Thiers Issard or Thiers Issard Sabatier () is a

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

cutlery Cutlery (also referred to as silverware, flatware, or tableware), includes any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture. A person who makes or sells cutlery is called a cutler. The city of Sheffie ...

manufacturer; they are one of a number of companies using the

Sabatier Sabatier is the maker's mark used by several kitchen knife manufacturers—by itself it is not a registered brand name. The name Sabatier is considered to imply a high-quality knife produced by one of a number of manufacturers in the Thiers ...

name. It exports a wide range of

knives A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...

and

straight razor A straight razor is a razor with a blade that can fold into its handle. They are also called open razors and cut-throat razors. The predecessors of the modern straight razors include bronze razors, with cutting edges and fixed handles, produced ...

s to approximately thirty countries.Classic shaving
through the Internet Archive: The Thiers-Issard Story. (Blade manufacturing details) quote: ''...In 1884 Mr. Thiers undertook to establish his own forge and assume the rightful place of such a highly regarded craftsman - working for himself. In order to differentiate his products from those produced by other members of his family who were still active in the trade themselves, he named his factory Thiers-Issard, adding his wife's family name, Issard, to his own...'' and: ''As can be expected, the more grinding required, such as in the case of a Full Hollow Ground "Singing" razor, and the more skill and precision required in accomplishing the grind, the higher the finished razor's resulting cost...'' and: ''When the edge of this razor is plucked or strummed much like a guitar string, a clear resonant tone is heard.'' also: ''They must flex with the pressure of the fingernail only and of course, "Singing" razors must "Sing."''
:"Cutlers since 1884 " quote: ''We perpetuate the tradition of our founder Pierre Thiers, razors maker in 1880, time after time, we first add razor blades in 1920, then in 1958 the SABATIER****ELEPHANT range, and in 1995 the PIGEAT prestigious cutler's range.'' They are viewed as one of the top cutlery firms in Europe.
A potpourri of unusual holiday gifts for your favorite chef by Randall H. Harber CNN News Editor December 11, 2000 quote: ''Two of the top brands of carbon steel knives are French-made Sabatier and Thiers Issard -- both available online, selling for about $70.''bethesdarow.com/redevelopment
:"Dine and Shop at Bethesda Row MD" quote: ''...The store will also feature their Screwpull wine and bar equipment, Le Creuset Kitchen Tools, exclusive French Thiers Issard Cutlery and Riedel Stemware...'' Along with DOVO Solingen, it is a leading manufacturer of straight razors in Europe as well as the rest of the world.phillytown.com through Internet archive
The Finer Things quote: ''Some of the World’s best razors are made in France by Thiers Issard using a lead hardening process during which the steel is plunged in boiling hot lead to heat it to the perfect temperature then it is quenched in water. These razors are the ultimate in straight razor shavers as they take a wickedly sharp velvet edge that would embarrass any modern safety blade. They also hold that edge longer than their high quality counterparts which are made in Solingen Germany by Dovo. However, choosing between a German or a French blade would be like choosing between Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royce; no one should hesitate to buy from either maker as they are both excellent choices, it’s just that one is a notch better than the other.'' also: ''Some of the World’s best razors are made in France by Thiers Issard using a lead hardening process during which the steel is plunged in boiling hot lead to heat it to the perfect temperature then it is quenched in water.''GIFTS FOR... the stylish man
Style and Fashion Dept.

Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...

By Michael Marotta and Lauren Beckham Falcone Wednesday, December 5, 2007 quote: ''...No self-respecting man-scaper buys razors in the supermarket. The Art of Shaving straight razor is crafted by 123-year-old French company Thiers-Issard, with a carbon steel blade and guide to ensure proper use. ...'' They are also makers of exclusive and very expensive Damascus steel knives. They are located in Thiers,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

, and are one of the better known of many cutlery manufacturers located in that area.History of Thiers

/ref> They have also been manufacturing

razor A razor is a bladed tool primarily used in the removal of body hair through the act of shaving. Kinds of razors include straight razors, safety razors, disposable razors, and electric razors. While the razor has been in existence since before t ...

blades since 1920. Thiers Issard is popular with US retailers.

History

Thiers Issard was established in 1884 by Pierre Thiers, (1860–1929). He was part of a family of master razor makers. The Thiers family owned their own forge. The "Chart of the Jurande" or the

Professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and ski ...

Guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

Charter of the time lists at least three "Thiers" as master razor makers. In 1870 Pierre Thiers started as an

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

to a master razor maker and after twenty four years in the trade he had mastered the art well enough to become famous among the cognoscenti and connoisseurs of fine cutlery. In 1884 Pierre Thiers established his own forge. He named his factory Thiers-Issard combining his last name and that of his wife as a way to differentiate himself from the rest of the family who owned similar businesses. From 1884 until his death in 1929 Pierre Thiers worked in his forge and died, reportedly, at work. After his death, his son Pierre Thiers Jr. (1884–1962) assisted by his mother continued the family business. Pierre Thiers Jr. worked as an apprentice under his father and he was a skilled forger in his own right. As the business prospered more family members joined the company starting with Louis Thiers (1910–1985) and later by another Pierre Thiers (1914–1997). In 1985 the Thiers Issard company was acquired by Gilles Reynewaeter.

Razor construction

A straight razor blade ( cut-throat razor) starts, at the Thiers Issard factory, as a shape called the blank supplied by the steel

manufacturer Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a ...

. Thiers Issard traditionally has used

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

silver steel, long considered a superior quality

carbon steel Carbon steel is a steel with carbon content from about 0.05 up to 2.1 percent by weight. The definition of carbon steel from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) states: * no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, coba ...

. The first step is to clean the blank using a heavy forge process called the ''detourage''. Following the forging stage a hole is drilled in the tang of the blade. This is a crucial step since after the steel hardening process it would be next to impossible to drill hardened steel without employing specialised methods such as

electrical discharge machining Electrical discharge machining (EDM), also known as spark machining, spark eroding, die sinking, wire burning or wire erosion, is a metal fabrication process whereby a desired shape is obtained by using electrical discharges (sparks). Material i ...

, and even then the process would be too arduous to be practical. At this pre-hardening stage the decoration or ''guiochage'' of the blade is done, since the blade is malleable enough to be carved.

Lead hardening

The steel is hardened through a special process using a bath of molten

lead Lead is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metals, heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale of mineral hardness#Intermediate ...

where the forged steel blade is immersed at 800 °C (degrees Celsius). The efficient metal-to-metal

heat transfer Heat transfer is a discipline of thermal engineering that concerns the generation, use, conversion, and exchange of thermal energy (heat) between physical systems. Heat transfer is classified into various mechanisms, such as thermal conduction ...

, from the surrounding lead to the steel blade, enables fast and uniform heating of the steel at the optimum temperature for maximum hardness. The steel is tempered following the hardening process, where at 300 °C the steel becomes flexible and

brittleness A material is brittle if, when subjected to stress, it fractures with little elastic deformation and without significant plastic deformation. Brittle materials absorb relatively little energy prior to fracture, even those of high strength. ...

is eliminated according to phase diagrams for steel. Thiers Issard is allowed by special exemption in

French law The Law of France refers to the legal system in the French Republic, which is a civil law legal system primarily based on legal codes and statutes, with case law also playing an important role. The most influential of the French legal codes is th ...

to continue using this lead hardening process, while health concerns prohibit its use by any other manufacturer.

Grinding

Thiers Issard Le Thiernois with Blonde Horn handle

Following the materials science processes of hardening and tempering, the blanks are hollow ground, according to one of the two fundamental blade profiles. At the highest end of hollow ground, more hollow than even the 1/1 grade, is the so called ''singing'' razor, so named because its blade produces a specific resonant tone when plucked, similar to a

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

.GQ magazine Deutschland (Translation by Google)
Gentlemen's Questions Gesundheit und Pflege (Health and Care) - GQ.com-quote: Ich möchte meinem Freund ein klassisches Rasiermesser schenken I wish my friend a classic razor gift. Auf was muss ich beim Kauf achten? On what should I consider when buying? ''You are probably a woman who belongs behind bars, grrr. Your friend should be sharp and precise shave? Bitte: Pflegeleicht sind rostfreie Klingen. Please: Easy care are stainless steel blades. Normal steel after each use must be rinsed and dried with, these knives are in sound quality from about 70 euros (e.g. from Schildpattimitat, DOVO). Especially elastic is a "Singing Blade" bleigehärtetem Sheffield steel, which at the mere tap-legendary sound of itself, e.g. THIERS-ISSARD (about 99 euros), a company which is also a luxury knife from Damascus steel production (approximately 690 euros).'' 'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''b
GQ Deutschland
(Original article in German) Quote: "Ich möchte meinem Freund ein klassisches Rasiermesser schenken. Auf was muss ich beim Kauf achten? Sie sind wohl eine Frau, die hinter Gitter gehört, grrr. Ihr Freund soll sich scharf und präzise rasieren? Bitte:Pflegeleicht sind rostfreie Klingen. Normalstahl muss nach jedem Gebrauch mit abgespült und abgetrocknet werden, solche Messer gibt es in solider Qualität ab etwa 70 Euro (z.B. aus Schildpattimitat, von DOVO). Besonders elastisch ist eine "Singende Klinge" aus bleigehärtetem Sheffield-Stahl, die beim bloßen Antippen den -legendären Ton von sich gibt, z.B. von THIERS-ISSARD (zirka 99 Euro), einer Firma, die auch ein Luxusmesser aus Damaszener Stahl produziert (zirka 690 Euro!). Ein Muss dazu ist ein Abziehriemen, um den Grat des Messers aufzurichten – entweder als langer Lederriemen oder als platzsparender Spannriemen, z.B. von DOVO, etwa 42 Euro." The singing razor blade at this excited stage is essentially a

vibrating wikt:membrane">membrane A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. ...

. Its manufacturing process is so demanding that a full 25% of the blades get rejected as not meeting standards. Some of the company's cheaper lines are of half-hollow grind, such as the Super Gnome series of razors. Thiers Issard does not produce flat ground ( wedge) type blades.

Finishing

Subsequently to grinding the blade is polished to various degrees of gloss. The best finish is ''poli glace'' or mirror">Gloss (material appearance)">gloss. The best finish is ''poli glace'' or mirror finish. Mirror finish is the only finish used if gold leafing is to be part of the decoration of the blade. Satin finish requires less polishing time and therefore is not as expensive to produce. This finish is mostly used with black acid etching. Satin finish can sometimes be applied, as a compromise, to the back of the blade while the mirror finish and gold leafing are applied to the more visible front of the blade. This way the blade will not be as expensive as a fully mirror finished one.

Spine Decoration

Some of the more expensive Thiers Issard razors carry hand worked spine decoration to designs which date back to the 19th Century.

Handles

The rivets are peened by hand to ensure stable movement of the razor blade while folding into the handle. The materials used are horn, exotic woods etc. The wood is impregnated with resins and pressed under high pressure to create a stable and water resistant material.

Blade decoration

The blade is decorated by engraving or gold leafing depending on the price. Less expensive blades undergo an

electrolytic An electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of those ions, but not conducting electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water. Upon d ...

black acid

engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an i ...

process. For more expensive blades,

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

leafing applied by hand is employed, following a traditional process.

Sharpening

Sharpening is the final stage in the process. At first the blade is sharpened on a special grinding machine using a

waterstone Sharpening stones, or whetstones, are used to sharpen the edges of steel tools such as knives through grinding and honing. Such stones come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and material compositions. They may be flat, for working flat edg ...

wheel. Following that the blade is hand honed on an antique Belgian flat waterstone. Finally the cutting edge is finished on a two-sided

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and ho ...

strop A razor strop or simply a strop (sometimes called a razor strap or strap) is a flexible strip of leather, canvas, denim fabric, balsa wood, or other soft material, used to straighten and polish the blade of a straight razor, a knife, or a woodwo ...

using a special paste on one side and natural oils from the human hand on the other.

Testing

Finally the blade mechanical properties are tested. Flexibility, sharpness as well as special tone tests for singing razors take place at this stage.

Books

The Thiers Issard blades are also mentioned in books.

References

External links

Thiers Issard Sabatier Knives
L'Encyclopedie thiernoise du couteau : vol 1 Le couteau thiernois via the Internet archive.
Thiers Issard Razors
Thiers Issard Straight Razors {{Knives Companies based in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Knife manufacturing companies Shaving Companies established in 1884 French brands Manufacturing companies of France