Share your French traditional/regional pocket knives

[Will Power]

I agree on the Ram's Horn for 2013!!

That's an impressive souvenir to bring back. French cutlery shops are always interesting to visit.

Thanks, Will

 

[Stich2442]

I only have two but I feel they represent both ends of the scale, I have an Opinel #8 and like the OPs knife almost identical to the first pic in this thread, (I even have the same case)

Ted, what do you think of the 440 (A)? steel used, mine takes a shaving sharp edge and holds it. Also when did you buy yours? I see you have serial # 4052, I have serial # 4202 bought in 2000.
Pete

Also I want to add its a very solid knife.

 

[DeadFall27]

Great knives everyone. Here are a few more.

Ooohhh, have any info on these?..especially the top one? :thumbup:

 

[wildpig001]

meako- would you have an addy where we could inquire about this knife.., {from the shop}?

 

[knarfeng]

meako- would you have an addy where we could inquire about this knife.., {from the shop}?

That would best be done via email.

 

[woodkrafter]

Here's my only French knife so far:

Fontenille-Pataud 'Corsican Pialincu' in horn tip. Great craftsmanship, fit and finish is outstanding.
Ordered directly from their website earlier this year. Probably my favorite knife. :thumbup:
Hover over image for a larger view.

 

[avoidspam]

Here's my only French knife so far:

Fontenille-Pataud 'Corsican Pialincu' in horn tip. Great craftsmanship, fit and finish is outstanding.
Ordered directly from their website earlier this year. Probably my favorite knife. :thumbup:
Hover over image for a larger view.

View attachment 314515

Lovely knife. I've got a Juniper Savoyard lockback on order from them. I've heard good things

Sam

 

[woodkrafter]

Sam,

I was hesitant at first ordering directly from their website, so I asked them a few questions via email about the knife, ordering process, shipment, etc.
The email was answered by Gilles Steinberg himself and he responded to all my questions very quickly.
I would not hesitate to recommend their knives or ordering directly. Old time craftsmanship and customer service in a modern age.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Will Power]

I mirror Mark's observations on Fontenille-Pataud. Not just quality knives but very good service too, I read French well but Gilles is very impressive in English. The workmanship is peerless.

Regards, will

 

[avoidspam]

Music to my ears, thanks guy's!

Will post some pic's when it arrives

Sam

 

[avoidspam]

Well, you were all right!

No complaints here. Faultless with a lovely, balanced locking mechanism and blade stop.

Sam

 

[Will Power]

That's TOP!

I like the filework the French go in for, tasteful not over ornate.

To echo Blake, having a knife like that must make a "Green & Pleasant Land" Congratulations!

Thanks, Will

 

[avoidspam]

Thanks Will, Albion for sure (from a French perspective)

Sam

 

[Bobbybirds]

I took my wife to France this past summer and we ended up spending a few days staying on a friends farm in the Aveyron region, and all the mean were carrying Laguiole knives from that area. They told me where to go to get my own, which ended up being from Laguiole en Aurbrac in St-Emilion. I went in an spent some time talking with the cutler and ended up selecting the following model made with a juniper wood handle. Buying the knife right from the man who made it is pretty darn cool! It was the best souvenir I could hope for. I love this knife and I carry it every day...

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Got this one in a trade recently, showed it off to the folks at work today, some thought it was stag scales, I said...uh no, it's wood...
This steel took an exceptional edge, the former owner didn't appear to use it a lot but it needed a sharpening, in less than 3 minutes on a couple stones, free hand sharpening, she's razor sharp again, very very keen, even to slicing toilet paper, while that seems like a strange test, you end up with narrow strips of toilet paper that you'll not be able to use, unless you sew it back together again? but, I'll probably not go that far but this sharpened up quickly to even accomplish this arduous task, well maybe not arduous but it takes a very sharp edge to cleanly slice that soft material, suffice to say, it got to the G2 approved sharpness and I like how well they ground down the blade, plus their embossed name is a nice touch too.

info from the site
This is an excellent little knife made in Thiers by Coutellerie Chambriard. It is the perfect size and shape to fit in your pocket.

It measures 6 1/2" open, 3 3/4" closed and has a blade length of 2 3/4". The handle is solid birch.

The blade is Swedish Sandvik 13c26 and is deeply stamped with the Chambriard name.

The backspring has beautiful guilloche (hand file work) pattern, logo stamp at the bolster and date stamp on the handle butt.

Curly Birch wood scales

I just ordered the larger version, but in horn, that has some pin decorations in the scales, certainly looks nice in the photos, hope to have that here by next week, a larger handle and blade but same shape and flow that this one has, should be nice, a little retro.

G2

 

[timberweasel]

Beautiful knife, Gary, and thanks for bringing this thread back to the front page! :thumbup:

I'm inspired to carry my juniper Compact tomorrow...

-Brett

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Very nice! One thing I did do with mine was put some Nano Oil on the pivot, it was a bit stiff on arrival but now, opens smoothly albeit strongly! which is good to have a nice strong back spring! I picked that up on Amazon, a little goes a long way.
G2

 

[rinos]

Opinels

Made in Champsaur valley,Grand Pere(boxwood and 440C) is probably more for modern traditional post(liner lock,thumb stud) but it is only other French knife i have.

 

[knarfeng]

Very nice! One thing I did do with mine was put some Nano Oil on the pivot, it was a bit stiff on arrival but now, opens smoothly albeit strongly! which is good to have a nice strong back spring! I picked that up on Amazon, a little goes a long way.
G2

Do you have the 5-wt or the 10-wt. Looks like interesting goo.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

It's the 10 weight stuff
G2
edited to add, it has a great applicator that makes it very easy to apply, the above reply was done on my ipod touch, hate typing on that small device
I've used this stuff on all my folders and it seems to help, even my lock back Spyderco's I can now flip open with my index finger, because it's now so smooth to open!