original laguiole without fancy filework?

fatcorgi

fatcorgi

Joined
Nov 12, 2011
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I've seen a few threads featuring Lagioule knives here. It seems that the high quality ones from fontenille Pataud etc are inevitably fancily dressed with filework, and elaborate scales. Though these are beautiful, I have to remind myself that these were once simple shepherds' knives, and I wonder what the originals really look like, and if htey are still being made today. Are there any high quality Lagioules that are still handmade with the same quality that do not have all the bells and whistles? Does anyone have any antique originals to share? Are there other french traditional patterns with a spartan aesthetic that can be recommended?
 
You can find older Laguiole knives without embellishments and reproductions, I lost a bid on a old carbon Laguiole without file work and bee/fly, just a oval disk, Forge De Laguiole make some nice knives, they sell different levels of quality, they are a relatively new producer of Laguiole knives established in 1987. Just remember the Laguiole name is representative of a style of knife not a brand, lots of junk gets sold as Laguiole so do your research prior to purchasing. Here is a video from the Laguiole museum.
http://youtu.be/6BTqnR9UV9M

And original, prior to becoming a folder
3d2e58075251610d44f5eacde23ba5fa_zpsc4200e81.jpg

And the one that got away from me
7b484b3249e270514569ea3fe4089497_zps6e8f1656.jpg


Pete
 
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When did they merge? Plenty of distribution reps that rep both brands, but they both have different methods of production.

Pete
 
I've got a Forge De Laguiole and I love it. Basic, but nice, affordable compared to most. I researched around to make sure I wasn't getting a fake, or at least one made in Thier. Forge De Laguiole came highly recommended. You wanna make sure you get one with the rivets in the shape of the cross.
 
for me at the moment it is more the history that interests me than another knife purchase (christmas budget already destroyed by GEC and Queen ;)). For example, how the knife evolved from the strange fixed blade in Stich2442's pictures to the slipjoint.
 
I understand you may want a less ornate knife, although guilloche is I think a very traditional aspect of the Laguiole knife for over a century now, even on cheaper basic knives. Moreover, the French do filework particulaly well .

You could contact Gilles Steinberg at Fontenille-Pataud and ask if they will make you one without the guilloche, I'm quite sure they will.

Regards, Will
 
There are less ornate ones available, Laguiole En Aubrac make plain full handle knives, no bolsters no file work, also the ancestral knives are also less ornate. Actiforge make knives to order, plenty of options.

A brief history:

Born in 1829, the Laguiole knife has derived inspiration from various sources. The ancestors of the Laguiole knife were called in the local dialect or “patois” a “Capuchadou”. Farmers in Aveyron used this course dagger to cut bread or wood in the middle of the 19th century. It was composed of a thin fixed blade and a short wooden handle. Another inspirations believed to have come from the Spanish “Navaja”. The farmers used to cross into the Pyrenees Mountains to go and work in Catatonia fro the summer with their long saws since fieldwork did not require more hands at home. They probably brought back this Spanish knife, with its ring-like safety locks and its Turkish style blade (called “yatagan”

According to legend, it was the Aveyron born Jaques Calmels, son of an innkeeper from Laguiole village who invented the knife after an apprenticeship in cutlery production. The Laguiole knife was to replace the old “Capuchadou” In fact, the newly invented tool proved to be really convenient for the farmers’ use because it was adapted to their needs and particular tastes. The people of the rural Aubrac Plateau have found many uses for this knife in daily life.

Throughout its existence the Laguiole knife has had to adapt to its time and new demands. The first piece that was added to the traditional blade was the “poinçon, the piercer that was used to make holes in the horse harnesses or to pierce the paunch of sheep suffering from colic, to remove stones from horse’s shoes, or to cut horses hair. The corkscrew became poplar after 1880 with the emigration of poor farmers from Aveyron who would leave home to try and make a better living in Paris (first selling coal and wood, then opening bars and restaurants, still to be found in Paris today).

Pete
 
This thing about Forge de Laguiole and Laguiole en Aubrac being owned by the same people, definitely news to me. Both are considered as two of, if not the best of France' Laguiole makers (both having their own merits)... but have been each others major competition in recent years. Not enemies.... just strong healthy competition. But, one buying the other, is this now the case?
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
This thing about Forge de Laguiole and Laguiole en Aubrac being owned by the same people, definitely news to me. Both are considered as two of, if not the best of France' Laguiole makers (both having their own merits)... but have been each others major competition in recent years. Not enemies.... just strong healthy competition. But, one buying the other, is this now the case?
Click to expand...

Jimmy it's news to me, Laguioles have been a passion of mine for 20+ years, I've never heard until yesterday, I've contacted a vendor that deals only in French imported cutlery, no answer as of yet? When I was in France ( this was 15 years ago, so things change, just look at our own US cutlery market ) it was conveyed to me by locals that En Aubrac was a very well respected firm, all their knives are made start to finish by one cutler all have springs and bee/fly that are forged using one piece of steel never soldered, and Forge De Laguiole set up shop in 1987 in Laguiole to cater to tourist and export to the American market, many of their knives in the less than $100 range have stamped guilloche springs and soldered bee/fly on spring, they also make excellent high quality knives, completely hand made, but many US distributors misrepresent what they are selling. To be honest there is nothing wrong with the stamped spring knives and soldered bee/fly I have a Rossignol made this way from Thiers and it's a great knife, it is just that most US distributors misrepresent what they are selling whether on purpose or lack of knowledge I don't know? There are maybe one or two US online distributors that state forged and/or soldered spring in the product description.

Perhaps our French forum members could give us some sort of status or insight of the currant French cutlery industry, and perceptions of the cutlers that produce the Laguiole style of knife, any info would be greatly appreciated.

Pete
 
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As the "laguiole" became just a pattern you can get one from any well renowned french cutler. The quality of build is paramount. Some great cutlers have an "english" site (Actiforge and Fontenille-Pataud come to mind) and these are very reputable cutlers. There is also a host of Thiers (and surroundings) located cutlers who produce this very popular pattern with excellent craftmanship (G. David and J. Rossignol were among my favourites some 30 years ago because of their very clean finish). Buying on the internet from a far away country is a gamble but in matters of Laguiole the choice is amazing. Look very hard at the pictures and don't jump for a cheap price only... Just my advice. And for those looking for a simple "Laguiole" without the ornery, there's a pattern called "Aveyronnais" which is exactly that, a plain jane laguiole : no bee, no filework, just the essence of this slim and elegant knife (found one made by Arbalète Genès David... the Laguioles of my young days, woohoo !).
 
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