Die scharfen Klingen der Auvergne

Once it belonged in every man's pocket, in France as elsewhere, handmade and indestructible, a distinctive and idiosyncratic everyday object: the pocket knife. The legendary and unmistakable Laguiole knife has its roots here in central France - and its masters. 360°- GEO Reportage looks into the workshops of the famous knife masters in one of the most breathtaking regions of France. "The boys my children's age, they don't give a damn about knives and knifemakers, they don't have a knife in their pocket, they have their I-phones, and things like that - it's a different life. I still remember: when we used to go to the stadium to watch a game, we had our Laguiole and provisions with us and ate our sausage at halftime. You can't do that anymore..." says Charles Couttier, a celebrity among Auvergne's knife makers. The traditional craft of Thiers is moving 'on a knife's edge' - abandoned are the crooked alleys with their once lush window displays, many once flourishing traditional businesses are standing still. And yet a handful of great masters are fighting for the future of the pocket knife - in the town of Thiers and also in Laguiole. 43-year-old Cyrill Ganivet is a career changer in the industry - years ago he was a highly paid manager until he hung up his job, took over an ailing knife company and led it to new heights. High-quality knives have long since come back into fashion, not only as everyday objects but also among extravagant collectors and fans. Knives that are sometimes handmade in weeks of work, with blades made of Damascus steel, ornate handles and engravings. For years, a secret conflict raged between the knifemakers in Laguiole and Thiers over the origin of the famous knife - but both cities are now united by a new enemy: cheap imitation knives from Asia. But the maîtres couteliers, as the master knifemakers in the Auvergne are known, continue to fight and convince with their great craftsmanship and the unmistakable French charm: on a set table belong bread, cheese, wine and a pocket knife.