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Laguiole corkscrew


Chris
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I live in England and want to buy a Laguiole corkscrew as a special present. I read this week that much of that brand is mass-produced in China versus the traditional hand-made French products.

Does anyone know of a website featuring the latter?

Cheers

Chris
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I'm told by French friends that the Aubrac range is authentic:

http://www.laguiole-en-aubrac.fr/anglais/sommaire.html

But this website was recommended to friends who weanted to be as

sure as possible that they were giving a real Laguiole as a gift:

http://www.couteau-laguiole.com/en/how-can-you-tell-the-difference-from-genuine-laguiole-and-fake-0-70.html

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There is no such thing as real or authentic Laguiole, its not a marque deposée and anyone and his dog can produce Laguiole cutlery, production actually ceased in the village of Laguiole décades ago and it was all made at big industrial coutelleries in Thiers, nowadays most has been democalised to China or Vietnam and a coipe of enterprising souls have re_opened  old workshops in the town to produce "genuine" Laguiole by asembling Chinese made parts.

I love the stuff and recently bought 4 sets from Amazon for next to nothing and ended up with 8 sets as the delivery got to my town and then was sent on the tour of all the depots in France, eventually Amazon replaced it with a next day delivery and the original sets turned up a month later.

Funny how Amazon jack their prices up and down, these cost me €14.49 and now they are double [:(]

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0046TUR5Y/ref=pe_386181_40444391_TE_item

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Hi Chris,

Chancer has explained the situation pretty well : there are only 2 manufacturers in Laguiole itself.  The only thing I would contest is the assertion that they are assembling "Chinese made parts".  That isn't the impression given by this 5 minute video here, shot in 2012 for the TV programme Echappées Belles.

http://education.francetv.fr/videos/aveyron-laguiole-et-ses-coutelleries-v111943

Do note however, that the guy does say that the only piece they don't make on site is ...  the corkscrew itself!

HTH

Craig

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No evidence of Chinese parts from the video, as Chancer says. The simple manufacturing process was really quite impressive, using traditional tools and machines.

If you can get a proper one of these knives it would be a joy to use, though corkscrews in my world tend not to last very long, even expensive ones.
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Perhaps in my post I should have said French made by traditional methods.

We bought a folding knife for my husband at the Laguiole shop at Cordes sur Ciel a few years ago. It is a lovely thing, with a lovely movement and lives in the car as his fruit knife when we're out and about. The shop was a bit of a wonderland, really full of interest. Prices were rather more than those seen on markets around us in the Gard.

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[quote user="woolybanana"]No evidence of Chinese parts from the video, as Chancer says. The simple manufacturing process was really quite impressive, using traditional tools and machines. If you can get a proper one of these knives it would be a joy to use, though corkscrews in my world tend not to last very long, even expensive ones.[/quote]

I didnt say on that video, which I probably have seen, I saw it on a couple of other wishy washy French exposé programmes where they asked in the boutique attached to the "genuine laguiole" factory and were assured that the knives were 100% made on the premises, they then pointed out the microscopic "made in PRC" engraving on the back of the spring and were asked to leave.

As we all know "Medd een Frohnse" only needs to mean assembled or repackaged in France.

I'm sure the stuff made in these artisanal boutique outlets are as good as it gets and feel great in the hand, when you buy something that expensive you dont compare it with a mass produced imported item to judge whether its value for money.

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