Laguiole Bread Knives

Bread cutting knife: Classic or straight handle?

If the rest of your table is Laguiole, the Classic is the natural choice, with its curved Laguiole handle, here in olive wood, zebu horn tip and other materials. The straight-handled version suits a cook who keeps the bread knife with the other kitchen knives, and it comes in walnut and olive wood, with more woods in the range. Both do the same job, so choose the grip and the look you prefer.

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Watch the olive wood Classic bread knife

Olive wood handle, satin-finished, on the Classic shape.

View this bread knife

Why are bread knives serrated?

A smooth edge tends to skid on a hard crust and press the loaf flat before it cuts in. Teeth catch the crust at their points, so you can saw through with light pressure, and a crusty cob keeps its shape while a soft brioche stays in one piece. That is why most bread knives have a serrated edge, and both Laguiole shapes here have a long serrated blade. It is the wrong knife for dicing an onion, so keep yours for bread, cakes and pastries.

Using a sourdough bread knife, step by step

Let a fresh loaf cool for an hour before you cut it, or the crumb turns gummy. Lay it on a board and steady it with your free hand flat on top. Start at the far end and saw with long, light strokes, keeping the blade upright instead of pushing down. With a round cob, halve it first, then slice each half from the cut face. Laguiole en Aubrac makes both bread knives on this page, Classic and straight-handled, by hand in France.

Questions UK shoppers ask about bread knives

Each order contains a care leaflet. Hand-wash the knife, dry it straight after, and never let it go in the dishwasher.