Traditional French Fry day

A Sauveterre.

52028080027_01d6584367_c.jpg


This knife gets nice and sharp, the blade being ground thin to the edge.

I just wish I knew how to tell them apart from the St. Martin and the straight laguiole. They all share similar lines, the difference being bolsters and assorted aesthetic details.
 
kamagong said:
A Sauveterre.

52028080027_01d6584367_c.jpg


This knife gets nice and sharp, the blade being ground thin to the edge.

I just wish I knew how to tell them apart from the St. Martin and the straight laguiole. They all share similar lines, the difference being bolsters and assorted aesthetic details.
Click to expand...
The Sauveterre is a recent "creation" by the late Guy Vialis, who revived the cutlery activity (for a tv show IIRC) that had ceased since around 1630 in the small town. So he turned toward an already existing profile common to the straight Laguiole, the Yssingeaux, the Issoire and the St Martin. After his death the shop remained a while then was bought by Laguiole en Aubrac.
In past centuries travels were less easy than today and these towns were famous for their forges, each cutler having his own variation..
The St martin was usually smaller called clergymen's knife, the Issoire sported a bodkin, those equiped with a punch were called marchand de vin because they used the punch to tap the wine barrels. No mouche on either one (edit : in fact some cutlers used one others did not).


edit : more pictures :
https://www.lecouteau.info/couteaux-r%C3%A9gionaux-traditionnels/l-yssingeaux-l-issoire-le-st-martin/
https://www.lecouteau.info/couteaux-régionaux-traditionnels/l-yssingeaux-l-issoire-le-st-martin/le-st-martin/
https://www.lecouteau.info/couteaux-régionaux-traditionnels/l-yssingeaux-l-issoire-le-st-martin/l-yssingeaux/
 
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Jolipapa said:
The Sauveterre is a recent "creation" by the late Guy Vialis, who revived the cutlery activity (for a tv show IIRC) that had ceased since around 1630 in the small town. So he turned toward an already existing profile common to the straight Laguiole, the Yssingeaux, the Issoire and the St Martin. After his death the shop remained a while then was bought by Laguiole en Aubrac.
In past centuries travels were less easy than today and these towns were famous for their forges, each cutler having his own variation..
The St martin was usually smaller called clergymen's knife, the Issoire sported a bodkin, those equiped with a punch were called marchand de vin because they used the punch to tap the wine barrels. No mouche on either one (edit : in fact some cutlers used one others did not).


edit : more pictures :
https://www.lecouteau.info/couteaux-r%C3%A9gionaux-traditionnels/l-yssingeaux-l-issoire-le-st-martin/l-issoire/
https://www.lecouteau.info/couteaux-régionaux-traditionnels/l-yssingeaux-l-issoire-le-st-martin/le-st-martin/
https://www.lecouteau.info/couteaux-régionaux-traditionnels/l-yssingeaux-l-issoire-le-st-martin/l-yssingeaux/
Click to expand...

As always, thank you for your insights Alain. The Sauveterre comes in 2 sizes -- 9 cm and 11 cm. Mine is 9. A bit smaller than what I am used to with French knives, but no smaller than most American spring knives offered today.

I like it. I think I may have to look for an 11 cm with plein manche covers.
 
kamagong said:
As always, thank you for your insights Alain. The Sauveterre comes in 2 sizes -- 9 cm and 11 cm. Mine is 9. A bit smaller than what I am used to with French knives, but no smaller than most American spring knives offered today.

I like it. I think I may have to look for an 11 cm with plein manche covers.
Click to expand...
Effectively 9cm is a small size here usually, except for Pradel who came in 4 sizes or ladies knives like the queue de poisson. Usual size is 11/12cm or larger. Export is probably one reason to downsizing.
 
Jolipapa said:
Effectively 9cm is a small size here usually, except for Pradel who came in 4 sizes or ladies knives like the queue de poisson. Usual size is 11/12cm or larger. Export is probably one reason to downsizing.
Click to expand...
I'm assuming you're referring to handle length? I'm not sure what this one is closed, probably around 11cm, but the blade is 9cm and I think it's just about perfect for my usage.

IMG_20230505_185708.jpg
 
kamagong said:
As always, thank you for your insights Alain. The Sauveterre comes in 2 sizes -- 9 cm and 11 cm. Mine is 9. A bit smaller than what I am used to with French knives, but no smaller than most American spring knives offered today.

I like it. I think I may have to look for an 11 cm with plein manche covers.
Click to expand...
I forgot the Roquefort in the aveyronnaise family! Same features : sage leaf (feuille de sauge) blade and crow beak (bec de corbin) at the bottom.
389.jpg
 
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Today, my french traditional knife is a Couperier-Coursolle.

Coursolle-Johnnie-roscoff01.jpg

Coursolle-Johnnie-roscoff02.jpg

Coursolle-Johnnie-roscoff03.jpg


It's easy to recognise a french knife, there's an essential corkscrew and an unnecessary blade.

You can see this knife in the collector book "Les couteaux figuratifs" by Bernard Givernaud, but for me it's not a fisherman but a "Roscoff Johnnie".
Coursolle-Johnnie-roscoff.jpg


Roscoff is a small city in french Britany, and "Johnnie" was a surname given by the english people to these french oignons salers.

Here are some web pages you can translate.

roscoff.png


bcd.bzh

Les Johnnies, vendeurs d’oignons outre-Manche

Ces vendeurs itinérants, qui se dispersent sur le territoire britannique après une traversée en bateau, sont à l’origine des cultivateurs d’oignons de la région de Roscoff et Santec (même si certains Johnnies partent en Angleterre depuis le port de Saint-Brieuc), avant de s’expatrier...
bcd.bzh bcd.bzh

vieux-metiers-outils.forumactif.com

L'exportation des OIGNONS de ROSCOFF vers L'ANGLETERRE

STOR BREIZH / LES JOHNNIES DE ROSCOFF / ORIGINES "L'exportation des OIGNONS de ROSCOFF vers L'ANGLETERRE remonte à loin puisque des historiens retrouvent mentio
vieux-metiers-outils.forumactif.com vieux-metiers-outils.forumactif.com
 
Haegar said:
I‘ll be in Cologne for an exhibition next week. This Perceval „Le Francais Vintage“ will be my chosen knife for the time. It should be able to handle anything that might come up and is people friendly in case it needed.

1Ae8fsW.jpg

Gerd
Click to expand...

Really pretty and slender, is it snake wood?
 
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