France 🇫🇷 - Thiers - French Capital of Knife Making

[raydm6]

After our visits to Roanne, Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire, Saint-Haon-le-Châtel, Lyon & Old Lyon (Vieux Lyon), Annecy, Chambéry, and Le Bourget-du-Lac, we rested a few days, then ventured and spent the day in Thiers - the French capital of knife making.

We toured the ancient medieval buildings, stopped for some coffee - then later beer, and some light faire.

Our hosts were gracious to purchase me a knife as a souvenir from one of the multi-generational knife shops - where I met the knife-maker. A very interesting place with very friendly people.

 

[raydm6]

 

[raydm6]

 

[raydm6]

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Excellent photos! I'm very much enjoying this series of photos you are posting from France.

That photo of the delicious-looking double expresso is making it difficult for me to choke down my Kerig-brewed (and doubtless microplastic filled) office coffee.

No photo of the knife?

 

[raydm6]

Excellent photos! I'm very much enjoying this series of photos you are posting from France.

That photo of the delicious-looking double expresso is making it difficult for me to choke down my Kerig-brewed (and doubtless microplastic filled) office coffee.

No photo of the knife?

Thank you for the kind words @Disappointed_Horse!

Ha! I knew you would ask (I would also 🙂) ...Here you go:

This is the knife 🔪 maker: David Ponson


And the David Ponson knife along with an Opinel No. 8 I was gifted by a beautiful couple we chummed with along part of our trip. The wood on the Ponson knife is Norwegian Birch.

My wife's sister and brother-in-law (who is French and took us all around) wanted me to have a souvenir. They were so generous and gracious. I was touched. I picked this style as the wine corkscrew will remind us of all the wine we drank together.

 

[skopar steve]

Wonderful images of your trip. Blade and a corkscrew. The essentials of a pocket knife for picnics Thanks for sharing.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Wow! That Ponson knife is a beauty. I've never seen a folder with file work like that on the back of the lock mechanism. (And I'm sure you put that corkscrew to good use as well.)

 

[Anthony Harvey]

A marvellous photo essay of the town with superb angles of view and compositions. It's very evocative of the essence of many French towns and makes me feel I really was there. Thank you.

(Not many people about when you took the pictures. Were they taken in the very early hours?)

 

[raydm6]

Wonderful images of your trip. Blade and a corkscrew. The essentials of a pocket knife for picnics Thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much @skopar steve!

 

[raydm6]

A marvellous photo essay of the town with superb angles of view and compositions. It's very evocative of the essence of many French towns and makes me feel I really was there. Thank you.

(Not many people about when you took the pictures. Were they taken in the very early hours?)

Thank you very much @Anthony Harvey!

Most of the photos were taken during mid-day to late-afternoon. There were not too many people out and about - that was common for some of the smaller communes we visited earlier - (although there were customers in the various knife shops). Later, folks started coming out for some coffee or a beer. We spoke to several and had some nice conversations.

I was actually peeking into one of the knife-makers production/work areas (sort of a lower level-basement arrangement) and he saw me and came out to chat. Very charming. We ran into him later at the cafe having a beer and chatted some more. He emigrated from the Middle East if I recall correctly - although to me, he resembled Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) a bit. Very friendly people.

I would have never seen nor known about these parts of France if it wasn't for our host. I give him credit to taking us to these beautiful places.

 

[agentlossing]

Lovely images! There's a town full of history and tradition.

I like the knives very much as well. The carbone blade was a good pick - they're harder to find in shops or when ordering online, the inox stainless is more common. The carbone should be easier to put a keener edge on, as well as stay sharp for longer.

 

[FIegiso]

I'd not heard of Thiers. Capitol of French knife making eh? It is now on my list to stop over when we are up and around in France.

I do like a quality knife. Carried a pocket knife since I was "this tall." What are the scales made of on your knife?

 

[raydm6]

Thank you @agentlossing! I agree. We were actually at the main Opinel Store in Chambéry but unfortunately, they were closed.

 

[raydm6]

I'd not heard of Thiers. Capitol of French knife making eh? It is now on my list to stop over when we are up and around in France.

I do like a quality knife. Carried a pocket knife since I was "this tall." What are the scales made of on your knife?

Thank you @Flegiso. They are made of Norwegian Birch.

He had a booklet describing the various scale woods used on his knives.

 

[Harry the K]

Thank you @Flegiso. They are made of Norwegian Birch.

He had a booklet describing the various scale woods used on his knives.

Do you know the meaning of the Opinel logo? Something like sworn to the crown?

 

[raydm6]

Do you know the meaning of the Opinel logo? Something like sworn to the crown?View attachment 4882440

Nice set! Looks like all No. 8's?

I'm still trying to loosen mine up using some almond oil.

Regarding the logo, this from Wikipedia (not sure how accurate it is):

---

Logo​

Opinel logo
The main couronnée ("crowned hand") device was already present on the blade of very early models. Later the words OPINEL and FRANCE were added, as well as INOX ("stainless", from "INOXidable", meaning "non-oxidizable) in the case of stainless steel blades.

The image of the hand comes from the arms of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, and represents the relics of John the Baptist, three of whose finger-bones were supposedly brought back from Alexandria by Saint Tecla in the 5th century. The crown comes from the arms of Savoy, the larger region containing Savoie.

---

 

[Harry the K]

The Carbone is smaller, the last in the row is bigger.
All I do is avoid getting them wet, water makes the wood swell.
Sharpening is pretty easy with the ordinary steel utilized. The Carbone is harder.
From time to time I buy one as a souvenir. The Carbone is from Venice, the Vercors from Vercors, and the last one from Porlock/ Exmoor National Park.

 

[rumbliegeos]

A lovely photo essay that makes me want to visit Thiers. The use of Norwegian birch in your knife may have been inspired by the extensive use of that material in the very aesthetically pleasing and practical belt knives made by the Sámi reindeer herders of northernmost Scandinavia.

 

[raydm6]

Thank you @rumbliegeos - I hope you have a chance to visit sometime soon. Thanks also for the wood reference. Very interesting.