Opinions on Laguiole Knife

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has a Laguiole and has any opinions on it.
Maybe Frenchy can help shed some light on it..... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The villian in S.W.A.T used this on his fat uncle.......

Trusbx --

Laguioleis an old and respected name in French industry, and a beautiful vintage design in the folders. There is a company who have been in continuous production for many years.

However, in a conversation at a trade show booth, the Laguiole vendor told me that the name is not protected by patent under French law, and that several companies now manufacture "Laguiole" knives, of varying quality and various price points. "Anybody can set up a factory and market a Laguiole knife," he said.

Don't know if that's fact or fiction, but I do know that I have a very nice Laguiole "waiter's friend" that cost a lot and is beautifully finished, and a set of dinnerware of the same design that has grind marks all over the blades-- obviously not of the same quality.

My advice is to inspect it carefully before you buy, and suspect its provenance, especially if the price seems too cheap!

Hello !

Just a short reply about Laguiole knifes .... I will expand asap, when I have more time.

1) I don't like the look of those knife ; that's purely a personal dislike .....
2) There are many fakes .... made anywhere in the world ....
3) the origine is not really known ; more a marketing thing than a legend ...
4) most of the Laguiole (the french made) were made in the town of Thiers ; since a few years there is a manufacture in the town of Laguiole

I will try to give you more info in another post...



Alain

Thanks for the info.
There is no way I can inspect the goods over the internet and so, in heeding your advice, I will not buy one until I can handle it for myself.
What I am afraid of is that those Laguiole knives for sale on the internet can be fake.....
This knife just piqued my interest when I saw it on SWAT (the movie)........

And I don't mind the design of the knife and blade too.....

I will try to give you more info asap. I was about to do it today (during office time !!!), but I forget to bring a book I have, which has interesting opinions about the knifes....

And I will try to add pictures ...

Maybe this week end ....
Be patient .... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Alain

Hi Trusbx !
You got me cornered !
I wanted to translate a short passage from a book about the Laguiole publicity stunt. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
And I no longer can find that book ! <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
I guess I should spend less time browsing the Web and more time tidying (sp??) my apartment <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The gist of it was that the Laguiole legend is more a myth, amplified by good marketing, than a real and proven story.
This said, the knife exists and either you like its design or you don't.
I don't.
If you like it, here are some links to french web sites.

Beware of forgery, mainly from south-eastern countries....


www.maison-laguiole.com

www.boutique-laguiole.com

perso.wanadoo.fr/forge.de.laguiole

www.laguiole-french-knives.com

www.adcoutellerie.com

www.laguiolecutlery.com

I will keep looking for that book ... it must be somewhere ..... <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />


Alain

Thanks a million..... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Book still not found .....

The fact is the manufacturing of the Laguiole parts (and most of the assembly) was made in Thiers, not in Laguiole for very long.
Only recently, there is actual knife manufacturing in the very town of Laguiole.

Thiers has a long history of knife making in France.
And some 10 years ago, some knifemakers in Thiers, seeing the marketing success of the Laguiole knife (all about a more or less faked legend) and the creation of workshop in Laguiole, decided to create a new design fully made in Thiers and accordingly called the "Thiers".
I love that design. Here are my two "Thiers" :

Thiers by JP Suchera , inox blade

Thiers, by Chambriard, damas blade, ivory handle

(sorry : pictures aren't that great ....)

Much nicer than Laguioles ...... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Alain

P.S. : that's only my (biased.. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />) opinion.
I'm sure you can find good quality Laguiole knives.... But beware of cheap forgery .... As Laguiole type of knives is a succesful marketing story, many fakes/poor quality items are manufactured and sold everywhere in the world.

Thanks for the info. Nice pics and nice knives....
I will look into some their Theirs... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

They look better than the laguioles. The bee thing on the laguiole is quite cute though....