All About Pocket Knives

Thought I’d share a photo of my Laguiole en Aubrac pocket knife. This one has horn tip scales. You have to be careful purchasing this type of knife. Laguiole is not a brand or trademark. They were originally made in Theirs and Laguiole in France by master craftsmen. Unfortunately, since the name is not trademarked, anyone can make a knife and call it a Laguiole, but many of them come from China and other countries, and the quality is just not there. Generally speaking, but not always, the price may be an indicator. Usually, the authentic ones are not cheap, though some of the knockoffs can also be pricey. You just have to do your due diligence.
Cheers,
Unkei

Thanks for the good information. I was unaware the brand was not trademarked.

Yeah Quick Steel. It’s not even really a brand. It referred to knives made in Theirs, and Laguiole France and the areas nearby. There are some very good videos on YouTube. Also a good deal of information on the internet to help one know what is “real” and what is in all likelihood a knockoff.
Unkei

Years ago, one of my surgeon employers and his wife booked a trip through the wine country of France.

He asked me if there was anything he could bring me and I jokingly said, "Yeah. A Laguiole folding knife".

He had no idea what I was talking about and I was not expecting him to follow through on that.

When he returned two weeks later, he handed me a yellow/brown box with "DAVID" printed in one corner.

Inside was a beautiful Laguiole folder made by G. David, one of France's premier and most famous custom knife makers.

Charlie Noyes

Unkei can you use the degree of detail on the bee and on the spring to tell a French made Laguiole from an 'imported' one ?
kj

I like them and would like to have more but the good ones are so dad gummed expensive.

Check out these gorgeous bees ---► http://www.laguiole-en-aubrac.fr/en/our ... ecial-bees

I thought that sounded familiar! It’s buried in the camping gear, but I have two knives with bees that seem to be a sort of steak knife. One has a red handle and one is white. I picked them up at the local Salvation Army for about a buck each. They seemed well made and good for general use food knives.
This isn’t exact but it’s pretty close.

I went to France in 1993 to visit my daughter who was doing her Grade 11 there thanks to the Rotary Exchange Program. What surprised me was that every town, even smaller ones had a cutlery store often 'manned' by the enthusiastic owner happy to show you knives.
I bought 5 Laguioles. I only have 2 left now, a 4 1/4" G. David and a 4 5/8" Poyet-Coursolle, liner lock with dedicated sheath.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Unkei can you use the degree of detail on the bee and on the spring to tell a French made Laguiole from an 'imported' one ?
kj

Hi kootenay joe,

Not sure about the detail, but on actual Laguiole knives the bee is part of the back spring...all one piece.On cheaper knockoffs, it is usually welded on to the back spring. I do know that the bee is sometimes hand carved onto the back spring and those probably have more detail.
Cheers,
Unkei

Unkie, i am not sure that this is correct: "on actual Laguiole knives the bee is part of the back spring...all one piece."
The 2 i show above are actual Laguiole knives purchased by me at a cutlery store in Le Puy, France and in both the bee is a separate piece from the spring.
Perhaps what you say applies to old Laguiole knives, like earlier than WW II ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Unkie, i am not sure that this is correct: "on actual Laguiole knives the bee is part of the back spring...all one piece."
The 2 i show above are actual Laguiole knives purchased by me at a cutlery store in Le Puy, France and in both the bee is a separate piece from the spring.
Perhaps what you say applies to old Laguiole knives, like earlier than WW II ?
kj

Yeah..you may be correct. I got that information from a couple of internet articles bemoaning “fakes” and of course...as we all know, anything you read on the internet must be gospel! LOL!
Cheers,
Unkei