Hi all, here are pictures of my first Nontron (a number 25) ! I was curious since a long time about these ancient knives (they are made since 500 years), and finally I have one. First impressions are that it's really outside the mainstreem with the brass ring, the form of the handle, the boxwood which is not that often used, and esp. the mysterious decoration symbols (the arc with the dots, burned into the wood which gives it an artisinal look). The exact meaning of these are lost, but these are old symbols, and they give the knife a kind of pagan, pre-christian look. A knife for those into wicca?
To keep the basic design over a few centuries, something had to be right, and I must say that indeed, next to the nice looks it's immediately pleasing and very light in the hand. Opening and locking is similar to an Opinel (I also have a pic where I compare the size to an Opinel #8), and the thin but decent Sandvik blade is nicely sharp out of the box and a good slicer, peeling an apple was as effortless as with an Opinel or a SAK.
All in all it's in practice pretty comparable to an Opinel, with mysterious looks as an extra. A small minor point is that unlike an Opinel, the lock is only used to lock the blade in open position, you can't lock it in closed position.
Considering it's a reasonably priced handmade knife with a decent blade material I think it offers true value for those who (like me) are a bit tired of most general production knives.
I am really happy with this special knife and I see myself carrying it quite often.
To keep the basic design over a few centuries, something had to be right, and I must say that indeed, next to the nice looks it's immediately pleasing and very light in the hand. Opening and locking is similar to an Opinel (I also have a pic where I compare the size to an Opinel #8), and the thin but decent Sandvik blade is nicely sharp out of the box and a good slicer, peeling an apple was as effortless as with an Opinel or a SAK.
All in all it's in practice pretty comparable to an Opinel, with mysterious looks as an extra. A small minor point is that unlike an Opinel, the lock is only used to lock the blade in open position, you can't lock it in closed position.
Considering it's a reasonably priced handmade knife with a decent blade material I think it offers true value for those who (like me) are a bit tired of most general production knives.
I am really happy with this special knife and I see myself carrying it quite often.
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I have being looking at one of those, for some time now. Always wondering if it was worth the extra $$ over my Opinels.
