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This is a must-have. As the most famous knife in France, its reputation is now worldwide. Discover the Laguiole knife with its timeless design, its curved and pointed blade, its slightly rounded handle, depending on the versions, and its implacable cutting-edge. With its history and various facets, discover now our items dedicated to this knife, which is definitely like no other.
The Laguiole knife, from its creation until today
Mainly made in France in the Puy de Dôme and Aveyron regions, the Laguiole knife proudly brings some of the French savoir-faire to your tables.
Between the Capuchadou and the Navaja knives
In the past, the people of the village of Aubrac, and especially the shepherds, used only one knife: the Capuchadou knife, with its straight and pointed blade. In the 19th century, seasonal workers brought the Navaja knife from Catalonia. That is how the Laguiole knife was born, a perfect blend of the Navaja and Capuchadou knives. From the first one, it took the shape of the blade, and from the second, it took the handle, which has never stopped being improved since then.
An essential knife in constant evolution
The Laguiole knife has rapidly become the most famous regional knife and an exceptional knife, with a countless number of classic or foldable versions. It was first made with local materials, then different wood varieties, horns or raw and forged steels. The most remarkable evolution is undoubtedly the “fly” spring, this unique emblem, which is a bee most of the time and makes the Laguiole so famous. Later, it was adapted to outdoor activities such as hunting, with a thicker handle for easier grip. For the hunters’ safety, it is equipped with a safety catch, also called a lock screen. The Laguiole knife is now available in a multitude of patterns, such as the emblems of some French regions or other particularities. Many shapes are also available, like the liner-lock, smaller, with a little lock to make sure the knife is closed.
The Laguiole knife: the fruit of an artisanal savoir-faire
The passion for arts and crafts is at the heart of the Laguiole knife’s manufacturing. It is impossible to talk about the latter without thinking about the artisans’ work and their patience when it comes to sharpen the blades meticulously, grind them and work them with a file to customize them.
A few examples of beautiful Laguiole handcrafted knives
The Guilloché knife
The guillochage process is often made by Meilleurs Ouvriers De France (Best French workers of the year), who give its unique style to each blade and each spring. Laguiole guilloché knives vary from one another, since only human hands can make it look so authentic, and it cannot be copied: that is why the guillochage is so specific.
The Damascus blade
The Damascus blade is also a work of art. The craftsman shall bring the patterns of the blade out by hot-working it, beat it, reshape it, twist it and beat it again before soaking it in oil. After countless and relentless manipulations, grooves eventually appear on the blade with traces of carbon which shall be impossible to reproduce identically, making each Laguiole knife a unique piece.
Therefore, this work of art results in the light, solid, sustainable Laguiole knife, whose aesthetics is irreproachable. Both men and women shall be fulfilled with our handmade Laguiole knives. It is natural that, after such a work, these knives are delivered with their certificate of authenticity. Most of them have a lifetime guarantee, and can resist both shocks and bad weather.
The different facets of the Laguiole knife
There is a wide range of Laguiole knives. Each component is available in many variations. Lots of artisans make it on demand, to measure.
The handle
As for the handle, many original versions are available, such as scorpion tails, or twists which give them a decorative aspect that knives lovers shall appreciate. All kinds of handles are thus available. There is the wooden handle made from multiple wood varieties, sometimes blended, ebony, juniper, buffalo or ram horns, and even leather handles, and today, you can also find carbon liners, resins or wine barrel wood or vine stock… Everything is possible.
The fly spring
The fly spring offers many decoration possibilities, such as boars, woodcocks, dogs or fish to replace the bee, regional emblems such as the Saint Jacques de Compostelle’s shell, the Cathar blazon.
The bee also helps you determine the quality of the knife, and can represent a token of quality in itself if it is forged on the mass. If it is welded above the fly spring, it may fall if it is impacted.
The Laguiole knife is always beautiful and many sizes are available, including the most common version, between 21 and 22 cm when unfolded, with 9-or-10-cm blades.
The mitres
Let’s talk about stainless-steel mitres! They sometimes perfect one of the extremities of the handle, or even both. In that case, these are called double mitres. To unlock the safety catch with the spring, the back mitre is removed.
Some of our Laguiole knives
The Sommelier knife
The Laguiole Sommelier knives are very popular. You can take them anywhere you go, and they turn out to be very handy on a picnic or an improvised dinner. Very easy to use, they have the same specificities as the Laguiole knives, the same options for the blades, wood or handles, except for the safety catch which makes it impossible to add a corkscrew.
Women’s’ Laguiole knives
Nowadays, some knives are specially designed for women, with small sizes, equipped with 9-to-10-cm blades, different wood varieties, but most of all more feminine decorations, flashier colours, and even leather handles, which you can carry along easily in a bag. They are often lighter and made with the same wood varieties and liners.
The made-in-Laguiole Art of the Table!
Beyond knives, Laguiole this is also a wide range of products dedicated to the Art of the Table.
The Laguiole table knives and cutlery
For those who love beautiful tables, there is a multitude of Laguiole table knives and cutlery to harmonise all kinds of tables. With natural colours such as ecru or ivory tones, or on the contrary lively or turquoise colours, you can create so many universes to decorate your table. Made from resin or ABS, the handles are available in tones which can suit all kinds of atmospheres with burgundy, ocean blue or citrus fruit colours. Elegant cutlery is also available, with refined wood varieties, rosewood, olive tree wood, matched woods or juniper wood for more traditional atmospheres, and of course a wide range of Laguiole stainless-steel cutlery pieces.
The Laguiole table knives are often sold as boxes of 6, and the other cutlery pieces as sets with 16 or 24 pieces most of the time. They are also sold individually.
