Nontron is the name of a village in the Dordogne department of France where it is believed knife making started at the beginning of the 13th Century. Today, the cutlery that bears its name (Coutellerie Nontronnaise) since 1928 produces handmade knives using traditional methods and modern tools. The Legend: The wood burned patterns, whose origin and meanings are still not fully understood, are made from "flies," a kind of reversed V surrounded by 3 points and rows of small dots. Religious symbols? Perhaps a reference to the Freemasons' compass or the Compagnons du Devoir? No one knows. Of course, many are convinced that they know the meaning of this mystical symbol. We, at Laguiole Imports, are no different; we are certain that the symbol is one of a compass (V) and the three dots (∴) representing the first three craft degrees of initiation in the Masonic Honor Points. These fascinating symbols first appeared with the clog handle design. Today, they decorate all boxwood models of pockets and table knives. Fact: The Nontron shop is the oldest continuously operating cutlery in France. Handle material: Hand-shaped from 40 to 50-year-old Boxwood harvested from locally grown trees and air-dried for five years.Using old Boxwood assures an unprecedented degree of hardness and prevents splits commonly found in such hardwoods. Boxwood is best suited for turning and frequently creates small wood objects such as chess pieces, musical instruments, and knife handles.Fact: Old-growth Boxwood is exceptionally dense, hard, and tends to be very expensive. Blade Material: Z40C13 Stainless Steel What’s included: One of each No.9 - No.10 - No.12 parring knives.Booklet from Manufacturer & Authenticity certificate. This knife is covered by a Lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects. All components of this knife are 100% Made in France. Blade Length: 20 cm ~ 7.87" Total Length: 30 cm ~ 11.81" Knife Weight: 3.53 oz This set is not dishwasher safe and must be hand washed and dried.
