not made to be snapped closed.
Lag2.jpg

Will Power said:
For 20 it looks like a total bargain, but we need to see proper pictures of the blade ;) Many Lags have stamped blades and if it's a Forge one you should be able read read it...11cm is a pretty usual size for Lags, some are 8,9,10, 12 and 13cm. The blade is likely Sandvik (as it looks mirror polish but again a proper pic is essential) As for suggestions about filing the kick, what kick? Lags operate without them as Bastler Bastler points out above, some do have stop pins but you should close them properly and not let it slam shut...

You need to sharpen it up and historically speaking, the Laguiole appeared long before the Toothpick but there are certain similarities yes as it may be descended from the Spanish Najava knife. Anyway Jolipapa Jolipapa or @Âchillepattada know far more about their national knives than I can hope to :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
The first Lags appeared at the turn of the XIXth cent., today's shape appeared toward the end of the XIXth. Historically these are large knives, typical size 13cm, 11cm was considered small, and "marriage" Lags given to the bridegroom were sized 20 to 30 cm long.
I'm not sure this is 12C27 Sandvik, it may be a "surgical steel" (like Case) as they advertised it then, similar to 420 or 440. Quite difficult to get sharp when new, it is quite easy to maintain after with diamond or ceramic.
 
PirateSeulb said:
I figured the dullness was due to use the knife has clearly seen some use. I am loving the look of it the more I handle it. The style reminds me a lot of large toothpick knives.
Click to expand...
It certainly could be, I don’t know much at all about them but when I was using them years ago the two I had I learned to be careful with because of the blade rap. They were pretty much the first traditionals I got. I liked the history of them with the Shepard’s cross where they would be used for prayer by sticking the blade in the dirt so the decoration on the handle would be a cross, and the awl world be used on the animals to take care of bloat I think and of course the wine opener. They were one of the original multi tools. Here are my two. I sacrificed the sharps to illustrate the bright spots are blade rap. My blades have T12 as the steel I think
F8BCEE21-F760-4B98-8622-657C2E531D31.jpeg 4FF2AEC8-4CAD-4C7B-97DE-94610ED640C1.jpeg 8E30E934-810D-4092-B877-538AE3A4C111.jpeg EE2B8688-3AC1-4509-9AFA-BF128B89F880.jpeg
Jolipapa said:
From the pictures it appears the fly is forged with the spring. Stainless, dates probably of the early/mid 90s, made in Laguiole.
Click to expand...
Fly or bee?
 
What is the handle material on mine I can figure it is either horn or bone but not certain what exactly. I definitely feel like I found a good deal was only slightly concerned it was a counterfeit/clone dud due to the seller having mostly Chinese made knives.

Do the experts have any suggestion on the tip sitting just a hair up on it as to how or if it can or should be fixed?
 
Likely bone, horn is not usually white all the way through. Anyway, bone has pores whereas horn can be translucent and you can see fibre like materials in it and grain.

Pics still are not focused...or is it my eyes ;) The bladestamp is key. Not had a Lag with an exposed tip because they generally lay flat inside the liners, so can't suggest a fix.
 
Will Power Will Power are you clicking the images for the larger view? I don't have steady hands so they might not be in focus but the small thumbnails are tougher to view than the full res so if you aren't viewing full res maybe do that.

pics of how the blade sits closed


 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top