Forge de Laguiole

HISTORY OF LAGUIOLE
Laguiole (La-YOLE) is a small (pop. 1300) town in the Aubrac mountains of south central France, that gets it's name (and pronunciation!) from the Occitan word for "little church". Young men of the region used to travel to Spain for farm work, bringing back with them the Navaja sheath knives. In 1829, Pierre-Jean Calmels redesigned the Navaja as a folding knife with sprung closure, producing a graceful, sturdy knife meant for farmwork. By the mid-1800s, there were 7 or 8 manufacturers in this small mountain town producing quality hand-made cutlery. In 1880, the corkscrew was added. By the middle of the 20th century, cheaper, machine-made knives produced in other parts of France had driven the Laguiole manufacturers to decline. In the 1980's, however, a revival took place - and Laguioles are once again on the world stage for high end cutlery!

CHARACTERISTICS
On the spine of modern Laguiole cutlery is a Bee or Fly. Which? Some say, a Bee, bestowed by Napoleon for courage and gallantry in battle. Others say a Fly, for the flies that bother Aubrac cows and cowherds alike. Forge de Laguiole Sommelier Corkscrew "Bees" are stylized - a truncated triangle shape that echoes the sleek styling and updated vision of the new Laguioles. The Picnic Knife/Corkscrew follows tradition in this regard, with traditional Bees (actual insect design). Other elements that may or may not appear: a "foot" shape bolster on one end; or, a "Shepherd's Cross" pattern of small rivets, which allows cowherds unable to attend Sunday services to create their own place of worship by opening the blade and planting the knife in the ground.

FORGE de LAGUIOLE
In the mid-1980's, Gérard Boissins was inspired to revive the art of knifemaking in Laguiole and provide much needed employment for its citizens. He wanted to recreate the authentic Laguiole, true to the quality and traditions of the past, but with the fit and finish possible using tools of the late 20th century. Boissins sought out world-renowned architect/designer Philippe Starck to create the new factory (1987), famous now for its steel knife blade soaring 60 feet into the Laguiole sky. The breathtaking Forge de Laguiole "Sommelier" Corkscrews and knife/wine openers offered at Corkscrew.Com are "High End" pieces, with quality to compare to any in the world. They are consistently superior, from sheer elegance of design to exacting attention to detail throughout every step of execution. Hand-crafted to perfection, these Forge de Laguioles are at the top of the list in France, when the occasion calls for an heirloom-calibre gift.