Barrel knife

Barrel knife

The barrel knife (tonneau in French) gets its name from the shape of the handle, pretty round, that reminds the shape of a barrel.

Barrel knife corkscrew

Its origin is in the eighteenth century, from West Center France.

Vintage barrel knife
Vintage Multiblade barrel

It is the typical worker’s knife. When farmers were hiring workers, they were giving them this knife as a sign of goodwill and good relationship.

Vintage barrel ivorine
Vintage barrel ivoirine 2

It’s a simple knife, with a main blade in the sheepsfoot style and large bolsters on each side, but it was often on a multiblade style with a coping blade, an awl, a saw and sometimes a corkscrew.

MUltiblade barrel ivoirine

It is one of the oldest multiblade.

The handle can be made of wood, horn or ivorine, a synthetic polymer that mimics ivory.

Barrel carbon steel
2 pieces barrel ivoirine
Barrel knife with an ivorine handle
Barrel Le Sabot 1
Barrel Le Sabot 2
Barrel Le Sabot 3
Barrel Le Sabot 4

Today, some modern versions are still made, often in carbon steel

Find some on http://knives-of-france.com

Barrel 2 pieces
Wood handle barrel