Beware of counterfeits and imposters…

The models of the Laguiole knives, as well as the name, are wonderful legacies from our ancestors. Unfortunately, our ancestors forgot to patent the name within the legal time limit.After 20 years of existence in France, any product comes into the public domain. The legal time limit for patents has expired. The product is left unprotected. As a consequence anyone can brand anything as Laguiole. The Laguiole knives cannot be protected by a label of origin such as a government certification because these only take into account food products.

Nowadays we experience a flooding of the market by a multitude of low quality products which are stamped Laguiole, have the honeybee and are sold as more authentic than others.
Of all those VERY LOW QUALITY products, none are made in Laguiole, France.

Some are made in Pakistan or China. They are sold:
- by associations with the Pradel France brand,
- by tobacco shops,
- by stallholders at markets or in trade fairs...

Others, made in Thiers (France) and in China by machines, are sold at about 50 dollars for a 6-knife box:
- in some shops,
- in supermarkets,
- or given away with foie gras, mineral water, subscriptions, or in gas stations...


In any case, your genuine Laguiole knife has to be sold with a Proof of Authenticity Including:
- the name of the manufacturer
- the address of the manufacturer
- the manufacturer's phone number
- and a manufacturer's lifetime guarantee

For consumers, this is the only way to recognize the quality of the product purchased. Whenever we make quality products, we mark them with the name, address and phone number of the maker.
Without these markings, the product may have been made to cheat the consumer.

It is only by ensuring continuity in the manufacturing quality of our knives and by respecting work and handcrafting skills that we will succeed in raising the standards of the art of cutlery production.