Saint Martin, Thiers, France

[QTCut5]

My fourth French knife (after Opinel, Laguiole, Vendetta).

This was the precursor to the Laguiole. Has a flat mouche on the backspring instead of the bee. Almost 4 inches closed. 12C27 sandvik stainless steel -very thinly ground to make a great slicer. Very firm, hefty pull. Gator snap. The blade is technically a Bourbonnaise, but it is essentially a Wharncliffe with the very slightest belly near the tip. Ebony handles with brass rosettes inlaid into the handle. Very smoothly hafted. Great fit and finish. This is a higher end knife compared to most Au Sabot or Thiers Issard models. All transitions smooth and flush. Good blade centering. Made by Thiers-Issard in France under their GR Grandfather line. Sharpened and stropped the original factory edge.

A traditional early Laguiole pattern dressed up as a Clergyman's knife from southern France.

Here's mine (although I paid only $45.00 on eBay ):
https://knives-of-france.com/saint-martin-ebony/

For more interesting information and some really cool old photos of French cutlers in Thiers, check out this blog site:

https://knives-of-france-blog.com/tag/saint-martin/

[Madmarco]

You seem to be mighty proud of this one ~Q~, and who can blame you, it's gorgeous!

[julsblade]

Very nice, I'm eyeing this one too, looks elegant not too big.
Is the edge really polished? can't really figure that from the pictures.

[herbva]

Beautiful knife , nice writeup, and you got a great deal on that one Q! Now I'm going to have to find one of those to add to my "Laguiole" collection.

[QTCut5]

Thank you, gents. Yes, I am quite pleased with this knife. With the exception of the semi-Wharncliffe blade, it's a bit outside my usual collecting focus. Also really enjoyed "discovering" the wide variety of knives made in France...I shouldn't be surprised, but there are a lot more classic French patterns than I had previously seen or thought there were.

Is the edge really polished? can't really figure that from the pictures.

Yes, it is...and very sharp!

[doglegg]

Q, you will be speaking with a French accent before too long. A really sweet knife.

[QTCut5]

Oui, oui. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Floyd Fou du Roi.

[doglegg]

Oui, oui. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Floyd Fou du Roi.

[Waukonda]

My fourth French knife (after Opinel, Laguiole, Vendetta).



https://knives-of-france-blog.com/tag/saint-martin/

Nice knife, very enjoyable post!

[Waukonda]

Oui, oui. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Floyd Fou du Roi.

Great comeback, (realized after I looked up the meaning of Fou du Roi)

[doglegg]

Oui, oui. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Floyd Fou du Roi.

Great comeback, (realized after I looked up the meaning of Fou du Roi)

He did well didn't he.

[Nephilim]

Handsome knife, and a good deal too. I picked up a "Pradel" styled knife with juniper scales recently from the same manufacturer, not as luxe as that one though.

[Alien883]

My fourth French knife (after Opinel, Laguiole, Vendetta).

This was the precursor to the Laguiole. Has a flat mouche on the backspring instead of the bee. Almost 4 inches closed. 12C27 sandvik stainless steel -very thinly ground to make a great slicer. Very firm, hefty pull. Gator snap. The blade is technically a Bourbonnaise, but it is essentially a Wharncliffe with the very slightest belly near the tip. Ebony handles with brass rosettes inlaid into the handle. Very smoothly hafted. Great fit and finish. This is a higher end knife compared to most Au Sabot or Thiers Issard models. All transitions smooth and flush. Good blade centering. Made by Thiers-Issard in France under their GR Grandfather line. Sharpened and stropped the original factory edge.

A traditional early Laguiole pattern dressed up as a Clergyman's knife from southern France.
P9080026.JPGP9080016.JPGP9080012.JPGP9080015.JPGP9080018.JPGP9080013.JPGP9080014.JPGP9080017.JPG

Here's mine (although I paid only $45.00 on eBay ):
https://knives-of-france.com/saint-martin-ebony/

Very nice knife, seems like a modified Sage design blade which was an early form of some regional blade shapes in France!! Funny when you mention the Bee, which is actually the mouche...there is a lot of miss information on these French knives...Mouche is the actual head of the Spring, early on also known and produced as pick lock top...in the French language mouche means fly.....somebody translated that then wrongly into bee and here we go,,,,lol,,,everybody called it the bee! And no, Napoleon did not came up with that Myth,,,,the bee. These knives now loosely called Laguioles where often made in Thiers ( Laguiole is a small town near Thiers) I think in the 1930's these so called Laguioles appeared in their now known form out of the cutler town of Laguioles....I think Cutlery Calmels came out with the first Laguiole design and it stuck with many local cutlers and then cutlers in nearby Thiers!! There are still many small cutlery firms that produce interesting well made regional French knives like yours....French people take great pride, particular in rural areas,,, to carry a good down to earth pocket knife!! Order a steak in French at a steak house and then pull out your favorite
French blade to cut it....you are a gentleman!! Do this in a USA steak house...like I frequently do...lol...you are called a freak!!
French cutlery history is very interesting to read about!!

For more interesting information and some really cool old photos of French cutlers in Thiers, check out this blog site:

https://knives-of-france-blog.com/tag/saint-martin/