It is called the "herder's cross"
It appeared quite recently: at the end of the nineteenth century. Twice a year the seasonal livestock drive occurs on the vast basaltic Aubrac plateau where the village of Laguiole is located (in May, on the Sunday closest to the 20th and on October 13th, on Saint Géraud Day). In the old days, the distance was covered by foot on rural the paths and thus the seasonal livestock drive was an expedition lasting several days. In our region were Catholicism had a great importance, the herders used to stick the knife's blade into their bread. The cross represents an act of prayer (it has been called the herder's rosary). That is why this decoration appears on one side of the handle only. The ancient Laguiole knives bear this decoration most of the time but other patterns adorned the knives on the customers demand.

It is the honeybee, symbol of the Laguiole knife.
Our local legend says it is Napoleon Bonaparte's imperial seal that was offered to the town of Laguiole as a token of gratitude for the townsfolk's courage during battles. The honeybee is a technical term used by manufacturers to designate the knife springhead. On our famous knife the springhead is a honeybee.
Beware; a honeybee on a knife does not guaranty the quality or origin of the knife!

Superstition is the reason.
A local custom has it that a cutting object may not be given away. This is to avoid the risk of cutting the love or friendship existing between the giver and receiver of the gift. To ward off misfortune and to maintain tradition, the person who receives a knife as a gift should give a coin to the person who offers the knife; the present then becomes an exchange. When discussing this with our foreign customers, we realized that this tradition is widespread in all neighbouring countries! Its origins are a mystery…