French regional knives...

[waynorth]

[QUOTE="Prester John - From Stephane Thomachot:

Gift from Âchillepattada [/QUOTE]
Nice work of art, Vince!! I call a simple, pleasing knife knife, Art. It takes vision and skill to make such a piece!! Congratulations To you and Stephane!!
And to a generous, Parisian!!

 

[Prester John]

The Four Musketeers:

There sure is a lot of variety in French knives.

 

[RayseM]

Do they each have their respective Musketeers names? Nice group

 

[Prester John]

Do they each have their respective Musketeers names? Nice group

Thanks, Ray. Didn't actually name them individually.

 

[Jolipapa]

Thanks, Ray. Didn't actually name them individually.

Remember, d'Artagnan was a Garde Français, not a Musketeer.

 

[Prester John]

Remember, d'Artagnan was a Garde Français, not a Musketeer.

Will have to reread the book! I remember in the 1975 film, they made him a musketeer and made two films out of it, the second entitled "The Four Musketeers". Don't know how closely they followed the book.

 

[RayseM]

I did not know Still, a very cool name for a French knife n'est-ce pas?

 

[K33ncutter]

A little No. 5 that my step-daughter actually picked up for me in France. She also got me a SAK in Zermatt, Switzerland so they are both special for me.

 

[Peregrin]

I found this online and thought I'd post it. Not a knife but certainly has traditional knife content.

 

[Jolipapa]

I found this online and thought I'd post it. Not a knife but certainly has traditional knife content.

Kind of Proust madeleine, I remember these men, pulling the hand cart helped by a poor dog wo did the biggest job (no squirrel cage, the stone wheel had a foot operated device, like old sewing machines) shouting "Réééééééééééémouleur!" in Grand"Ma's narrow street.

This luxury one from a book about old Algeria.

 

[OklaMoose]

I figured this would be the thread to ask these questions. As a collector of mainly American made traditionals, I am not familiar with French knives. But after seeing a lot of Prester John and others beautiful Laguiole knives, you all have got me curious now. I have a lot of questions so I'll try to make this simple and straight to the point. Here we go:
1.) How do you pronounce LAGUIOLE?
2.) Are they slip joints or locking blades?
3.) What are some good brands that are ACTUALLY French made?
4.) How can Americans purchase a good legitimate French Laguiole? Do we have dealers of these knives here in the states?
5.) Are your options usually stainless, high carbon, or both?
6.) AND FINALLY..this is kind of a silly question, but I'm still curious. Is the Laguiole knife prone to making appearances in southern Louisiana along with the French culture they have down there, or is it just a rare as anywhere else in the states? Maybe I can get a Louisiana native from the porch to shine some light on this one??

Thank you, fellas!

 

[Prester John]

I figured this would be the thread to ask these questions. As a collector of mainly American made traditionals, I am not familiar with French knives. But after seeing a lot of Prester John and others beautiful Laguiole knives, you all have got me curious now. I have a lot of questions so I'll try to make this simple and straight to the point. Here we go:
1.) How do you pronounce LAGUIOLE?
2.) Are they slip joints or locking blades?
3.) What are some good brands that are ACTUALLY French made?
4.) How can Americans purchase a good legitimate French Laguiole? Do we have dealers of these knives here in the states?
5.) Are your options usually stainless, high carbon, or both?
6.) AND FINALLY..this is kind of a silly question, but I'm still curious. Is the Laguiole knife prone to making appearances in southern Louisiana along with the French culture they have down there, or is it just a rare as anywhere else in the states? Maybe I can get a Louisiana native from the porch to shine some light on this one??

Thank you, fellas!

French knives are beautiful, are they not? You will get the best answers to your questions from our friends in France, but they may still be asleep, as it's 5:30 a.m. in Paris right now! I, too, grew up being familiar with mostly American knives, but I have seen a lot of magnificent cutlery on BladeForums from all over the world: Spain, England, Japan, France, etc.
I will take a stab at answering some of your questions as best I can.

1. I am not sure how to explain how to pronounce "Laguiole" in writing, but may I suggest watching some videos? You can "Google" "Laguiole" and find many videos on this knife.

2. Traditionally they are slipjoints, but you can get locking knives. Fontenille-Pataud, for example, makes both kinds.

3. Good brands: I am very happy with my Honoré Durand knife. Fontenille-Pataud is well known as a good but expensive brand. Others I have seen a lot are Forge de Laguiole, Laguiole en Aubrac, Arbalète G. David, etc. There are many, and individuals too. @Âchillepattada and Jolipapa can give you better answers.

4. I am not sure how much I can say here because the forum guidelines don't allow talk of buying and selling in this subforum. If you were a paid member I could send you a private message. Or if you post your email address on my profile, I could email you.

5. Traditionally the knives are carbon, but most today I think come in stainless. Some makers give you a choice. You can even get some in Damascus steel.

6. I can only guess about this one. I will guess the Laguiole is not common in Cajun country, being a French regional knife that is about 200 years old. But I am just guessing, being from south Texas!

 

[dantzk8]

How do you pronounce LAGUIOLE?

Prester John answered all the questions but the first one. Here's my take:

In the north of France Laguiole is pronounced LAG-YOL. In the south many people, though not all, pronounce it LA-YOL.

Be aware this talk about how a name has to be pronounced can turn bad in France.

Dan.

 

[Will Power]

Great vidéo, seen it myself when pondering the question. Fantastic knife-shop there too

These regional differences are taken seriously in all countries but I think I'd better ask your president Macron what he thinks about it, him being expert in all things

But if I shorten it to Lag is it then laG hard g or la'yi soft g ? difficile pour un conn comme moi

 

[RayseM]

Dans le Maine on dit La Gui ol - que savons-nous des canadiens français ?

Actually I have more difficulty spelling LAGUIOLE correctly every time. Auto correct hasn't learned it yet either.

Try saying Sgian Dubh That one beats the crap out of my little brain I nearly always says to myself - Sing Dubya but as I understand (though yet to train myself) it is pronounced ‘ski-en doo’ and that is likely subject to regional dialects too.

No matter - I do really love the styling and diversity and tradition of French knives and own a few, with more incoming

O OklaMoose - you can email me HERE for at least one US Laguiole dealer - please refer to your BF name or Laguiole in the subject line.

 

[dantzk8]

These regional differences are taken seriously in all countries

Hardly more than in France. Born and grown up in the north of the very very western part of Brittany i know what an accent is. "Speakin'fas' wit'a guttura' thou' sing'ng up an'dow' accen' , unab' to pronoun' o' the syllab' o' the wo'ds" will make you face the twisted cruel smile of a French. Then you know you are a yokel because your grand-parents spoke breton on a daily basis.

I think I'd better ask your president Macron what he thinks about it, him being expert in all things

Yes you would better. Our revered President, a great intellectual who illuminates our dark minds with his expertise, would tell you the right true wise words on this important point (like on anything else). If you have two or three hours to spend.

But if I shorten it to Lag is it then laG hard g or la'yi soft g ?

For what i know, there are no hard or soft "G" in french, just "G".

difficile pour un conn come moi

I guess you mean: "Difficile pour un con comme moi". Well... "con" is a rude word intensively used by the French to such a point the word has lost its true meaning. It doesn't help it's a rude word i never use. At the age i am, coming from a traditional puritan clanic society, i'm old school and think we are also made of our way of speaking. Nothing lets me think you are a "con", meaning by that way you are stupid, silly or dumb. I don't think to be wrong.

What's your take? Laguiole or Laiole?

Dan.

 

[Jolipapa]

French knives are beautiful, are they not? You will get the best answers to your questions from our friends in France, but they may still be asleep, as it's 5:30 a.m. in Paris right now! I, too, grew up being familiar with mostly American knives, but I have seen a lot of magnificent cutlery on BladeForums from all over the world: Spain, England, Japan, France, etc.
I will take a stab at answering some of your questions as best I can.

1. I am not sure how to explain how to pronounce "Laguiole" in writing, but may I suggest watching some videos? You can "Google" "Laguiole" and find many videos on this knife.

2. Traditionally they are slipjoints, but you can get locking knives. Fontenille-Pataud, for example, makes both kinds.

3. Good brands: I am very happy with my Honoré Durand knife. Fontenille-Pataud is well known as a good but expensive brand. Others I have seen a lot are Forge de Laguiole, Laguiole en Aubrac, Arbalète G. David, etc. There are many, and individuals too. @Âchillepattada and Jolipapa can give you better answers.

4. I am not sure how much I can say here because the forum guidelines don't allow talk of buying and selling in this subforum. If you were a paid member I could send you a private message. Or if you post your email address on my profile, I could email you.

5. Traditionally the knives are carbon, but most today I think come in stainless. Some makers give you a choice. You can even get some in Damascus steel.

6. I can only guess about this one. I will guess the Laguiole is not common in Cajun country, being a French regional knife that is about 200 years old. But I am just guessing, being from south Texas!

Vince summed it up well.
I'll add to the confusion, giving a typical Normand 's(which I ain't ) response, that could spell "maybe yes, maybe not..."
You'll find more stainless than carbon, usually 12C27, and more and more upgraded 14C28. But there's still a lot of carbon usually XC75.
There are traditionally slipjoints, but sorts of lockers n.
Most French makers including artisans will happily send overseas (if available over the counter it takes #7/10 days and usually the 20% VAT is deducted) but there is a fair lot of importers I guess in the States.
Louisiana (that included Oklahoma and a part of Texas ) purchase happened before today's Lag shape was created. French settlers mostly came from Northern France, sailors from Normandy, Britain and Basque country, all far from Aveyron where is located Laguiole.

Prester John answered all the questions but the first one. Here's my take:

In the north of France Laguiole is pronounced LAG-YOL. In the south many people, though not all, pronounce it LA-YOL.

Be aware this talk about how a name has to be pronounced can turn bad in France.

Dan.

+1
Basically France is divided in 2 parts, over / under the river Loire. And there are many, many different accents, as stated by Dan dantzk8 .
If I try to pronounce Laguiole like a local, they think I'm ridiculous, cause I speak 'sharp' (pointu) with a fair parisian/suburban accent!
Not only did the footage not answer about the pronunciation (there is no answer I'm afraid), but the (written) end comment shows a wonderful (but frequent) grammatical error. It should read restéE (signed : grumpy old git).

If you want to create a civil riot, ask if this :

is :
a) un pain au chocolat?
b) une chocolatine?

Great vidéo, seen it myself when pondering the question. Fantastic knife-shop there too

These regional differences are taken seriously in all countries but I think I'd better ask your president Macron what he thinks about it, him being expert in all things

But if I shorten it to Lag is it then laG hard g or la'yi soft g ? difficile pour un conn come moi

As dictated by his function the Prez is way over the regional accents, he speaks hipster's Franglais and would call this calembredaines to look popular!
G before 'a, i,o,u' is hard like go. Before 'e' (before another vowel or not) it is soft like unaccentuated j : pigeon.
I am sure you're def not what you say you are. (this bad word comes from the middle-age conil, replaced later by lapin for rabbit).

 

[Jolipapa]

Dans le Maine on dit La Gui ol - que savons-nous des canadiens français

Actually I have more difficulty spelling LAGUIOLE correctly every time. Auto correct hasn't learned it yet either.

...

In the Maine (France) also.
I think scientists who established topography and gave written names to countries and towns came from Paris and spelled them the parisian way.

 

[cheesemaster]

One more addition to the little primer being constructed here, is "cran force" anything different than "slipjoint?"

 

[Jolipapa]

One more addition to the little primer being constructed here, is "cran force" anything different than "slipjoint?"

No. Cran forcé means slipjoint.
Cran carré is half-stop.