Reasons Why You Should Have Your Very Own Laguiole Knife

If you want a beautiful knife for the outdoors, Laguiole en Aubrac Knives are probably the best choice. It has a great pocket knife design made for individuals who are into crafts and outdoors, presenting pocket-sized dimensions and a fine blade that is relatively large to its sleek handle.

It is easy to find reasons for owning a Laguiole Knife, but the most compelling one is respecting tradition. Its design has changed over time, as later iterations took the needs of its users. If carbon steel kitchen knives are for serious cooks, then the equivalent for outdoorsmen is probably the Laguiole knife.

The pocket knife handle design is easy on both hands. Some models have all-metal handles while others have bolsters on both ends, which protects the knife when dropped on a hard surface. You can have models that have stainless steel, carbon steel, or even Damascus steel blades.

A Laguiole knife is secured with a folding blade that tucks nicely into the handle, making it safe and easy to store. Aside from pocket knives, steak knives, and wine openers, we will discuss the history of the brand Laguiole en Aubrac.

See beautiful Laguiole knives and cutlery here in this link.

Get a real Laguiole knife

You should understand that the term ‘Laguiole knife’ is not a brand or a trademarked term. Many of them are not even made in France, so it is possible to find them anywhere. The term is used for knives that have the traditional curved handles and a folding ‘yataghan’ style knife blade.

We understand customers' need for authenticity. Make sure you get the real deal by buying high-quality Laguiole French knives here at Meesterslijpers. We carry, among others, the brand Laguiole en Aubrac, a certified maker of knives and cutlery. Each knife is made by hand by a single cutler from raw material to finish, so it is an artisanal product with unparalleled quality.

What are the things to look for in a Laguiole knife?

Now you know that you can buy ‘de Laguiole’ knives anywhere, we will discuss the things to look for in traditional Laguiole knives. Note that there are modern knives that use exotic materials like ebony and olive wood handles, or even Damascus steel.

The design and look of the Laguiole knife is steeped deeply in tradition. Therefore, many old-school knives share some of these following characteristics:

A folding blade

One of the features of the Laguiole knife is its compact dimensions. Due to its origins as a utility knife for outdoor use, a lot of them are hand-sized. Originally, it was a folding knife for shepherds and cattle herders that is easy to carry around and use at a moment’s notice.

More modern versions of Laguiole knives have blades with a Yataghan-style profile, featuring a single edge and a tapered, pointed tip. Older versions tend to have straight blades. Like the handles, some have intricate engravings or carvings. Since such knives are made for utility purposes, they often have other tools such as a corkscrew or an awl.

The bee

Traditional Laguiole knives also feature the ‘bee’ or the ‘fly’ (‘La mouche’, in French), a decorative emblem just on top of the rotating part of the blade. It locks the blade into position and adds reinforcement, and also acts as a convenient place for the thumb.

This unique feature is unique to such knives that originated in the Laguiole region. Some say it was adopted from Napoleon, who used the bee as his emblem. Through the years, makers continue to put engravings of a bee or the fly onto their knives as a testament to their skill and as a sort of trademark.

Distinctive handle

A Laguiole knife tends to have a distinctive, characteristic handle. Most handles have a tapered profile often referred to as the ‘lady's leg’, and some are adorned with a Shepherd’s cross or intricately carved. Unlike most counterfeits, authentic ones tend to use special materials in its handles, such as olive, cow horn, or walnut wood. Some more expensive ones use beautiful handles made of ivory, horn, or even mammoth ivory.

Pocket Knives

You just can’t miss the variety of affordable Laguiole en Aubrac pocket knives in our store. If you have a taste for the modern, check out the Elforyn & Carbon clad mini pocket knife (8 cm blade) and the Laurel Wood Deluxe knife with premium 12c27 Sandvik steel blade (9 cm blade).

We also offer damascus steel blades, like the Horn Pocket Knife with Japanese Damask and the Juniper Wood Knife with Balbach Damascus Blade. There is also the collectible Copper and Brass Pocket Knife, that comes with a high-quality German steel blade. You will love the look of these knives and the elegant cuts they make.

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Steak Knives

Make nights extra special with Laguiole en Aubrac steak knives. You will love its look and folding design like the original Laguiole knives. Check out this Frene 6 Piece Steak Knives set with ash wood handles.

You can also choose steak knives made with more exotic materials such as Juniper wood handles, Buffalo Horn and Olive Wood, featuring high-quality 12C27 steel that keeps its sharpness for a long time. All steak knives come with their own beautiful wooden box.

See beautiful steak knives here at Meesterslijpers when you click this link.

Wine Openers

Add more style when serving wines with the wine openers by Laguiole en Aubrac. Each one has the shape and profile of traditional Laguiole knives, and comes complete with a corkscrew, a wine lever, and a serrated stub blade. Its a must have waiter’s knife in every home!

Aside from the affordable ones, our shop has wine openers with beautiful Juniper and Walnut wood handles. You can also choose to have models with gorgeous horn and buffalo horn handles. Make sure to check out this exclusive Waiter’s Knife with an exotic and fragrant Amboina wood handle. Be a prim and proper sommelier with these wine openers!

Check out stylish Laguiole en Aubrac Waiter’s Knives and wine openers when you click this link.

About Laguiole en Aubrac

We have the knives made by Laguiole en Aubrac, a very old knife-making company that dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. They also have cheese knives, steak knives, and cutlery.

The Laguiole en Aubrac company is based in the village of Espalion in the Laguiole commune, Aveyron department, France. The area is near Thiers, where there is a strong heritage of knife making and cutlery since the time of Napoleon.

The initial designs of Laguiole knives are more on the simple side, with straight blades and plain handles. Later designs featured accessories like an awl and a corkscrew. They were still a folding design though, only with a small t-shaped protrusion called ‘lens’ that is pressed to secure the blade while in use, otherwise the blade would just flop.

Knives made in the Laguiole region in the 1800 were the first to adopt the spring and the ‘bee’, making them safer and popular among the masses. In 1850, knives with a yataghan-shaped blade appeared. As the Laguiole region progressed, knives made of exotic materials and with intricate designs gradually appeared.

The company still manufactures knives by hand even today. The Laguiole en Aubrac currently holds an EPV (‘Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant’, translated as Living Heritage Company) label due to its local origin and respect to traditional practices.

Get Beautiful and Authentic Pocket Knives, Steak Knives, Waiter’s Knives

The Laguiole en Aubrac knives and cutlery at our store are made by hand by artisans, so what you get is a product of prime quality. Get your very own Laguiole Knives here at Meesterslijpers!