After the ramparts of Atelier 1515, the road continues to Thiers. Still far from the hustle and bustle, Jean-Pierre Raynaud continues his travel diary among the cutlers opening their doors alongside Coutellia.
This time, he stops off at the home of Benjamin Laraud and Pierre Thomas, united under the name Ôdae, in a century-old building in the heart of the city.
True to the spirit initiated by Tim Bernard, they have chosen to welcome their customers the day before the show, in a calm and privileged atmosphere, to share a moment of exchange around their creations…
A special moment with dealers
Pierre Thomas sums up this approach, which is both convivial and respectful of the site.
“The idea is to spend a quiet Friday afternoon with our dealers, having prepared a table for them with around fifteen pieces. This initiative doesn’t put us in competition, because our style is different, with fairly equivalent price ranges. I’ve kept the spirit of the building in terms of the layout of the machines on the ground and second floors, and transformed the attic into a showroom.”
Creations with strong identities
After this first day devoted to exchanges with their dealers, the workshop regained its calm before re-opening its doors the following day.
On the second day, the four knifemakers exhibited together, with pieces specially prepared for the occasion and this time intended for visitors. Each presented his creations in a common spirit, without competition, but with the shared pleasure of showing off his work.
Pierre Thomas presented two new models inspired by the navaja, including a model with a forced notch and the Aiga, a piece with a Damascus blade, mammoth ivory handle and gold-plated screws, in addition to the Passager, which has become emblematic of his work.
Benjamin Laraud, who attended both the EKS and the first Salon de la chasse in Mantes-la-Jolie, believes that this two-stage organization gives professionals a choice, while guaranteeing well-stocked tables from Saturday morning onwards.
“Even if the knife is sold on Friday, it remains on display over the weekend for visitors to appreciate.”
The sun’s path
After two days of intense exchanges, Benjamin Laraud presented several personal pieces created around a theme that was particularly close to his heart: the course of the sun.
He had made an Oegopsyde, a giant all-steel squid adorned with amber pieces, as well as a second model with a Damascus “constellation” blade forged during the Mondial.
These creations reflect an approach in which gesture and material each tell their own story, between precision and freedom.
Guests and shared know-how
Just a stone’s throw from the Coutellia show, Tim Bernard, who is increasingly present at American trade shows, appreciates the opportunity to meet professionals who come to stock their stores without being crowded around the tables.
“I’m reserving a stock for collectors to see, new liners with handles made from agatized dinosaur bone produced by Raffir, and home-forged carbon steel blades, 280 layers with four grades of steel.”
Cutlery for the future
Faced with the drop in sales observed since January, craftsmen are continuing their prospecting efforts.
They are taking part in various events and exploring new clienteles in order to sell their products outside traditional trade shows, where cutlers are not always expected but where visitors show a real interest in their creations.
Portrait
Alongside Benjamin Laraud, Pierre Thomas and Tim Bernard, the event also welcomed a guest from afar : Shawn Shropshire, an American cutler from Oklahoma.
A former police biker who already had a pocket knife at the age of five, Shawn remembers:
“In the early 2000s, I made my first knife. In 2018, I won the Forged in Fire trials and have been traveling the world ever since.”
To be continued …
This day in Thiers comes to an end with these encounters marked by passion and sharing, but the journey continues with a final stop to come, the Atelier Antoniucci, which will conclude this series at the heart of Thiers workshops.
You too can open your doors and let our readers discover your workshop by contacting us to appear in our next field report.
A stopover at the Ôdae workshop
Atelier Ôdae
5 rue Durolle – 63300 Thiers
06 78 92 73 92
www.atelierodae.com
