Kitchen knives

A good kitchen knife doesn't fight the hand: it cuts clean and lets you work. That's what I aim for in every knife made in Courpière — chef, paring, slicer, santoku or gyuto, chosen for a task, never for a style.

Available pieces

Kitchen set — Jean Micarta

€445.00

Kitchen set — Ironwood

€535.00

Kitchen knives made for the movement

A kitchen knife is judged on the board. The quality of a blade shows quickly: it cuts clean, moves through the food properly and lets the hand work without forcing. A clean cut preserves the texture of the food rather than crushing the fibres, and makes preparation simpler. That's the aim of every FL Toussaint kitchen knife: a useful tool that's pleasant to use, not a decorative object on the wall.

These knives are for keen home cooks, demanding enthusiasts and people who cook regularly, at home or in serious use. My kitchen knives may be one-off pieces or small batches. In every case, assembly, fitting, finishing and sharpening are done in the workshop.

Choosing a blade by use

A knife's shape should answer a use, not a trend. French shapes remain a logical base: the chef's knife for slicing and chopping, the paring knife for small work, the boning knife for separating flesh and bone, the slicer for long, even cuts. Some Japanese shapes answer precise uses: the versatile santoku, the petty for detail, the gyuto close to a chef's knife.

I don't pick a shape because it's French or Japanese, but because it answers a movement. The right choice depends on the board, the hand and cooking habits. Depending on the batch and availability, this category may include these different profiles — without all of them necessarily being available at any given moment.

Artisan making in Courpière

I make my kitchen knives in Courpière, in the Thiers cutlery region. Making follows several stages: designing the knife, drawing up the technical files, laser-cutting the steel structures where that process is used, then assembly, fitting, shaping, finishing, sharpening and edge inspection.

Laser cutting is a precision tool: it gives consistent bases, particularly on small batches. It doesn't replace the knifemaker's work. The accuracy of the outline comes from the machine; the final balance comes from the bench — reworking, checking, correcting until the blade and handle come together in the hand.

Geometry, steels and edge retention

On a kitchen knife, blade geometry decides a great deal. A fine grind, good thinness behind the edge: the blade enters the food with less effort, provided it stays suited to the intended use. The balance between blade and handle matters as much as the edge itself. Geometry too fine for rough use gets damaged; geometry too thick tires the movement.

Depending on the piece, I may work with stainless steels, powder steels, stainless damascus or carbon steels. The choice depends on the knife, its use and the balance sought between fineness of cut, edge retention, corrosion resistance and ease of maintenance. Among the steels used: 14C28N, N690, RWL34, 1.4116 / X50CrMoV15. The aim isn't an edge that never dulls — that doesn't exist — but a clean edge, suited to the use and maintainable. To go further, see the article on steels.

Handles, damp and comfort in the kitchen

The kitchen is a damp environment, subject to frequent washing. A handle therefore has to stay stable and sure in the hand. Wood brings a warmth and presence you feel in the hand; dense woods and stabilised woods offer good stability against damp and reasonable cleaning. Stabilised or composite materials answer other constraints: damp, stability, maintenance. The right choice depends on the knife and its use — no material is superior at everything.

A fine material isn't enough: it has to stay stable, accept the build and serve the line of the knife. Comfort in the grip and reasonable cleaning come before visual effect.

Caring for an artisan kitchen knife

An artisan kitchen knife is washed by hand and dried straight away. It should not go in the dishwasher: heat, detergents and prolonged damp wear the blade, the edge and the handle. Cut on a suitable board, wood or plastic, rather than glass, stone or ceramic. Store the knife dry and keep the edge maintained regularly, rather than waiting until it's completely dull to sharpen it.

More in the care guide and the article on sharpening. For a knife suited to a particular hand, board or use, a bespoke piece is possible; you can also contact me directly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a chef's knife, a paring knife and a lamb knife?

The chef's knife works on the board: vegetables, meats, herbs, the majority of preparations. The paring knife takes care of hand-held work: peeling, trimming, fine cutting. The lamb knife occupies the middle: long enough to slice a fillet. These three formats complement each other, each covering what the other two do less well.

Should you choose a French or Japanese kitchen knife?

Neither on principle. The choice depends on your gesture: French shapes often accompany a rocking movement on the board, Japanese shapes a more direct gesture with generally thinner blades. Also include the prepared foods, handling and maintenance that you accept. Both cultures have proven themselves in the kitchen, and there is nothing stopping you from using both on a daily basis.

Can an artisanal kitchen knife be used every day?

Yes, that’s even its reason for being. Its geometry is designed for food, its handle adjusted by hand, its edge can be resharpened as many times as necessary. Where many knives end up replaced, this one can be repaired: resharpening, refinishing the handle depending on the material. Using it daily does not damage it, provided you follow simple maintenance.

Can you put a craft knife in the dishwasher?

No. The dishwasher combines heat, aggressive detergents and impacts against other utensils: the edge becomes dull, the wooden handles suffer, the carbon steels mark. Hand wash in hot water, wipe with a sponge and dry immediately. It only takes thirty seconds, and the knife will last that much longer.

How to maintain an artisanal kitchen knife?

Maintenance can be done in four steps: wash by hand, dry immediately, store the knife without the edge rubbing against other utensils, resharpen regularly. Wooden handles get a little oil from time to time, and carbon steel blades require more careful drying than stainless steel. Nothing complicated: these are the gestures that are reserved for any good tool.

Are FL Toussaint knives entirely made in the workshop?

Special parts are entirely manufactured in the Courpière workshop, from design to final sharpening. On production models, certain specialized operations — heat treatment or grinding — can be entrusted to professional partners; adjustment, assembly, finishing and inspection remain carried out in the workshop. This organization allows for more accessible models without changing the way a knife is finished.

Why does an artisanal kitchen knife cost more than an industrial model?

Price reflects time and choices. Each knife requires hours of shaping, adjusting, assembly and finishing, in small series or individually, with materials selected one by one. It can be resharpened and repaired, where many industrial knives can be replaced. You are not paying for a logo: you are paying for a hand-finished tool designed to be maintained.

What to do when the desired model is no longer available?

As the knives are manufactured in small series, a model may be temporarily out of stock. Two options: pre-order, which reserves a piece from the series currently being produced, or the waiting list, which notifies you as soon as a series starts again. These two formulas correspond to the reality of the workshop, where we announce a deadline rather than displaying a stock which does not exist.