This is not a knife

ShortNCuddlyAm · 11-16-2009, 03:57 PM

Made by a very talented French knifemaker (Alain Valette, website here), who created this piece as an homage to Magritte:

zelda_pinwheel · 11-16-2009, 03:59 PM

brilliant.

looks like it's not a laguiole knife, to me. although i can't see the bee. maybe there is not a bee to show that it's not a laguiole.

GA Russell · 11-16-2009, 04:06 PM

Impressive!

kindlekitten · 11-16-2009, 04:10 PM

*confused*

Peverel · 11-16-2009, 05:55 PM

Oh I like that

pholy · 11-16-2009, 09:52 PM

That's sharp!

lilac_jive · 11-16-2009, 10:00 PM

That is so cool

wodin · 11-16-2009, 11:41 PM

It's definitely not a Swiss Army knife!

GraceKrispy · 11-17-2009, 12:50 AM

That is way cool!! It took me a few minutes to figure it out....

Stitchawl · 11-17-2009, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

brilliant.

looks like it's not a laguiole knife, to me. although i can't see the bee. maybe there is not a bee to show that it's not a laguiole.

You're correct, Zelda... It's not a Laguiole. But it is perhaps one of the best 'value for money' knives ever made, and it is very French! It's an "Opinel" knife.

Where the upper class used their Laguiole to open wine bottles, the farmers and workmen used their Opinels to cut bread, cheese, and sausage. With only two moving parts, including its carbon steel blade, and locking steel collar ring (which is what you see in the middle of the sculpture) it is almost indestructible, takes an edge easily and holds it a long time, and costs less than $8-$15 USD for most models. Almost unknown outside of France for many years, these little gems can now be found in almost every country. In fact, they are even sold in America's 'Walmart!'
http://www.opinel.com.au/images/History-no12.gif
I collect knives and I own several Opinels myself, and use them when traveling as I don't worry about losing one or having it taken away at airports. I still have the two that I first bought in Chambry, France back in the early 70's. Used a lot, but still just as good as the day I bought them!

Stitchawl

zelda_pinwheel · 11-17-2009, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

You're correct, Zelda... It's not a Laguiole. But it is perhaps one of the best 'value for money' knives ever made, and it is very French! It's an "Opinel" knife.

oh, pfff, obviously ! i should have seen that right away. i was confused by the perspective, the handle looked thinner and more curvy to me.

yeah, that's it. i really should have known better, because if there are 2 knives in the world which are distinctly recognizeable (even to me, usually, not that i'm an expert on knives, obviously !) it's the laguiole and the opinel, and i actually even HAVE an opinel !! (somewhere) so i have no excuse.

just a question though, why don't you have to worry about having it taken away at airports ? famous or not, it's still a knife, right ?

HarryT · 11-17-2009, 06:25 AM

I'm sorry, but I don't understand this. Why is this "not a knife"? It certainly looks like a knife to me!

zelda_pinwheel · 11-17-2009, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Made by a very talented French knifemaker (Alain Valette, website here), who created this piece as an homage to Magritte:

(and technically, it's *not* a knife. in fact it's about as clearly not a knife as it could be.)

HarryT · 11-17-2009, 06:28 AM

Yes, I understand the Magritte thing - he was saying "this is not a pipe; it's a picture of a pipe", but this really IS a knife, isn't it? It's not a picture? Or is it?

zelda_pinwheel · 11-17-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, I understand the Magritte thing - he was saying "this is not a pipe; it's a picture of a pipe", but this really IS a knife, isn't it? It's not a picture? Or is it?

hm, i'm sincerely confused. what picture are you looking at ? how would you cut anything with that, if it's a knife ?

11-16-2009, 03:57 PM	#1
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	This is not a knife Made by a very talented French knifemaker (Alain Valette, website here), who created this piece as an homage to Magritte:

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11-16-2009, 03:59 PM	#2
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	brilliant. looks like it's not a laguiole knife, to me. although i can't see the bee. maybe there is not a bee to show that it's not a laguiole.

11-16-2009, 04:06 PM	#3
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Impressive!

11-16-2009, 04:10 PM	#4
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	confused

11-16-2009, 05:55 PM	#5
Peverel Still Easily Confused Posts: 889 Karma: 505319 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampshire/Berkshire/Surrey - yes I am that big Device: Kindle	Oh I like that

11-16-2009, 09:52 PM	#6
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	That's sharp!

11-16-2009, 10:00 PM	#7
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	That is so cool

11-16-2009, 11:41 PM	#8
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	It's definitely not a Swiss Army knife!

11-17-2009, 12:50 AM	#9
GraceKrispy It's Dr. Penguin now! Posts: 3,909 Karma: 4705733 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: (USA) Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)	That is way cool!! It took me a few minutes to figure it out....

11-17-2009, 06:25 AM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm sorry, but I don't understand this. Why is this "not a knife"? It certainly looks like a knife to me!

11-17-2009, 06:28 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, I understand the Magritte thing - he was saying "this is not a pipe; it's a picture of a pipe", but this really IS a knife, isn't it? It's not a picture? Or is it?

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