Fine blades for cigars

When it comes to knife making, France has a tradition that goes back to 17th century, with the city of Thiers, Auvergne, in central France considered the knife-making capital of the world. Thiers is home to a cutlery museum and as many as a hundred companies manufacturing more than 70% of French pocketknives and kitchen and table knives.

Inspired by a love of cigars and the influence of his gardener grandfather who always carried a knife in his pocket and educated him on the French cutlery tradition, Frenchman Pierre Jourdan designed his first cigar knife in 2015, called L’ORIGINAL.

“The intention was to address the burden experienced by many cigar aficionados, namely having to deal with the clutter that comes with multiple cigar accessories that aren’t necessarily convenient to carry associating the cigar cutter with another everyday object tied to heritage,” says Les Fines Lames’ brand content manager Fabien Kerneis. 

Since then, Les Fines Lames has expanded its collection, with LE PETIT, the smaller, more convenient version of L’ORIGINAL, which can be slipped into a pocket for everyday use, the 2-in-1 punch bracelet which combines a cigar punch with jewellery, and concrete ashtrays.

There is a beautiful simplicity and craftsmanship to Les Fines Lames products, drawing inspiration from everywhere.

Or as Kerneis says: “Very often, the simplest ideas are the best. That’s what happened with the Punch bracelet. Having observed the various bracelets cigar enthusiasts wore, Pierre Jourdan was inspired to create the first fashion accessory for cigars”.

The Havana Streets LE PETIT was inspired by numerous trips to Cuba and the Cognac and Bourbon Barrels versions came from a love for both liquids.

I loved how the design philosophy behind the DYAD and MONAD concrete ashtrays is described as “a quest for balance and simplicity. It’s an ode to the spirit of the cigar: the unity achieved between the individual and the product. The alignment of soul and matter, inspired by philosophy and architecture. Ancient metaphysics gives the product its name and our approach to the chosen material is guided by Japanese Wabi Sabi aesthetics — embrace the humility of the chosen material. And most importantly, we have the ability to produce it in France.”

Les Fines Lames takes an unconventional and innovative approach to both product development and marketing, which has paid dividends with the LE PETIT winning Cigar Journal’s Cigar Trophy for Best Accessory 2022. To launch LE PETIT, they sent three 36km into space and brought them back down to earth.

All the LE PETIT cigar knives are produced in Thiers, in keeping with French knife-making tradition, and come with a lifetime guarantee that you will never need to sharpen it. That’s confidence. If you have ever used a cutter for an extended period, you know the frustration of it getting blunt over time.

And while ‘Made In France’ is at the heart of the company, they don’t shy away from collaborating with like-minded brands, such as Quai D’Orsay Cigars, Bell & Ross, Camus Cognac, Plasencia Cigars, Boisdale and Casdagli Cigars.

Kerneis says, “To collaborate with a brand, we first feel the need to be close to the brand. This applies to the human side as much as the creative side. We travel to many cigar events throughout the world, meeting industry colleagues regularly and that’s where the seed for collaboration is often planted. Through real, face-to-face discussion.”

From one cigar knife, Les Fines Lames has expanded its offering, especially with the 2023 collection in which they have introduced a variety of combinations and details to the LE PETIT cigar knife and explored different stone combinations, detailed charms and spacers and a stronger adjustable cord to the punch bracelet.

I have a bit of a skull fetish and collect skull rings, so LE PETIT — BRASS SKULLS is just the thing for me, with the OSCURO I punch bracelet and red MONAD concrete ashtray thrown in for good measure.