This knife is handmade in the village of Laguiole and has a forged bee and T12 steel blade. Each has been crafted with pride by a single master cutler, ensuring that each masterpiece is unique to its craftsman's work ethic!
The Forge de Laguiole workshop is located in the tiny village of Laguiole, France - Pop. 1300 - where the famous knife first appeared in the early 1800s. Today, Forge de Laguiole represents the pinnacle of quality in the Laguiole cutlery business. Their reputation for integrity, ethics, and innovative designs has made this small 100 employees company the "Must Have" Laguiole luxury brand.
Forged Bee
When you look below it, you can recognize a forged bee where it meets the decorated spring. If you do not see any gaps, it's a good sign that the bee and spring are forged from the same piece of metal. You can also recognize a soldered bee by noticing a straight gap/ridge where the bee meets the spring.
Many Laguiole pocket knives from most manufacturers, including Forge de Laguiole (7 cm knives), offer "soldered bees" models. Most Laguiole knives found on the market are solder bee models. Adding the bee to the spring by soldering saves time and money; this is why the cost of soldered bee knives can be substantially less. The original Laguiole knives had forged bees.
Wonderful craftsmanship. This has long been a coveted item to procure. My grandfather (ITA) had a similar pocket knife from the war. It will be a cherished heirloom item. And as Chef with the Consulate of France in Toronto, this was without doubt a desired purchase.
