Assembling your knife, Robert David cutlery

Mount your knife in Thiers

Having just arrived in the area to join the editorial staff of La Gazette de Thiers, I’m going to test out the various tourist and summer experiences in Livradois-Forez for you. This week, I’m continuing my journey by assembling my own knife at the Robert David cutlery factory, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

And if I may say so, a knife assembled according to the rules of the art. It’s not that simple, believe me. To make the workshop go as smoothly as possible, I needed Dylan, my apprentice master, to be with me for these two hours. It was Dylan, who has been apprenticing at Robert David cutlery for two years, who guided me through the workshop.

Feel like a cutler At a knife manufacturer

Each step is important for what’s to come:

First and foremost, as with all manual work, I put on my apron. Once I’d finished this first step, I approached my workbench with some trepidation. It has to be said that, apart from changing a light bulb or hammering a nail, manual work is not my forte. But I take the plunge, and anyway, there’s a first time for everything. Three other women, new to cutlery, take part in the workshop. Dylan quickly explainsthe purpose of the pieces in front of us and how the session will unfold.

In front of us are the two plates that will form the knife, the spring that will be used to open and close it, and the two slices of olive wood that will dress it. There’s also the blade, not yet sharpened.

It's all about getting the knife just right

I try to do as I’m told and concentrate as hard as I can. After theory comes practice. I pick up my first slice of olive tree and place it against a platen. Once against the plate, I face the milling machine to drill the wood. Using a pair of pliers, I hold the wood firmly against the platen. A conscientious exercise that requires a certain manual dexterity. My first instinct is to operate the router with my left hand, which is not very practical as the lever is opposite my right hand. At first, I try to act as if nothing had happened, but my clumsiness soon becomes apparent. But once I get the hang of it, it’s almost, and I mean almost, child’s play.

Once our two wooden plates are drilled, the first step begins. After two or three hammer blows in the wind, I more or less get the hang of it, and the wire is correctly positioned in the knife. Dylan helps me regularly with the hammer. I think he’s noticed that I’m not very handy, and I can see him smiling.

Knife assembly made easy

When it comes to cutting the wire, it turns out to be too hard. Fortunately, Dylan comes to the rescue. Once the wire is held between the plates and the spring, we cut it with pliers. I try to manage, although it would take the strength of both my arms to be able to cut it.

After a few minutes of hard struggle against the thick wire, Dylan comes to finish cutting it. It’s a repetitive action, as all three knife holes have to be cut again. Once the wire is inside, we make sure it’s not too visible and file it down. This makes it easier to close the knife smoothly. Once this superb knife is assembled, there are still a few essential steps that only Dylan can perform.

The milling machine drills the wood to fit the turntable.

The milling machine is used to drill holes in the wood fitted to the turntable.

During the 45 minutes he spends shaping, polishing, sharpening and engraving, he shows us a film that helps us understand the assembly stages, which he hasn’t necessarily taken the time to explain. These stages are not carried out by the public, as it would take too much time and could be dangerous. It’s a job that requires more technique, and turns out to be even more meticulous.

When Dylan comes back with my clean knife, the light olive wood dresses it up nicely, and I’m extremely proud to be waving it around.

It’s a very instructive experience, and every detail Dylan takes into account shows the savoir-faire of French cutlery, and particularly that of the Thiers region.