KNIFE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
THE PREMIUM FUNCTION FOR A KNIFE IS ITS CUTTING POWER

This cutting power depends on the 3 following criteria :

1°/ Quality of the steel used for the blade.
2°/ Accuracy of the tempering process.
3°/ Precision of the grinding operation.
 

l-THE STEEL
Here are the 2 types of steel that we use :

A -STAINLESS STEEL contains iron, carbon (from 0.40 to 0.80%),
chromium (around 14%) and some small quantities of various elements
added.

B -CARBON STEEL contains iron, carbon (from 0.60 to 0.80%) and some small quantities of various elements added.
 

2- TEMPERING PROCESS
This aims to give the blade the accurate hardness for both a better and longer use. This key-operation is obtained by heating the blade ( '1030°C for a stainless steel blade, 830°C for a carbon steel blade).

Then the blade is maintained at this temperature for some a few minutes and suddenly recooled.

This, as a result, transforms the molecular structure of the steel to confer its reinforced hardness. ( 58 to 62 HRC hardness international measure).

The steel obtained is fragile, so it needs to be softened by heating the blade once again, but very slow I y and at a temperature between 250 and 320°C (depending on the quality of the steel required).

Then the hardness of the steel is stabilized at 52/54 HRC which is optimum for an efficient cutting power.
 
       

3 -GRINDING PROCESS

This other key-operation is known as a rectification -it is done to
give the final shape to the blade that is thickness and regularity.

This operation is applied by using specific grinding machines
equipped with abrasive grinding. This part of the manufacturing
process needs to be achieved very slow I y and consciously
before the blade is polished to give its final smooth finish.
   
 
DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE KNIFE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

1°/ Stamping the blade or forging by heating and then stamping.

2°/ Piercing the blade where the handle will be assembled.

3°/ Drawing the blade.

4°/ Tempering process (see above).

5°/ Grinding the back of the blade (opposite side of the edge).

6°/ Grinding the blade (see above):

7°/ Preparation before assembling.

8°/ Assembling the blade with the handle (available in wood, horn, plastic or other materials).

9°/ Verification and controls after assembling.

10°/ Shaping the handle.

11°/ Polishing the handle and the blade with polish pastes.

12°/ Polishing up and glazing.

13°/ Washing the knife to get rid of the polish pastes and abrasive residues.

14°/ Sharpening the blade to give its edge.

15°/ Marking its label (if it has not been made before ),.

16°/ Final tidying up and controls.
A lot of "small" operations are needed to guarantee a good cutlery item. Almost all the operations are made by Professional craftsman who control the quality of his making at each stage of the production.

 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION :

An "ECONOME" peeler needs 24 manufacturing operations.

A "LAGUIOLE ROSSIGNOL" needs 105 manufacturing operations (for the most elaborated of them).

IF YOU MISS AN OPERATION, YOU GET A LOWER QUALITY KNIFE.