Laguiole Knives in NYC

[Fat Guy]

Does anybody know of a place in New York City that offers a good selection of Laguiole knives, particularly the folding ones? I don't mean the crap stainless steak-knife sets you can get at department stores, which have watered down the product's image lately. I mean the good ones with guillochage and interesting handles.

[CathyL]

Paragon - the knife department is on the second floor.

[Bux]

Clearly you want to pop over to the town of that name and visit the Phiippe Stark designed factory and showroom just outside of town. Although ths showroom in town is nice as well, it doesn't offer the look at the manufacturing process and may not have the same range of sales on seconds. There's even a good local restaurant with rooms for the night off the road that goes past the factory.

Actually there are many producers of Laguiole products, but I am very highly partial to Forge de Laguiole. There's a web page on their site with addresses of retail shops in Paris and Toulouse, but if you click a link for the "700 retailers in 42 ountries in table cutlery, gift department, wine, design, fishing and outdoor stores," you'll get a form to fill out asking where you live and in which the knives/implements you are interested.

Pay my carfare and I'll pick up anything you want. Hey, I didn't ask for you to pay my room and board which could easily run more than the transporation, especially if I was drinking on someone else's dime.

[tigerwoman]

I was at the Kirin Japanese Trading Corp (57 Warren Street) a few weeks ago and they were making hand forged Japanese knives that looked no pun intended killer.

They had lots of other neat stuff from gorgeous ceramic sushi dishes to funky Japanese Utensils - even a semi automated sushi roller.

They are open to the public but sometimes offer a discount to the trade (shades of Bridge)

[Fat Guy]

I learned today that Hermes makes a Laguiole called the "Herlag" (as in Hermes-Laguiole). It has a leather-wrapped Hermes-made handle (available in black, brown, or red) and a Laguiole blade. Just $610.

[Matthew Grant]

Clearly you want to pop over to the town of that name and visit the Phiippe Stark designed factory and showroom just outside of town. Although ths showroom in town is nice as well, it doesn't offer the look at the manufacturing process and may not have the same range of sales on seconds. There's even a good local restaurant with rooms for the night off the road that goes past the factory. 

Actually there are many producers of Laguiole products, but I am very highly partial to Forge de Laguiole. There's a web page on their site with addresses of retail shops in Paris and Toulouse, but if you click a link for the "700 retailers in 42 ountries in table cutlery, gift department, wine, design, fishing and outdoor stores," you'll get a form to fill out asking where you live and in which the knives/implements you are interested.

Pay my carfare and I'll pick up anything you want.    Hey, I didn't ask for you to pay my room and board which could easily run more than the transporation, especially if I was drinking on someone else's dime.

Fat Guy, I'll be in Laguiole next month and I don't want my food and board paid for (although if you insist) . All I require is for you to buy a second set of knives as a thank you to me for getting yours

Bux, are there good discounts on seconds?

[Bux]

Bux, are there good discounts on seconds?

I'm not sure if the discounts are good, but check them out. We paid around 33 euros a knife for black horn handled table knives with two brass "mitres" at the downtown store. As I recall that model was being featured and discounted at the downtown store. When we later visited the factory I believe they had discounts on seconds of other models, but I didn't check the price to see how much of a discount there was, nor did we look at the knifes to see if the imprefections were noticable. There was a wide variety of knives and if I'm not mistaken, even the "simple" table knives we bought were available in several sizes, or lengths. The table knives came in wood boxes of two, four or six. We wanted eight and bought two boxes of four. I liked the wood handled ones, but wanted to get six different ones. My wife thought that was tacky and ugly, so we compromised on horn. The only thing I can add is that the dollar has dropped in value more than 15% since then.

There are many other companies that make Laguoile knives, although I understand that some of them do not carry out the operation from start to finish within the area. I don't know if that matters or why it might matter. There are stores in town that carry many brands of Laguiole knives.

[Rail Paul]

Expanding a bit on Bux's post. Wine Spectator has an article in its Feb 28, 2001 edition on Laguiole travel and the origins of the knife. Also, comments on Bras, cheese, and baked goods.

WS says the advent of machinery ended the hand making of knives in Laguoile. From factories in Thiers and Taiwan, knives roll out with the Laguiole bee emblem.

In 1987 the local knife industry revived with new knife designs, still hand made. Americans are the main buyers of the sommelier type. Unfortunately, the Laguiole logo is not tradmark-able, and the article says even the Calmels store offers some local and some imported versions.

The WS article offers the following website for the genuine article

Laguiole

[Bux]

I'd dispute WS and their choice of a factory that sells "acrylique" handled knives as the genuine article, but of course there are many makers in town. Some of them import parts from which they assemble the knife. I'll stick with Forge de Laguiole as the one used by most of the better restaurants in France. Their hallmark is the one I see when I'm given a Laguiole in France. Michel Bras uses his own design and sells them at the inn, but they are also made at la Forge de Laguiole and bear the Forge de Laguiole company marking.

[LBNoble]

Worldknives.com has a small selection of Laguiole knives. I'm waiting for the Camarguais olivewood sommelier knife to be back in stock, might be a few months I've been told. Not a Laguiole, but today I received a #5 drop point hunter, D2 steel, with a bone handle from Gene Ingram. This is a lovely knife, I like having a magnetic knife rack (need more)in the kitchen, so I can look at my favorites. I got a 8" Kai Shun chefs knife for Valentines Day & find that I'm using it alot, it's heavier than my 9" Spyderco...Linda

Edited April 22, 2003 by LBNoble (log)

[laura]

Cafetiere(sp) on ninth ave in the 20's, I don't remember exactly, it's

across ninth from La Bergamot Bakery . I think 21st.

[viejo majadero]

Check out the Professional Cutlery Direct catalogue. Last time I saw one they had a large Laguiole section. 1-800-859-6994. They also have web site.

[Fat Guy]

Cafetiere(sp)  on ninth ave in the 20's, I don't remember exactly, it's

across ninth from La Bergamot Bakery . I think 21st.

Is this it?

La Cafetiere -- China, Glassware & Utensils

160 9th Ave New York NY (646) 486-0667

[Fat Guy]

Check out the Professional Cutlery Direct catalogue.  Last time I saw one they had a large Laguiole section.  1-800-859-6994.  They also have web site.

I don't think PCD (cutlery.com) has any of the folding knives, but I'll check again. I want to be able to see the knives in the flesh, though -- this is a situation in which I don't want to make a purchase based only on a photo.

[viejo majadero]

Fat Guy

Just got the new catalogue and they carry some folding.

May give you an inspiration. Note: Knives in the catalogue are not on line for some reason, unless my search did not work.

Viejo

[weinhen]

FWIW, I've had an olive wood handled chateau laguiole corkscrew for a few years, ordered over the web at corkscrew.com. Good price and a corkscrew that I love more and more as its handle becomes burnished with use.ood

Andrew

[jtb]

After a lot of research on the the topic, IMHO the best knives that I've seen come out of La Coutellerie de Laguiole - particularly if you are after custom hand-made work such as scrimshaw handles, Damascus blades and bolsters, hand spine chisling, etc. Arguably the best Damascus artisan in France, Yves Conquet, practices his trade here, and the young Jean-Michel Cayron is an exceptional scrimshaw artisan. Their work isn't cheap, but ...

In North America, it's best to deal with the factory representative, Alex Delorme, in Canada. Check out http://www.laguiole-elite.com/

I have no connection with them, with the exception of being a satisfied customer who owns several custom folding knives and a wine opener.