Laguiole

N

Neo

Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Messages
1,291
For the experts :D

Witch manufacturer has your preference?

Laguiole en Aubrac
Fontenille Pataud
Forge de Laguiole
Laguiole de l’artisan

I there a great difference in quality between these four?

Witch on has the best quality vs price?

Thank you
 
Well I can tell you about the one I have, it's a Laguiole de l'Artisan 10cm folder in 12c27 SS and a dark horn handle.

I bought it about three years ago because I liked the history behind the style and because they have a handmade look, I think I paid around $70.00 back then.

The appearance is very nice , it has a high polished blade that was shaving sharp out of the box, and the fit and finish is very good. I like the cross that's made with rivets in the handle, it's a nice touch, along with the filework on the backspring. It has the strongest spring I've ever felt in a slip-joint and when open it almost feels like the blade is locked.

When I first got it I was pretty impressed by the old world craftsmanship , but mine has a flaw that might be inherent with the design. About 1/4" (or less) of the blade strikes the back (inside) of the frame when closing and these have a pretty strong spring. After awhile a small section of the blade is getting deformed. I understand the French use something to cushion the blade, but it's not a good aspect of the design. I don't know if they are all like this , but I've read others complain about it
 
JPD1998 said:
Well I can tell you about the one I have, it's a Laguiole de l'Artisan 10cm folder in 12c27 SS and a dark horn handle.

I bought it about three years ago because I liked the history behind the style and because they have a handmade look, I think I paid around $70.00 back then.

The appearance is very nice , it has a high polished blade that was shaving sharp out of the box, and the fit and finish is very good. I like the cross that's made with rivets in the handle, it's a nice touch, along with the filework on the backspring. It has the strongest spring I've ever felt in a slip-joint and when open it almost feels like the blade is locked.

When I first got it I was pretty impressed by the old world craftsmanship , but mine has a flaw that might be inherent with the design. About 1/4" (or less) of the blade strikes the back (inside) of the frame when closing and these have a pretty strong spring. After awhile a small section of the blade is getting deformed. I understand the French use something to cushion the blade, but it's not a good aspect of the design. I don't know if they are all like this , but I've read others complain about it
Click to expand...

Only Fontenille Pataud has a blade stop on their lock back laguioles.
All other laguioles are to be gently closed and never with a 'snap'.
The French dont use anything to cushion the edge.
 
I have one from Laguiole de l’artisan, it is the 12cm Prestige model with corkscrew and Zebu horn tip bolsters. If I understand things correctly they are the last shop where each knife is made by the same individual from start to finish, or at least it was so about five years ago when I got mine.

As far as fit and finish go, I have never seen better and I have been quite happy with the Sandvik steel as it takes and holds an edge very well.
 
Neo said:
For the experts :D

Witch manufacturer has your preference?

Laguiole en Aubrac
Fontenille Pataud
Forge de Laguiole
Laguiole de l’artisan

I there a great difference in quality between these four?

Witch on has the best quality vs price?

Thank you
Click to expand...

I have a de l'artisan with stainless bolsters and ebony handles and my wife got one with olive wood handles and brass bolsters. My wife uses her's more then I do mine but they are both made extremly well and I have no complaints at all. They even engraved my wifes name on her blade for her.

Ciao
4now
Ron
:)
 
jvan said:
I have one from Laguiole de l’artisan, it is the 12cm Prestige model with corkscrew and Zebu horn tip bolsters. If I understand things correctly they are the last shop where each knife is made by the same individual from start to finish, or at least it was so about five years ago when I got mine.

As far as fit and finish go, I have never seen better and I have been quite happy with the Sandvik steel as it takes and holds an edge very well.
Click to expand...

Maybe you're right, but I've seen this also claim by Laguiole En Aubrac

http://www.cutlerytogo.com/lagenaub.html

laguiole de Fontenille Pataud, Gilles at the other hand has only 8 skilled workers and apprentices. Gilles Steinberg, owner and master craftsman, manages the group. So their knives are only sold through specialty shops and their internet site. I gues each knife is also completely made by the same individual.

even forge de languiole states the same
From their website:
"Chaque modèle est monté et façonné par un même coutelier."
 
Cornelis Böhms;4075643 said:
Only Fontenille Pataud has a blade stop on their lock back laguioles.
All other laguioles are to be gently closed and never with a 'snap'.
The French dont use anything to cushion the edge.
Click to expand...


laguiole " le fidèle" also has a feature to prevent the edge to strike the back.

schutz.JPG
 
I think I 'll go for a Laguiole de l’artisan and maybe also a laguiole " le fidèle".
I've been searching the net tonight but I didn't find a fidèle with a blade of 10 cm (4") and 12 cm is too big for my taste. :(
 
Please feel free to advise, because I've only started today to look at these knives :)
 
Cornelis Böhms;4075643 said:
laguioles are to be gently closed and never with a 'snap'.
The French dont use anything to cushion the edge.
Click to expand...

I' ve heared the same.
And also that they have a very strong spring :thumbup:
Blades must be held all the way untill they're closed
 
JPD1998 said:
mine has a flaw that might be inherent with the design. About 1/4" (or less) of the blade strikes the back (inside) of the frame when closing and these have a pretty strong spring. After awhile a small section of the blade is getting deformed. I understand the French use something to cushion the blade, but it's not a good aspect of the design. I don't know if they are all like this , but I've read others complain about it
Click to expand...

I have experience exactly the same thing. To me, without any doubt this is a flaw of the design.
 
Yes you certainly could see this as a design flaw.
But the french have a "laisser faire" mentality and they don't care.
They just close the blade gently.
I think it also wont matter for me
(French influence :) )
 
I have a Forge de Laguiole which is like a piece of jewelry, it's so beautiful. It has a strong enough backspring, but it won't snap closed as hard as others I've handled.

Nevertheless, I close all my slipjoints gently, French, American, all of them. Not only does it preserve the edge but it also preserves my fingertips. (I got nipped once, by a massive Colibri, which is a Laguiole offshoot.)

I also have a Laguiole de l’artisan, which is pretty big. I generally like big knives, but the long Laguiole blade does not need to be oversized any more than a stockman blade does. 10 cm is a good size.

If you like Laguioles, check out a good Texas Toothpick, say, from Queen. Very similar handle and blade style, but the Toothpicks tend to be very flat, and the Laguioles are thicker for a more comfortable grip.
 
Many of the Laguiole type knives have the problem of the blade edge hitting the spring somewhere if snapped shut. Some do, some don't.

The French actually market a product aimed at limiting the damage. The product name is Durafil. Basically, they are small strips of nylon or some sort of plastic that is fitted inside the blade slot against the spring for most of its length. The insert has a v shape facing the blade that catches and holds the blade away from the spring. With a little use it compresses and is hardly noticeable. You could argue that it shouldn't be necessary but they are nevertheless, effective at minimising edge damage and only take a few seconds to fit.

I purchased a pack of various sizes over the internet from a place called The Frog Connection (their name, not mine). I can't remember the cost but it was minimal.
 
From 2manyknives - "The French actually market a product aimed at limiting the damage. The product name is Durafil. Basically, they are small strips of nylon or some sort of plastic that is fitted inside the blade slot against the spring for most of its length. The insert has a v shape facing the blade that catches and holds the blade away from the spring. With a little use it compresses and is hardly noticeable."

You could do the same thing with a scrap of leather lace.

The one I have is Laguiole Extra by G. David. It has a 3-7/8 carbon blade, brass bolsters, horn handle with rivets forming cross, filework on spring and brass liners, fly or "bee". I bought it about 12 years ago from Atlanta Cutlery for $45, at that time an astronomical price to me.

Mine has the same problem with the tip hitting the spring.
 
muzzleup said:
I have a de l'artisan with stainless bolsters and ebony handles and my wife got one with olive wood handles and brass bolsters.
Ron
:)
Click to expand...

Muzzleup,

You are used to show us beautiful knives pics ( the last one, a small Randall, made me sick of jealousy). So i'm a bit surprised you like our upperclass favorite's crapmadetocutpicnicdelicatessen. You deserve a Douk-Douk.

dantzk.
 
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