L'Âme de Six — Knife maker · Puilaurens
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L'Audois — Carbon steel
The knives

Signature piece · folder

L'Audois

The traditional folding knife of the Aude

The knife

The historic folding knife of the Aude, brought back to life.

The couteau audois is the traditional folding knife of the Aude department, in southern France. It was forged by local blacksmiths from the steel of the Hautes Corbières mines, from Félines to Auriac, and its production died out when those mines closed around 1905. According to the original specification found in the archives of Carcassonne, it is a rustic « two-nail » knife, almond-shaped, measuring 19 cm open with an 8 cm cutting edge. Several knife makers from the Aude have revived it; L'Âme de Six has produced its own version in Puilaurens since March 2023.

The historic knife of the Aude, brought up to date: from the traditional model to the most elaborate, every cutlery technique is used to carry this little folder forward.

Steel
Carbon steel
Range
Signature piece · folder
Category
Signature pieces
Sheath
Vegetable-tanned leather, hand-stitched
Making
By hand, in Puilaurens (11)
From€65

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Made to order. Work directly with the maker on steel, handle and finish.

The story of the model

In search of the knife of the Aude

Based in the Aude, I went looking for the knife of the region, but no trace referred to such a knife. It was during a fellow maker's visit to my workshop that his confidences taught me an Audois knife had indeed once existed. It was in the archives of Carcassonne that its original specification came to light.

This knife was forged by the blacksmiths of the Aude. The steel came from the mines of the Hautes Corbières, from Félines to Auriac. Those mines all closed around 1905: with no more iron, the smiths' trade came to an end and the knife died out.

The original specification

  • An almond-shaped knife — the Aude being France's leading almond producer in the late 19th century. The almond had to be recognisable both on the closed knife and on the blade.
  • A rustic 'two-nail' type knife.
  • Made with materials from the Aude, for the steel as well as the handle.
  • A total length of 19 cm with an 8 cm cutting edge.

The revival, in March 2023

It was in March 2023 that the Audois came to life in my workshop. Since then I have made a deluxe version: two scales in finer wood, a false bolster in wood or steel, file work on the blade, a 3 mm blade with a higher grind and a stainless screwed pivot.

And a spring-backed version was tempting me…

On videoSee the YouTube channel →

Spring-backed Audois

Audois, flat spring or back lock

Gallery18 photos
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