An encounter with materials
I'm François-Louis Toussaint. My path begins in Nantes, in my father's workshop — he was an organ builder. Working alongside him was where I discovered the pleasure of making things by hand and the discipline that working with materials demands. My early studies led me towards commerce — a foundation that still serves me well in running my business — but the need to make things eventually won out.
The spark came from a documentary about a craftsman making weapons for film. To test whether this was really my path, I completed a first placement with knifemaker Mathieu Callejon: that's where my first knives were born. I then began an apprenticeship tour of France: first the Jura region at the Lycée Ferdinand Fillod, studying ornamental ironwork and the fundamentals of forging; then the Aveyron, in Laguiole, at Benoît l'Artisan, alongside my training at the Thiers knifemaking school.
My first blades were marked with my initials in ogham, an ancient alphabet — the Celtic counterpart to Scandinavian runes. Today I use a maker's mark: a lozenge enclosing my initials with, at its centre, a carnyx — a Celtic war horn, once again.
A pragmatic and exploratory outlook
For me, a knife is first and foremost a tool. I'm wary of overused words like "passion" or "excellence". I prefer to talk about craft. A craft that demands integrity: a knife must be ergonomic, its edge perfect, its heat treatment beyond reproach.
My approach is primarily shaped by culinary and gastronomic use, but I allow myself the occasional detour. My inner geek and my taste for imagined worlds sometimes surface in my work, where I enjoy exploring more unconventional designs.
From the Thiers industry to independence
I spent ten years at Atelier Perceval. I joined as a craftsman and worked my way up to project manager, developing several models including Le Thiers®, Le Sommelier and Le Vendredi. That period was formative. It taught me quality management, design, and the industrial realities of knife production. Seeing behind the curtain gave me a broader perspective than the bench alone ever could.
When I set up on my own in 2022, I created Atelier Legoff — the name a nod to my Breton roots: Le Goff, the blacksmith — before returning to my own name in 2026. My intention was to put that expertise to work in a space of creative freedom. I care deeply about French craftsmanship and heritage, but my eye also travels further afield. Knifemaking is a global language, and I enjoy exploring its mechanisms and lines — whether traditional or futuristic.
Wood over artifice
I use the technologies of my time in the service of high-quality craft. I draw and digitise every component myself, cutting my own laser blanks to achieve perfect starting points.
My choice of materials is deliberate. I have a deep affection for wood: its countless species, its graphic richness, its living feel. Conversely, I limit my use of composites — often toxic to work with — and I steer clear of ivory entirely.
Beyond the uncertainties of its supply chains, I find ivory graphically poor; that "white monochrome" simply doesn't have, to my eye, the organic diversity of a wood burl or a timber from another part of the world.
The workshop: at the heart of the Thiers basin
My workshop is based in Courpière, in the Thiers knifemaking basin. Working here, in the world capital of cutlery, means being part of a history and a body of knowledge that has been passed down for eight centuries. It's a demanding environment where steel culture is simply part of daily life.
Practical information: the workshop is primarily a production space. For this reason, I'm not in a position to take on trainees or apprentices. If you'd like to see my work or meet to discuss a specific project, please get in touch in advance so we can arrange a time.