Advice & Tips
Champage Sabres
Sabering a bottle of champagne is a great trick we often see in movies, restaurants, and parties. The saber also makes a great wedding or (business) relationship gift.
What is sabering?
To saber is to open a bottle traditionally, popping the cork off with a big knife, sword, or saber. This technique of opening a bottle is many centuries old. It originated back to the time of napoleon, 1812 to be exact. There are multiple theories about the discovery of sabering.
De oorsprong van het sabreren
We know a French man found the trick; however, the trick was not very popular then. In late 1989, Jean Claude Jalloux, a French restaurateur, decided to open a champagne bottle with a saber during dinner at a restaurant. His sabrage impressed many other guests. Some other guests chose to order a bottle to learn this art too. Shortly after, they founded Confrerie du Sabre d'Or. It was an organization where restaurant owners could get their saber diplomas. After this, the art spread like wildfire through Europe.
How to use a saber sword:
- Cool the champagnebottle till about 5-7 celcius
- Get a champagne bottle and remove the wrapping.
- Point the bottle to an open area, make sure you can't hit anybody
- Find the seam on the bottle; this is the part where the two pieces come together.
- Grasp the bottle with your left hand at the bottom and make sure you can see the seam clearly
- Glide the saber over the seam several times (4-6) to ensure the pathway is smooth.
- If you are sure the path is smooth, let the saber glide over the neck of the bottle and "tap" straight on the last glide. Do this with speed, don't use your force; otherwise, you will break the bottle.
Sabre video explanation
What can you use for sabrage?
The most obvious one is champagne. But we also tested sabering with cava and prosecco. With cava, you get the same result as with champagne. We got a different smooth cut with prosecco than with cava/prosecco.
You can also saber beer and wine bottles with a cork, but we would not recommend this. If the top of the bottle shatters, small pieces of glass could be inside it; it would be unsafe to drink.
As crucial as the right-hand technique is the temperature of the bottle. The bottle should always be between 5-7 degrees celsius. If it's too warm, it will explode; if it's too cold, it will shatter.
Is a saber sharp?
No, sabers are the only dull knives we sell. They often look sharp and dangerous, but this is not the case. On the contrary, a saber needs to be blunt. Around the time of Napoleon, they used the dull side of their swords for sabrage, as the sharp side was required to remain sharp for the battle.
The sabers we sell all have blunt finishes, so they only can be used for sabering. No worries if you want to wait to invest in a saber. Use the dull side of your breadknife or chef's knife. If you don't "cut" the bottle but "tap" it off, your knife will remain in perfect condition. In theory, you could saber with many products, which one exactly you can test yourself ;)
When should I get someone a saber?
A saber is perfect for many occasions, such as weddings, 21-diner gifts, graduation gifts, birthdays, good business deals, and many more. Make the blade extra special by getting it engraved with a name, date, or quote, and we do this free, of course.
Different kinds of sabers
You want to buy a saber but are still determining which one? Like almost all knives, champagne sabers are available in different types, sizes, and price ranges. We listed a few for you.
Laguiole Style de Vie Champagne saber | € 39,95
This olive wood saber from Style de Vie is one of our most popular models. A very acceptable price for a chic appearance with a luxurious gift box. The blade is made of chinese stainless steel, and the saber is also available with a rosewood handle.
Adola Champagne Saber | € 84,95
Adola Champagne Saber Stainless Steel €84,95 This saber looks like it came straight from the French Champagne region. The chic black handle, gold wire details, and the hanging tassel will make you steal the show while sabering.
Laguiole Champagne Saber Napoleon | € 320
Laguiole Champagne Sabel Nepoleon €320 It is named after the man sabering all started with Napoleon. It is the finest saber in our range. The Laguiole sable has a handle made of olive wood with golden details. The curved blade is made of stainless steel and is highly polished, making the knife shine.
Made in Thiers, France, Each part is thoroughly checked to ensure the best quality that Claude Dozorme demands from his products. The sword comes in a beautiful wooden case of oak and luxurious yellow tassels.
Engraving
Engraving is possible on all sabers! A name, date, quote, or even your logo. Choose to engrave while ordering, or reach us through What's app, call, e-mail, or come by the store. We are happy to help!
We do the engraving ourselves, which means the engraving does not affect the delivery time. Ordered before 16:30 is shipped the same day. You can also come by the store and get your saber engraved; for a name, date, or text, this will only take a few minutes. Most of the time, you can wait for your engraving to be done.
Did you ever saber a champagne? Let us how how it went!
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