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- Actualités Arbalète
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The manufacture Arbalète G. David
We could highlight our know-how, talk about the three generations of knifemakers who have succeeded each other under the sign of the Arbalète, detail at length the many operations that preside over the birth of a knife. We would be particularly well placed to tell you about them, since from the making of the blade to the final assembly, they are all carried out in our own workshops.
We could talk about work... but we prefer to talk about pleasure. Your pleasure and our pleasure. Of the pleasure we take in caressing with our eyes and then with our hands noble and authentic materials.
The true value of an object is when, beyond the perfect response to its function, it emanates the pleasure that was taken to make it. Look at a carefully chosen horn, cut, shaped, mounted and polished: now a knife handle, it will tell you a story, a story of pleasure. One could even say a love story...
Assembly of a Laguiole knife
Excellence since 1810
In 1922, Mr. Genès David gives birth to the company that bears his name. The appearance of the name Arbalète goes back to the 19th century: it belonged to the ancestors of Mr. Genès David. At that time, the factory produced mainly regional folding knives such as the Aurillac, the Yssingeaux, the Langres, the London, the Pradel or the Aveyronnais.
The factory, located on the side of the Thiernoise mountain overlooking the Vallée des Rouets, also produced craft knives such as serpettes or grafting knives.
The small workshop, located in the heart of the Thiernoise mountain in Granetias, developed over the years while refining its know-how.
By the 1960's, the artisanal manufacture of the Laguiole knife had almost disappeared: at that time, there was hardly any Laguiole knife produced in the village of the same name located in the Aveyron. Then Mr. Genès David started to revive the craft manufacturing in Thiers. Later, Mr. Jean-Louis David, having succeeded his father, developed the manufacture of the Laguiole knife in a considerable way. The range of Laguiole knives offered by the factory then took a tremendous rise. Since then, an infinite number of variations have been created around the original shape of the Laguiole. Over the years, the factory has become the great reference of the Laguiole knife.
Tradition and creativity
Aujourd’hui, la manufacture Laguiole Arbalète Genès David perpétue l’excellence de la fabrication artisanale et traditionnelle des maîtres couteliers thiernois. Tout en poursuivant la fabrication des modèles qui ont fait sa réputation, Arbalète G. David parie sur l’avenir.
En effet, la manufacture de coutellerie se veut à la hauteur des exigences de ses clients, c'est pour cela qu'elle est sans arrêt en quête de nouveautés et en accord avec son temps. Notre chalenge est de réussir à réunir la traditionnel au modern pour satisfaire sa clientèle au mieux.
Carving of a handle in buffalo horn
A unique know-how
Traditional case of work of the companions of the manufacture
All the manufacturing stages are carried out in our workshops. The workshop in Saint-Rémy- sur-Durolle is located in a pine forest in the heart of the Thiernoise mountains: this unique setting illustrates our desire to preserve the know-how of yesteryear.
The making of a knife requires many hours of work. It is necessary to distinguish two phases: on the one hand, the manufacturing of the pieces from authentic and quality materials; on the other hand, the assembly of the knives. In total, more than a hundred steps are necessary to make a Laguiole knife.
The blades are cut from a high quality Swedish steel, 12C27. This unalterable alloy is well known for its resistance. Arbalète G. David still makes, for the traditional knife lovers, the blades in carbon steel, as in the past. This steel gives the blade a great sharpness.