Great Britain, France, Italy - What to buy?

M

Mark Schmitt

Joined
Oct 5, 1998
Messages
340

I'm on the road next year and would like to hear some some suggestions on knife-related purchases from the Forumites.

Got the SwissChamps, etc. last time around and looking for something different this trip.

Mad Dog, Benchmade, Spyderco, Emerson are
my faves. Any European brands/makers I should be on the lookout for? I don't want to cart around a broadsword, just a few new pieces which have strong utility potential and would be a nice reminder of the trip.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark
 
The two main models of knives in france are the Laguiole (pron. Laahh-geee-yoll) and the Opinel.As a matter of fact opinel is a brand name and not a model, but they are probably famous worldwide.In italy the question is different : we have 20 regions and almost all of them has a particular knife model.We have a lot of cities that have a long history of knifemaking : in Maniago,for example , the manufacturing of knives started in 1300. If you buy a knife from there you will probably end wit a good knife.
Othe manufacturing centres in Italy are Pattada ,Arbus , Scarperia.....Tere is too much to say in a single answer, i will probably mail something to you in a couple of days.
 
Maniago in Northern Italy might be worth a visit, on an Italian map you find it next to the big white spot where all the roads suddenly end - that´s Aviano air base, one of the biggest Nato air bases in Europe.
One company from Maniago especially worth mentioning is Del Tin. Great reproduction swords, the real stuff, not wallhangers. They have a delivery time of six months unfortunately, but you can visit their showroom, I think. http://www.deltin.it/home.htm

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"Peace is not without conflict; it is the ability to cope with conflict" - Leo Giron
www.messerforum.net - the premier German language knife-related web board
 
If you ever get as far as Noth Wales let me know. I know a few places in Chester and Bangor that sell some nice stuff. Just expect to pay over the odds. For example Benchmade Mini AFCK ATS-34 plain no coating = £90! Whats that in $? About $150-160? Thats a lot of cash!

W.A.

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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tenneson
Ranger motto
 
1. Fällkniven (Sweden)
2. Puma (Germany)
3. Opinel (France)
4. EKA of Sweden
5. Frosts "
6. Fiskars (Gerber, Finland)
7. Helle of Norway
8. Mikov (Czech rep)

Some of the most known European brands.
 
Alan Wood , a UK custom maker, often has stock on hand . His designs are all working/ utility biased and his work is excellent in my opinion. I have had several knives of his over the years and been very happy with all of them.
(these are all fixed blades by the way)
Let me know if you want more info.
Paul.
 
1. Fällkniven (Sweden)
2. Puma (Germany)
3. Opinel (France)
4. EKA of Sweden
5. Frosts "
6. Fiskars (Gerber, Finland)
7. Helle of Norway
8. Mikov (Czech rep)
9. Fox (italy)
10. Jndiana (italy)
11. Maserin (italy)
12. Hartkopf (Solingen)
13. Hubertus (Solingen)
14. Hirschkrone (Solingen)
15. DES (Solingen)
16. Robert Klaas (Solingen)
17. Stubai (Austria)
18. Hack (Austria)
19 Clock (Austria)
and some more

Best regards,

Martin www.knifeshop.com
 
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