Share your French traditional/regional pocket knives

[knarfeng]

I maybe need to try some. THANKS!

 

[billym]

Wonderful thread. It is very interesting how many regional variations there are. Just like cheese, wine, beer and bread all over Europe. All slightly different as you travel.
I am going to buy a Laguiole kit and build it up. I had Opinels over the years but lost them. Keep posting pics of those beautiful French knives!!

 

[J D Wijbenga]

Hi Gary,
Great looking knife! I like the shape a lot. Just a quick question, is the edge touching the spring when closed on yours?
Thanks!

 

[Will Power]

Yes, those Chambriards are a very well turned out knife.

I've got Le Compact, as shown by Gary (is that Juniper or Birch?) in stag and the bigger (it's aLOT bigger) Le Compagnon in Ebony, also got a compact in ebony on the way. Gary is right, these sharpen up exceptionally, strop well too. the pull on mine are moderate, but they're hard to close so watch out! This is a good design though.opens moderately,harder to shut by a long way. One aspect though, having no kick you should not let them snap shut. Great carry and they come with a leather sleeve too.

thanks, Will

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Hi Gary,
Great looking knife! I like the shape a lot. Just a quick question, is the edge touching the spring when closed on yours?
Thanks!

Mine appears to be well above the back spring, no problems so far from that area, but then I do close my slip joints by hand and not let them close on their own.

I've only a few nit picks with this folder and only one regarding it's build quality.
There is moderate side to side blade play, bugs me much, I'll compare to the larger one inbound and if that is solid as I hope it will be, I'll send this one to France for a spa treatment or replacement?

Now in regard to the blade position when closed, they utilize every bit of that handle to get the longest blade they can, so the tip ends up right at the very end of the scales and on mine, you can catch your finger tip on the sharp point of the blade, I'll try to get a photo to show this in a little while, if this had a traditional kick as I'm use to, I'd just sand down the kick slightly to allow the knife to settle a little further into the handle, but then, you may get it too close and have it striking the back spring, so I am guessing there is a compromise in this make up. Suffice to say, I carry this in the slip sheath that is provided with the bolsters up so it's really a non issue, just a slight nit pick.

Lastly, the tang above the handle scales, that's just a design, if they made it a hidden/sunken joint it would no longer have the flowing lines we admire so much so that is not a true nit pick.

My new one is inbound now, probably won't be here tomorrow but that sure would be swell I'm hoping on Monday as I have that as a vacation day and would be nice to also have that arrive while I'm home!!!

G2

Edited to reply to this question

I've got Le Compact, as shown by Gary, is that Juniper or Birch?

Paper work calls it Curly Birch, no noticeable smell that I can detect, I might give Juniper a try on the next larger one, if I continue down this French path

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Here is a shot of the tip of the knife, just enough there to give you a slice if you were not careful...

but as I say, if you carry it in that slip pouch, it's fairly a non issue.
G2

 

[J D Wijbenga]

Mine appears to be well above the back spring, no problems so far from that area, but then I do close my slip joints by hand and not let them close on their own.

Good to hear it! This is something to be careful with traditional French folders. Enjoy the little slicer!

 

[smiling-knife]

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

Thanks for your comment. The scales on the top knife are simulated stag. I cant remember the maker's name if there is one on it. My knives are packed away having moved recently. I'll try to find more for you. I have another photo of the horn-scaled knife. It is the best quality of the three.

I also have this knife with juniper wood scales.

 

[Stich2442]

Good to hear it! This is something to be careful with traditional French folders. Enjoy the little slicer!

JD most nowadays use a kick, older knives do not, the thought that a man would carry one knife for life, so after continuos use/sharpening it would continue to close/recess into the handle, both of my Laguioles are older I bought them over 13 years ago and they don't have kicks portion of the blade rest on the backspring, as long as you close gently not a problem,
respecting the proverb “resort silencieux vivra vieux”, (silent spring will live longer).

 

[Halfneck]

Love this thread, thanks to all who are posting.

Pat.

 

[J D Wijbenga]

JD most nowadays use a kick, older knives do not, the thought that a man would carry one knife for life, so after continuos use/sharpening it would continue to close/recess into the handle, both of my Laguioles are older I bought them over 13 years ago and they don't have kicks portion of the blade rest on the backspring, as long as you close gently not a problem,
respecting the proverb “resort silencieux vivra vieux”, (silent spring will live longer).

Thanks for the extra information! Good to hear that even edge on spring has not been a problem for you.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

I wonder if you could run a dremel cut off blade that would cut a groove into the back spring for clearance? Depending on how large a diameter cut off wheel you can buy and how deep the handle is of course! As on ones I've owned before that did this, even with care, they still can strike it somehow and cause deformation of the edge, ugh it's not a good thing, possibly when you grip the knife when closed you squeeze the blade ever tighter against that back spring.

And, I think my NEW horn folder will arrive tomorrow, very excited for it to arrive!! of course, this means I'll need to look for the Trapper probably soon too but, they are so very cool knives.

And Smiling-knife, that last one is so similar in design, very nice as well !
G2

 

[sitflyer]

Gary, I pondered that very thought, and wondered if I clearanced the area where the tip of my Laguiole was striking the backspring if the blade wouldn't just hit in a different area. My solution was to tuck a small thin piece of leather into the well for the blade tip to rest on. If I close the knife gently now, the tip is cushioned by the leather strip and no more problems.








I was always under the impression that this Laguiole Rossignol was of 440C...?
Anybody have any info on this?

 

[Gary W. Graley]

That's a lovely knife, tempted to try one myself but funds dictate that I need to curtail my purchases for a little while.

And the leather in the groove, good tip there, I also wondered if a small, very thin material up near where the kick would be would help also, but, that would raise the tip of the knife up so probably wouldn't be a good fix.
G2

 

[smiling-knife]

These are from a market in the Rhone valley.

 

[pertinux]

These are from a market in the Rhone valley.

What a great selection! Are those balisongs I see in the mix?

No way I would have walked away without at least one blue Opinel.

(Thanks for the pictures. :thumbup

~ P.

 

[Stich2442]

Gary & Sitflyer , the point of contact changes through the years, originally just the tip, now where my blades belly sweeps upward, but in 13 years it's never been a problem, there is a product sold in France called DURAFIL to overcome the problem. Durafil is a V shaped inlay that pevents the blade from hitting the inside of the back spring, I've heard of leather, cork, rubber also being used, too much hassle to keep clean.
Sitflyer I have the same Rossignal, I believe it is 440A, but the heat treatment is fantastic, takes & keeps a hair shaving edge, when I was a chef I carried the knife and then used it when I was doing carpentry, I also used it as my only camp knife on a week long trips a few times, that knife is tough as a coffin nail.

Pete

 

[sitflyer]

Thaks Pete, this one was a gift from my father many years ago, and yes, it takes and keeps a very keen edge, and seems to have very minimal burr when sharpening.

 

[kamagong]

Nice idea for a thread. I have the Corsican Vendetta and St. Martin knife on my list, but I have trouble pulling the trigger because of the lack of bang for the buck.

- Christian

 

[ddml]

I took a few quick and dirties of a few of my favorites with an Opinel 8 for reference.



Opinel 8
Fontenille Pataud laguiole, juniper, 11cm, carbon

Chambriard le Compagnon, ebony, carbon

Basque Yatagan by Thiers Issard, ram horn, 12c27