The Nontron knife shares the name of the French village of its birth located in the Dordogne department. This knife's history is filled with so many legends that it is difficult to date its exact origin; however, most experts agree that the Nontron knife is the oldest French folding knife dating back to the 13th century. Today, the cutlery that bears its name since 1928 produces handmade knives using ancestral methods. The procedures used to conceive todays' Nontron pocket knives are nearly the same since the fifteenth century.
Handle type: Medieval Clog handle. Highly ergonomic, this ancestral design prevents hand slippage and provides a safe resting area for the blade's tip.
Safety ring: This knife features a simple brass locking ring to keep the knife's blade locked while open.
Safety evolution: Early Nontron knives did not have a locking mechanism; the blade was simply held open by the wood's pressure. The first locking device was composed of a simple hole and a nail. Today's brass locking ring was introduced during the 19th century.
Open size: 21.5 cm (8.45")
Blade Size: 9.2 cm (3.62")
Blade Type: Drop-point
Bade: XC75 carbon steel blade
Handle Size: 12.2 cm (4.80")
Weight: ~ 39 grams (1.4 oz.))
MUST KNOW BEFORE PURCHASING A CARBON BLADE KNIFE
Avoid leaving your carbon blade knife in damp environments for too long. Place a little food-grade mineral oil on all metal parts regularly. Dry the blade using a dry cloth after each use. Carbon knife blades are made using steel with a high carbon content, which is what makes it possible to achieve excellent hardness after heat treatment, guaranteeing the strength of the cutting edge, resistance to wear, and ease of sharpening. The hardness obtained after heat treatment are theoretically slightly greater in steels that do not contain chrome. The cutting strength is, therefore, better with a Carbon steel knife and sharpening is much easier than stainless steel blades that contain chrome. However, Carbon has a low resistance to corrosion caused by moisture, which means that certain precautionary measures are necessary when using and storing Carbon knives: we recommend that you avoid damp environments and that you dry the blade after each use.
Hand-shaped from 40 to 50-year-old Boxwood harvested from locally grown trees and air-dried for 5 years.
Using old boxwood assures an unprecedented degree of hardness and prevents splits commonly found in such hardwoods. Boxwood is best suited for turning and is commonly used to create small wood objects such as chess pieces, musical instruments, and knife handles.
Fact: Old-growth boxwood is extremely dense, hard, and tends to be very expensive.
The wood burned patterns, whose origin and meanings are still not fully understood, are made from “flies,” a kind of reversed V surrounded by 3 points and rows of small dots. Religious symbols? Perhaps a reference to the Freemasons' compass or the Compagnons du Devoir? No one really knows.
Of course, many are convinced that they know the meaning of this mystical symbol. We, at Laguiole Imports, are no different; we are certain that the symbol is one of a compass (V) and the three dots (∴) representing the first three craft degrees of initiation in the Masonic Honor Points. These fascinating symbols first appeared with the clog handle design. Today, they decorate all boxwood models of pockets and table knives. Fact: The Nontron shop is the oldest continuously operating cutlery in France.
The legendary Nontron symbol being apply to a boxwood handle
The Nontron knife factory, located in the village of Nontron, France
For best care, refrain from submerging in water and dry immediately. We recommend using Tuf-Glide Oil-Free Lubricant 1/4 oz Pen. Periodically apply a few drops of lubricant to the axle of all moving parts to maintain optimal performance.
The Nontron knife shares the name of the French village of its birth located in the Dordogne department. This knife's history is filled with so many legends that it is difficult to date its exact origin; however, most experts agree that the Nontron knife is the oldest French folding knife dating back to the 13th century. Today, the cutlery that bears its name since 1928 produces handmade knives using ancestral methods. The procedures used to conceive todays' Nontron pocket knives are nearly the same since the fifteenth century.
Handle type: Medieval Clog handle. Highly ergonomic, this ancestral design prevents hand slippage and provides a safe resting area for the blade's tip.
Safety ring: This knife features a simple brass locking ring to keep the knife's blade locked while open.
Safety evolution: Early Nontron knives did not have a locking mechanism; the blade was simply held open by the wood's pressure. The first locking device was composed of a simple hole and a nail. Today's brass locking ring was introduced during the 19th century.
Open size: 21.5 cm (8.45")
Blade Size: 9.2 cm (3.62")
Blade Type: Drop-point
Bade: XC75 carbon steel blade
Handle Size: 12.2 cm (4.80")
Weight: ~ 39 grams (1.4 oz.))
MUST KNOW BEFORE PURCHASING A CARBON BLADE KNIFE
Avoid leaving your carbon blade knife in damp environments for too long. Place a little food-grade mineral oil on all metal parts regularly. Dry the blade using a dry cloth after each use. Carbon knife blades are made using steel with a high carbon content, which is what makes it possible to achieve excellent hardness after heat treatment, guaranteeing the strength of the cutting edge, resistance to wear, and ease of sharpening. The hardness obtained after heat treatment are theoretically slightly greater in steels that do not contain chrome. The cutting strength is, therefore, better with a Carbon steel knife and sharpening is much easier than stainless steel blades that contain chrome. However, Carbon has a low resistance to corrosion caused by moisture, which means that certain precautionary measures are necessary when using and storing Carbon knives: we recommend that you avoid damp environments and that you dry the blade after each use.
Hand-shaped from 40 to 50-year-old Boxwood harvested from locally grown trees and air-dried for 5 years.
Using old boxwood assures an unprecedented degree of hardness and prevents splits commonly found in such hardwoods. Boxwood is best suited for turning and is commonly used to create small wood objects such as chess pieces, musical instruments, and knife handles.
Fact: Old-growth boxwood is extremely dense, hard, and tends to be very expensive.
The wood burned patterns, whose origin and meanings are still not fully understood, are made from “flies,” a kind of reversed V surrounded by 3 points and rows of small dots. Religious symbols? Perhaps a reference to the Freemasons' compass or the Compagnons du Devoir? No one really knows.
Of course, many are convinced that they know the meaning of this mystical symbol. We, at Laguiole Imports, are no different; we are certain that the symbol is one of a compass (V) and the three dots (∴) representing the first three craft degrees of initiation in the Masonic Honor Points. These fascinating symbols first appeared with the clog handle design. Today, they decorate all boxwood models of pockets and table knives. Fact: The Nontron shop is the oldest continuously operating cutlery in France.
The legendary Nontron symbol being apply to a boxwood handle
The Nontron knife factory, located in the village of Nontron, France
For best care, refrain from submerging in water and dry immediately. We recommend using Tuf-Glide Oil-Free Lubricant 1/4 oz Pen. Periodically apply a few drops of lubricant to the axle of all moving parts to maintain optimal performance.
