Very nice resto! Looks great.
the Sabatier appreciation thread
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Xunzi
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I understand that Sabatier is not a trademark, and there are a number of brands out there - "Lion Sabatier", "K-Sabatier" etc.
However, I have no clue about the industry works - what exactly makes a Sabatier? Are these small independent companies in Thiers? Or are these just brands slapped onto the same smithworks? Also, is there a list of all Sabatier brands? Any info appreciated!
However, I have no clue about the industry works - what exactly makes a Sabatier? Are these small independent companies in Thiers? Or are these just brands slapped onto the same smithworks? Also, is there a list of all Sabatier brands? Any info appreciated!
Cheers guys!
Yeah tends to be what I do whenever I’m sorting out a knife with a fingerguard. I’d never really thought about it though, it just seems logical to me. I could probably do with making this one a little more acute tbh, but we’ll see how it performs first. And then I’ll probably give one of them to my sister
.May I trouble the Sab experts with a q. about construction that I forgot to ask before... These are my gran's two stainless Sabs in the posts above, which I've got out to do a bit more work on:
The bottom one has a normal one-piece, integrated bolster construction (I think):
But the top knife doesn't, it looks like this. And also has almost no distal taper by comparison:
Which I haven't seen before on any old Sab or similar style western. So... what's that bolster hiding?
The bottom one has a normal one-piece, integrated bolster construction (I think):
But the top knife doesn't, it looks like this. And also has almost no distal taper by comparison:
Which I haven't seen before on any old Sab or similar style western. So... what's that bolster hiding?
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It's a cheaper construction. That being said, it is common with Japanese makers: tang and blade in one piece, sintered bolster. French makers used to have aluminium bolsters IIRC with those series.
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Depending on maker and series. Have seen the sintered ones only with the stainless.
Ah cheers. So the tang and blade are still all one bit of metal then, just with the bolster sintered onto it.
In a way it's quite convenient actually, as that bolster metal is notably softer than the normal type, so much less of a pain to grind down.
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With the French ones I've seen it was aluminium.
tally-ho
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Wikipedia has a short article about Sabatier that will answer some of your questions.
To see some old copy of declarations/registrations to the commercial court of Thiers for Sabatier trademarks, go here and type Sabatier in "Mots clefs".
Here, for exemple, is the one from Sabatier Cotte (manufacturer) for the trademark "H VERITABLE SABATIER ACIER FONDU"
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McMan
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The one at right was often branded as Sabatier Lion (or at least this is how the ones that turn up in the US were branded). Very possible they were branded differently elsewhere. They were an economy line. I suspect they were mostly for export--but don't have any info to back this up. They can be good users all the same--soft steel that peps up easily on a honing rod.
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Was my first idea as well. Used to be quite common in the seventies in Europe, under that same name.
Keith Sinclair
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Jeez some awesome Sabatiers on this thread. I restored a seal nogent handle a while back.
Retired the cracked ebony handle too.
Retired the cracked ebony handle too.
Keith Sinclair
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Restored damn spell check.
Yep you're spot on. Maybe I forgot to mention in the first post above, but you can just about make out a Sabatier Lion logo on the blade of that one.
The one with the proper bolster did have a thing saying 'Sabatier' on the handle, but can't see anything about the brand on the blade any more.
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So you have been able to keep the original handle? Bernard Levine wrote about them: "original ebony handles tend to split, because they are bored down the center with a large diameter hole, leaving just a thin web of wood on the sides. They look solid, but they're not."
That being said, they were supposed to be easily replaced. Both ebony from the colonies and labour were cheap in those days.
Keith Sinclair
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Yeah used very fluid CA glue quite a bit disappeared into the handle before leveled off. Sanded then 3 coats of tung oil & clear bullseye shellac. It was solid the handle no movement before restored it. The knife is very light distal taper gets extremely thin towards the tip. The small nogent handle even with glue in it is still light.
That looks great! I think I might go that CA route in the future on handle repairs that don't need replacement. Do you oil/rehydrate before or after the CA step? And is there a before image of the handle to compare with?
Keith Sinclair
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I deleted some pictures on my phone before shot of handle one of them. It's still on historical finds thread. Sanded handle first & dug years of gunk out of the crack with small hook tool. Put on coats after glue & buffed it. I'm using it handle is solid.
Keith Sinclair
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Wanted a early Sab late 1800's or early 1900's. Found most of ebay even pitted blades way overpriced. I found this one told him how much work it needed offered half & to my surprise he accepted offer still paid little over 100.00 dollars for it. There was no below surface pitting on it. As with many Sabs blade road was uneven & the thin tip had lost height over the years.
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Those prices are far beyond reasonable for those who will actually use them. As it has become a collector's item there is no limit. If one would like to experience what a good carbon with that profile can mean, better look for a NOS Nogent. Or a brand new Robert Herder 1922 or a Misono Swedish carbon with very similar profiles and far better steel and F&F.
The collector's madness goes so far that even the stainless Sabs are being looked after.
Keith Sinclair
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Yes it seems not that long ago you could cherry pick very nice old carbons for well under 50.00. Then prices started to rise any old joe who just found some old carbons looks at prices on ebay even if blade is in bad shape puts a high buy it now price.
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There has been lot of market market manipulation as well. Fantastic stories about recycled steel being used since the eighties. While in fact steel composition is far better controlled than in the time of the vintages, where you may have bad surprises.
family pic, acquisitions from recent months
12” Sabatier Professional
11” Canadian K-Sab
10” Nogent slicer (unknown)
9” K-Sab slicer
8” Tichet Nogent (really old, 20’s?)
8” 4* Elephant
Still a bit of work to do (mostly refinish some handles and polish the 12" blade), but they are ready to work!
12” Sabatier Professional
11” Canadian K-Sab
10” Nogent slicer (unknown)
9” K-Sab slicer
8” Tichet Nogent (really old, 20’s?)
8” 4* Elephant
Still a bit of work to do (mostly refinish some handles and polish the 12" blade), but they are ready to work!
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Like the Tichet's profile!
The Tichet feels quite special in hand. The handle is the most comfortable among these, super ergo. And the taper is insane...
At 8"long and 38mm tall if feels like a small gyutohiki, very versatile.
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McMan
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That Bolster is beautifully thin!
Is it stamped "yanip" on the backside of the bolster (where your finger would touch in a pinch grip)? This was sometimes done on older Tichet knives. I haven't been able to find any info about why, though.
Interesting, I'll try to notice that if I find any old Tichet for sale.
This one is stamped TICHET (a bit hard to see due to the patina but it's there). There are no markings on the blade anymore as the previous owner polished them off, so I don't have much info on it.
And yes, the bolster is great. Makes me want to go after other old Nogents...
