Advice & Tips
Everything about Laguiole Knives
The name Laguiole is for some a "hear the bell but where's the clapper?" notion. Is it a
brand name? Or a certain type of knife? Or is it the name of the town where they are made? We put some things
in a row.
How do you pronounce Laguiole?
Laguiole is not as easy to pronounce as you might think. Maybe even for those who speak a bit of French. speak. Traditionally it is pronounced "La-jol". Just like the small mountain village the knives are named after. from.
Is Laguiole a brand?
This is one of the most important and most confusing questions. Laguiole is not It is not an official registered trademark. It is the name for a certain type of knife. Anyone can make a Anyone can make a Laguiole knife.
How do you recognize a Laguiole pocket knife?
You can recognize a Laguiole knife immediately. It has the following characteristics:
- Bee on the spring. In French this is called 'La mouche'. There is speculation as to whether it is a fly or a bee. or a bee.
- Feather with filed decorations on the back of the handle and sometimes even on the blade.
- Handle made from natural materials (wood and animal materials).
- Often an inlayed cross in the hilt. When shepherds were away from home they would stick the knife into the ground to the cross in the handle to say their prayers.
- Slipjoint, not a real lock but a spring which gives resistance. This makes it hard to open and close the knife. You also have to guide it when folding, so it doesn't close too hard and damage the fold in the handle by hitting the spring. damaged by hitting the spring.
What are real Laguiole knives?
Because Laguiole is not a protected brand name, you can't actually say one knife is a real knife and the other is a fake. The other is a fake. There are however clear differences in quality. Furthermore you have industrial, cheaply manufactured ones and traditional, handmade ones.
This is also reflected in the large price differences you may encounter. A handmade knife goes through a lot of phases in order to be produced. For instance the tailoring, fitting and polishing of the handles. Or the hand-filing Or the hand filing of the decorations on the back of the knife. Traditionally all these phases are carried out by one and the same craftsman.
If you want to make a first estimation of the quality of a knife you should look at the following aspects.
- Is the steel mentioned on the blade?
- Is the bit hand filed, or can you see it is glued or soldered on?
- Real Laguioles have steel bolsters, at low quality they are made of aluminium. So is the knife light or heavy?
- Does it come with a certificate of authenticity?
Where is Laguiole made?
Laguiole knives and the place where they are produced have a fascinating history. Originally they were originally they were made in Laguiole, but after the First World War almost all production moved to Thiers. Thiers is the knife knife town of France, as Solingen is to Germany.
After the Second World War the production and popularity of Laguiole knives went downhill. Even up until the the type of knife almost ceased to exist in the early 80s of the last century.
From then on a few enthusiasts started a small workshop to keep the tradition and craftsmanship alive. and craftsmanship. This became the Forge de Laguiole brand. Later, Fontenille Pataud and Laguiole and Aubrac were added. So Today there are three manufacturers of handmade Laguiole knives who uphold the old traditions. Forge de Laguiole really comes from Laguiole, the other two manufacturers are in Thiers.
Traditionally, a Laguiole knife was the knife of the shepherds who lived in Aubrac, the region of which the village of Laguiole is part of. Many shepherds used to live in the high pastures. Cattle breeding was and still is one of the most important economic activities of the area.
Johannes van Dam
Laguiole knives are more than many other (pocket) knives associated with food. You are more likely to cut food with it than to attack a cardboard box for example. The knife is too fragile and expensive for that.
Johannes van Dam, the 2013 deceased culinary journalist for Het Parool, had a special relationship with his Laguiole knife. It was common knowledge that he never ate somewhere without bringing and using his own knife. A true hobby.
Not just pocket knives
The Laguiole design is applied to a lot of different types of products. The design also lends itself The design also lends itself perfectly to use as a steak knife. There are various sets for this. And there are also cheese knives, waiters knives and even cutlery sets cutlery sets, complete with fork and spoon.
The different manufacturers
Laguiole and Aubrac
There are not many manufacturers who still make Laguiole knives according to tradition. It is a special niche, partly due to the number of steps a handmade copy has to undergo. The ornaments in the back of the The decorations in the back of the handle for instance are made by hand with a file. Laguiole en Aubrac is one of a small number of manufacturers who continue the tradition, working from the knife town of Thiers in France.
Claude Dozorme
Claude Dozorme is a French knife manufacturer. The company began operations in 1902 and is now run by the fourth generation Dozorme family and is now managed by the fourth generation of the family.
Claude Dozorme, the grandson of the founder, invested heavily in the modernization of the production in the 70s. This accelerated the development of the company enormously and gave the company its definitive name. According to their own say they developed the first non-folding Laguiole table knife in the 80s.
The company makes several French-style products: Laguiole steak knives, Thiers pocket knives and champagne champagne sabres.
Jean Dubost
This French manufacturer from Viscomtat, near Thiers, has a very extensive collection of Laguiole products. The brand exists since 1920. It is not one of the most refined, artisanal manufacturers of Laguiole.
You can see them as a manufacturer that makes a step between large-scale low-budget production in the east of the world and the (more expensive) artisanal ateliers in France.
Style de Vie
We also have Laguiole knives and waiters knives from Style de Vie. These knives are not made in the traditional made in ateliers by professionals. The quality is also less than Laguiole and Aubrac, but they are nice products. Especially if you like a pocket knife, waiters knife or steak knife set for not too much money.
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