The World's most elegant cutlery

In a throwaway society, here is an object you will keep for the rest of your life, then leave to your grandchildren - Laguiole®, the world's most elegant knife. To the French, this is the tool of choice for uncorking the Beaune-Grèves, slicing saucisson, spreading pâté, coating a slice of country bread with Roquefort. Or gutting a trout. Or opening a letter. In short, Laguiole® cutlery is for living well.

Not just another Jacques Knife…
The Laguiole® (pronounced Layol) originated as a herdsman's knife and is a blend of Spanish and French craft influences. Knives in this style were first produced commercially by Pierre Jean Calmels in 1829; corkscrews were added to the knives in about 1880 when the distribution of wine in bottles, rather than in barrels, became popular. Le Sommelier, the corkscrew made by Société Laguiole, was introduced in 1995.

Each piece original and handcrafted
Each of our knives and corkscrews is authentic in its provenance, hand made in Laguiole by Forge de Laguiole, founded in 1987 to restore the craft of knife making to its small town in the Aveyron region of South Central France. Forge de Laguiole, a prize winner for design in the European Community competition of 1992, employs about 90 people in all.

Each Laguiole® is an original piece, hand-fashioned from brass, 440 stainless steel, horn tip or precious woods, and engraved with the distinctive Laguiole® Bee. On the corkscrew the bee is stylized but present, resting at the tip of the worm. Open a knife or corkscrew and hold it: nothing fits the hand like a Laguiole®.

Some knife models have a poinçon, a spike useful to sailors, leather-workers and others who need to poke holes. French herdsmen use the poinçon to poke holes in sheep or cows bloated from eating green forage.

The cross of small rivets on many of the handles allows countrymen unable to attend Sunday services to create their own place of worship by opening the blade and planting the knife in the stony Aveyron ground. Should you feel called to do so, it is perfectly acceptable to plant your Laguiole®, for the same purpose, in the soft turf of a golf course.

Bee or Fly?
No one is sure; there is evidence for both. Some say the decoration on the spine of the knife represents flies which torment cows and sheep, and shepherds for that matter, in the summer. Others insist that it is an imperial bee awarded for loyal service to citizens of the Laguiole region by Napoléon the First in the early 1800s. History supports advocates of the bee - these insects appear to have decorated French knives since the 1700s.

Conventions, traditions and care
French tradition advises that when you receive a knife as a gift, you must offer a coin in return to assure that the knife doesn't cut your friendship with the person who gave you the knife. Also:

~ Once in a while, place a small drop of oil at the junction of the blade and the handle. Never snap the blade closed - ease it closed to maintain the edge.

~ To sharpen, use a high quality oil, water or diamond stone, or a ceramic sharpener. The pocket knives are T12 stainless steel. The table knives are 440A stainless.

~ Please don't sharpen the pocket knives all the way to the tip of the blade. Doing so shortens the blade and it will not seat properly in the handle.

~ Do not soak the wooden or horn tip handles in water; oil the wood from time to time with a fine wood polish. Wipe horn handles clean with a soft cloth. Polish brass bolsters with any high quality brass polish. Please, never soak a Laguiole® or put a Laguiole® in the dishwasher.

~ All of our horn handles are horn tip matched from the solid tip of the same cow horn. Horn tip is denser, more stable and has more depth and character than the hollow part of the horn more commonly used in knife handles.

Authenticity
As with many fine products, there are imitation Laguioles®. Some are made in France, others in Asia. The Laguiole® you have bought is the only one forged and made by hand entirely in the town of Laguiole. It is the only one to bear the mark "LAGUIOLE ORIGINE GARANTIE," certifying that it is made in the Canton of Laguiole, conforms to strict technical specifications and is made in adherence to traditional methods of hand assembly. This mark is available only to a company which conforms to the demanding criteria of the French issuing organization. © 1995 Euroblade

Thank you for inquiring about Laguiole®. The quality and workmanship of every piece is guaranteed. Should you have questions about the care or use of your knife, or would like to know more about Laguiole® products, please call us or stop at our store.

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