New Old Stock PD Sabatier Acier Fondu Nogent / Cuisine Massive 35cm / 13.75" Chef Carbon 1930s?

New Old Stock unused Patural Duprat 'Sabatier Acier Fondu' XXL 35cm /13.75" hand forged carbon steel chef knife in the 'cuisine massive' style now largely referred to as 'Nogent style' by those outside of Thiers. This style of knife was developed long before the upstart town of Nogent started adding this style of knives to their manufacturing (they had been known for scissors in the earlier 19th century).

These were found with other new old stock knives made from the 1930s to 90s but these are some of the oldest of the lot along with some Sabatier **** made before Thiers Issard purchased that company and added the four stars to their brand.

These giant knives sport a hand-forged after drop-forged and hand-ground blade that is ground with a convex face, thicker in the heel than at the tip half. For a knife of its era I would consider it medium heavy, not super thin at the tip, and also not super chunky either. Handle is one piece ebony with a brazed nickel ferrule. Most handles developed a small hairline crack or two with age, we have filled these in with epoxy to help keep water out, they are all super secure.

These have been lightly cleaned to remove the wax that kept them rust free for all these decades, expect a few tiny rust spots, some discoloration to the ferrule. Some needed a little buffing over more established rust spots. We opted for as little intervention as possible to preserve their original surface grind, and keep their character. It is so uncommon to find knives like this in their original state. They could always be buffed if so desired, but never un-buffed.

While it is hard to pin point the exact years these were made the brazed nickel ferrule ring along with the etched blade marking suggests 1930s, possibly up to early 1950s manufacture, although the brazed nickel ferrule is an older type construction that was essentially phased out by one piece tube ferrules by the end of the 50s.

Patural Duprat et Cie (PD) established 1901 made in Saint-Remy, a small town with an old knife making tradition across the Durolle river from Thiers. In 1918 Mathieu Feuillet Patural renewed the trade marks "Sabatier ****" (four stars) which had belonged to Gabriel Sabatier of Chabreloche and registered a new trade mark "Sabatier Acier Fondu" (Sabatier Cast Steel). Both the new old stock Sabatier Acier Fondu and Sabatier **** were found together with the same ferrule construction, the Acier Fondu mostly with etched markings and the 4 star with hot stamp suggesting that they were likely made during the same period of time when the two stamping styles overlapped. In 1958 the Sabatier **** brand was sold and would become integrated into the Thiers Issard company name. PD advertised that the factories used hydrolic, hydroelectric and gas power in Saint Remy Sur Durolle.

Please note these can have small rust spots or imperfections, slight cants or waviness to the edge is possible as well. We do quality control on these but imperfections are part of the picture.

New Old Stock, Vintage and New Old Stock knives do not come sharpened. Please request sharpening if desired in the order notes section of the cart page.