Laguiole Bee Chiseling: A meticulous art form

At Forge de Laguiole, each knife is sculpted, assembled and shaped by one craftsman.

Each craftsman puts his distinctive stamp on the knife. The liners or springs can be chiseled or smooth, the rivets simple or quilted, the handle sculpted or plain… but each knife is unique, the product of one single artisan and his years of know-how.

Since the Laguiole knife first appeared in the 1820s, the spring has been decorated with a whole variety of motifs. Each craftsman sculpted a pattern that reflected both his inspiration and talent. Many older models were decorated with the scallop shell carried by pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela, four-leaf clovers or animal heads. The bee became the standard decoration from 1909 onwards. Forge de Laguiole continues to honor this tradition and makes models with traditional bees as well as customized springs. Each bee and each spring is hand-sculpted in the traditional manner.