Blade: 12C27 (Sandvik, stainless)
Handle: Ferréol wood (desert ironwood), vintage 1930
Other: Stainless steel liners, blade with laser engraving "Bagne de Cayenne 1930" and forge logo, leather case with zipper
Blade Length: 9 cm / 3.54 in.
Blade Thickness: 2 mm / 0.08 in.
Closed: 11 cm / 4.33 in.
Weight: 90 g
A knife with history, honoring one of the darker chapters of French colonial history: with the Coupe-Coupe, Laguiole en Aubrac pays tribute to the prisoners deported to the notorious "Bagne de Cayenne" penal colony in French Guiana, who were forced into hard labour under Napoleon III until 1938 – primarily clearing and processing tropical timber for the colonial administration. The penal colony became widely known through the 1973 film "Papillon", starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, which tells the story of a spectacular escape from the colony based on the memoirs of former inmate Henri Charrière. For the handle of this Coupe-Coupe, the manufactory turned to historic Ferréol wood salvaged from that very 1930s stock: a dense, extremely hard desert ironwood prized for its durability and secure grip, with a warm, shimmering colour that varies from piece to piece. The rugged folding knife takes its name and inspiration from the legendary "Coupe-Coupe" machetes the prisoners once used to hack their way through the impenetrable jungle. The rustproof 12C27 Sandvik blade offers excellent edge retention while remaining easy to resharpen; a fine laser engraving bearing the forge logo and the words "Bagne de Cayenne 1930" recalls this historical origin. As a traditional slipjoint, the Coupe-Coupe stays true to classic Laguiole craftsmanship and is handmade at the manufactory in Espalion, in the Aubrac region. It is delivered in a leather case with a zipper.
