New Vintage Au Nain 8" Bullnose Carbon Steel Brass Rosette Beechwood St. Remy, Thiers, France 1950-60

Unused vintage 8" carbon steel knife with brass and steel rosette riveted iron and gall ink dyed beechwood handle. Blade marked Au Nain France. The rosette rivets suggest around 1950's manufacture. Made in St Remy on the other side of the Durolle river from Thiers France. 

These were not forged but rather stamped from sheet steel and then hand ground, these would have represented a relatively low priced knife in its day which Thiers and its surroundings excelled at producing. 

Please note, most of these have patches of mostly small pits from rust which had formed over the decades. They have been cleaned but are unused. 

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

Au Nain is a 4th generation family cutlery business that was founded in 1885 by Gaston Saint-Joanis in Saint-Rémy-sur-Durolle, near Thiers. The name 'Au Nain' (meaning The Dwarf) was chosen as a playful response to their main competitor at that time - 'Géant du Couteau' (The Knife Giant).  Much of Au Nain's manufacturing process is still in-house (from handling to polishing and sharpening, etc.) which is becoming less and less common.  They continue to uphold traditional knife making processes characteristic to Thiers. 

Producing Area: St Remy, France
Profile: Bullnose
Size: 8"
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Handle: Beech
Weight: approx 4.15 oz
Total Length: 12 5/8"
Handle Length: 4 3/4"
Handle to Tip Length: 8"
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous