Laguioles today

The LAGUIOLE [la.ɡjɔl] or [la.jɔl] has unusually elegant and slim lines compared to most pocketknives from all over the world. It is unexpected because its roots are in a remote, wild and ruralregion, the Aubrac, southern part of the Massif-Central. Nevertheless, its beauty and elegance, coupled with its versatility, have made it perhaps the most famous and sought-after knife in France. Numerous myths and legends entwine around its origin, its history and the numerous details from the shepherd's cross to the bee ... or is it a fly?

The historian Christian Lemasson researched its history meticulously and published it in his extensive, richly illustrated book "LAGUIOLE. HISTOIRE D'UN COUTEAU D'EXCEPTION", published in France first.  The German edition "Legende Laguiole" appeared in September 2021 and was done from the French by Wolfgang Lantelme. Lemasson deals with the entire development of the LAGUIOLE from its fathers STEPHANOIS and YSSINGEAUX, which led to the LAGUIOLE-DROIT, the birth of the first "curved" LAGUIOLE with Yatagan blade, the importance of Thiers as the supplier to the manufacturers forge in Laguiole, the successes and flights of fancy to the turn of the century, the decline of knife production in Laguiole after 1900, the role of Thiernois coutellerie as "lifesaver" of the LAGUIOLE and its rebirth in the 1980s up to the current knife-making scene and the "Meilleur ouvrier de France". Nevertheless, you get more information abaout the LAGUIOLE history by clicking "LAGUIOLE-DROIT" , "LAGUIOLE-1900". and "LAGUIOLE-GRELOT".

Various manufacturing friends produce LAGUIOLE for PassionFrance^®,too. Manufactured in Thiers and Laguiole they present the respective brands on their blades as a sign of authenticity: ARTO, FORGE DE LAGUIOLE, ROSSIGNOL, AU SABOT, COUPÉRIER-COURSOLLE ...

The LAGUIOLE-PassionFrance^® Design Robert Beillonnet:
The idea for the LAGUIOLE PassionFrance® came about in 2009 when the two-time Meilleur Ouvrier de France Robert Beillonnet designed two LAGUIOLE for PassionFrance®, which won the INTERNATIONAL KNIVE AWARD the following year at the IWA in Nuremberg with French and international participation and became KNIFE OF THE YEAR 2010. Characteristic of both the one-piece model with blade and the two-piece model with blade and corkscrew are its slimmer, more elegant lines and some technical improvements. The LAGUIOLE with corkscrew has a conical and longer corkscrew than the LAGUIOLES from other manufacturers and is integrated into the knife in such a way that no recess interrupts the lines in the back, which in traditional production with a central corkscrew leads to an inevitable break in the line.
The blades don't touch the spring, because, in contrast to the usual "poncetage", which makes the blade "touch-free" when it is closed, but does not prevent it from being pushed into itafterwards, the blades of the LAGUIOLE-PassionFrance® are secured by an additional pin inside so that they are absolutely free of  touch and can no longer be pressed in.

Also defining the style is the production with a “plein manche”, that is, without metal bolsters at the ends of the handle, which is technically more difficult than manufacturing a knife with bolsters, but gives it an unique elegance. We only decide for bolsters if we can use them as decorative elements. A blacksmith friend in Burgundy produces the most beautiful hand-forged mosaics of damascus steel for us.

In 2010 the LAGUIOLE PassionFrance^® won the INTERNATIONAL KNIFE AWARD at the IWA and was decorated as the KNIFE OF THE YEAR 2010. The LAGUIOLE-PassionFrance^® is protected , as are the other models designed by Robert Beillonnet for us to avoid imitations. We manufacture them by hand in our atelier in Thiers. In 2015, the Petit-LAGUIOLE of 11cm got its brother, the Grand-LAGUIOLE with a handle length of 12cm.

Model variants LAGUIOLE:
- "1 piece" with blade and "2 pieces" with blade and corkscrew
-  Handle lengths 9cm, 10cm, 11cm and 12cm (13cm and 14cm on request)
- models with and without bolsters
- different blade steels

Copyright 2020 © PassionFrance^®

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