The Laguiole knife
In the early 1800s, a humble peasant knife was born in Laguiole, a small mountain village in North Aveyron. Its famous bee, a symbol of prestige and quality adorning its spring, would make it the most famous knife in France.
ONCE UPON A TIME THE LAGUIOLE
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Laguiole was crafted in its simplest form, earning it the name ‘Laguiole Droit’ (straight Laguiole).
It replaced the ‘eustaches’ or ‘Jambettes Stéphanoisese’, manufactured in Espalion and sold to the Aubrac farmers.
‘EUSTACHE’ or ‘JAMBETTE STÉPHANOISE’
These knives had a sharp blade but no device to hold it other than with one’s own hand. At the lower end of the blade, we can observe a small T-shaped protrusion called a ‘lens’ that was pressed against the handle during the cutting action. However, there was nothing to secure the blade once closed, which could lead to serious injuries. In this context, the Laguiole Droit emerges as the first spring-assisted knife manufactured in the historical region of the Laguiole knife.
Lame bourbonnaise
Mouche
Ressort
Bec de corbin
LAGUIOLE DROIT
The main feature of the Laguiole Droit is its opening and closing system, known as the “lockback” or “back-lock”. At the front of the spring, just before the blade, we can notice a metal stud called the ‘fly’, a technical term specific to cutlery terminology. To disengage the lock and release the blade, the ‘fly’ had to be lifted with the fingers of one hand. The blade could then rotate to close the knife.
The Laguiole Droit is recognizable by the alignment of the blade and the handle, giving it a straight silhouette. Its design is enhanced by two special features on both sides of the knife: a ‘corbin beak tail’ at the end of the handle and the rounded profile of the ‘Bourbonnaise’ blade, whose parallel back and edge meet at a central point.
Lame bourbonnaise
Mouche
Ressort
Bec de corbin
THE LAGUIOLE, A KNIFE WITH UNIQUE FEATURES
The Laguiole knife as we know it today appeared in the middle of the 19th century, in 1850. Craftsmen successfully enhanced this knife by transforming its architecture.
