You can order a handcrafted knife directly from the FL Toussaint workshop in Courpière, in the Thiers basin. There are two paths: adapt an existing FL Toussaint model, or entrust me with the design of a specific piece when no model matches your need.
Each request is read, then studied. Not all are accepted. I make knives intended to serve: to cut, to be held in hand, to last. You bring a use, a desire, a budget, sometimes a sketch. I keep the technical direction — design, proportions, steel, materials, manufacturing methods. It is this sharing of roles that creates a good knife, not a specification imposed from afar.
If your project falls within this framework, present it via the contact form. A few clear lines are enough to start.
Which knife can be ordered?
The requests I study cover the essential things a knife must do in a lifetime: accompany a meal, fit in a pocket, work in the kitchen.
- a pocket knife, folding or fixed depending on the project;
- a kitchen knife adapted to your way of handling food;
- a dining knife, singly or in small series;
- a contemporary interpretation of a regional shape ;
- a particular piece, when the project matches the work and the formal language of the workshop.
Acceptance depends on the project itself, my schedule, the processes I have available, and the consistency with what I create. Requests are accepted in limited numbers: a workshop run by a single person cannot promise everything to everyone. The other services offered are described on the workshop services page.
Customize a model or create a specific piece?
Three situations occur regularly. They do not require the same work, the same time frame, or the same entry point. This table helps you choose the right door.
| Type of request | What can evolve | Preparatory work | Quote | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customization of a knife (engraving, proposed options) | The options indicated on the model sheet | No drawing necessary | Depending on the chosen options | According to the current schedule |
| Adaptation of an existing model | Dimensions, materials or finishes, if the whole remains technically coherent | Feasibility check | Direct quote possible, depending on options and feasibility | Estimated according to the quote, according to the schedule |
| Specific creation | Shape, proportions, ergonomics, mechanism, assembly — under my technical direction | Study phase, billed separately from manufacturing | Quote established after the study | Defined after the study |
A table does not say everything: some adaptations are actually a creation, and vice versa. When in doubt, describe your need. I will indicate the shortest path.
The useful information to study your project
You don't need to know about steels, grinds, or mechanisms to contact me. Translating a need into a knife is my job. However, a usable request contains some concrete information, among what you have:
- the intended use: preparing meat, sharing cheese, opening mail, serving at the table;
- the type of knife: pocket, kitchen, table, special piece;
- the expected frequency of use;
- desired dimensions, even as an order of magnitude;
- your dominant hand, when handling makes it relevant;
- your shape or silhouette preferences;
- any potential ergonomic constraints;
- the materials or atmospheres that speak to you: light or dark wood, raw or polished steel;
- the envisaged finishes;
- a desired date — birthday, wedding, retirement — to be mentioned in the first message;
- a budget or indicative envelope;
- photographs, sketches, or inspiration references;
- your full contact details.
Inspiration feeds a project. It does not allow copying an existing model, whether it comes from another craftsman or another brand.
The steps of a custom craft order
- First message. You describe your project via the contact form: usage, type of knife, possible date, budget, inspirations. From your side, the details. From mine, careful reading.
- Exchange and feasibility. I respond to you, I ask my questions, I check that the project is technically coherent and compatible with my schedule. It is at this stage that a project can be redirected towards an existing model or customization.
- Study phase, if necessary. A specific creation — new shape, particular proportions, mechanism or assembly to design — requires drawing and development work. This study is charged separately from manufacturing: it compensates real design work, not a formality.
- Quote and approval. You receive a detailed quote: materials, options, price, estimated timeline according to the schedule. You approve it, or we adjust.
- Payment of 50% deposit. The payment of 50% deposit triggers the manufacturing.
- Manufacturing, inspection, and shipping. I make the piece, I adjust, I sharpen, I inspect. You receive photographs of the finished knife, then you pay the remaining 50% before shipment.
Workshop-made, without a slogan
Specific orders are entirely made in the workshop, in Courpière. Only certain series models may have their hardening and/or grinding entrusted to partners; for these models, the design, adjustments, assembly, finishing, sharpening, and inspection are still carried out in the workshop. I say this because it's true, and because an order page is not the place to maintain ambiguity.
The method depends on the type of knife and the project. The value of a piece does not lie in a formula: it comes from the design, technical choices, adjustments, revisions, and final inspection. The making a knife in the workshop is detailed on a dedicated page, step by step.
What guides an order
Making an object intended for cutting involves my responsibility. Some rules are therefore non-negotiable:
- materials provided by clients are not accepted: I select and supply the materials to ensure their stability, their compatibility with the assembly, and to take responsibility for the final result;
- I do not copy the model of another artisan or brand;
- I do not reproduce a licensed character or protected design;
- A technically inconsistent project is modified with you, or refused;
- Use and safety take precedence over a purely decorative request;
- The schedule may prevent me from accepting a project, even if interesting;
- A target date is confirmed only after studying the project;
- The project must remain consistent with the work and formal language of the workshop.
A spectacular sketch makes a beautiful sketch. Not always a knife capable of holding its edge, of being handled, and of lasting through the years. My role is to distinguish between the two—and to tell you calmly when necessary.
Budget and deadlines
The price of an order depends on measurable factors: design complexity, mechanism — a slip joint, for example, requires more adjustment than a fixed assembly —, number of parts, steel, handle material, dimensions, level of finish, decoration or engraving, possible accessory, study time, and manufacturing time. Each quote is prepared for a given project: there is no universal price list.
Indicating a budget in the first message is not a commitment. It's a shortcut: it allows me to directly propose a project that fits your budget, instead of designing a knife that you will not order.
The timeline depends on the current schedule, the complexity of the project, and the technical choices made. It is estimated in the quote, never before.
Present your project
Describe the knife you need: its use, its type, a possible date, your indicative budget, and your inspirations. I will reply to confirm if the project can be considered, to ask you my questions, and to indicate the next steps — adaptation of a model, study phase, or reorientation. A clear first message saves several exchanges. And if an existing model already meets your needs, it's best to know right away: it's faster for you, and an available knife cuts just as well as a custom-made knife.