Laguiole

Laguiole is a well know make of knives in France. Famous historically for being the knife that all the sheep farmers had in their pockets. Its certainly still is that, every true Aveyronaies has one, but it is also a big business too and there are lots of designer brands as well. I went to the village of Laguiole and stumble upon this small excellent work shop where the prices were a bit less and the Atelier was fantastic; not at all showy, covered in dust everywhere and really, passionately, real. He sharpened and fixed my friends knife for free and we stayed for ages talking and watching him work. The knife in the pictures is mine, and the final one is of some of the landscape around laguiole and Aubrac. See wikipedie on laguiole here.

I particularly like when it says:

Traditionally only the head of the household was allowed to snap his blade shut, meaning the family could clear the table.