NAPOLEON'S KNIVES

I was told that Napoleon, moved by the valour of a certain group of knife makers, allowed them - and only them - to include his symbol, the bee, on their product.  It turns out that this is a bit of a tall tale but I do still feel a bit regal using these Laguiole knives. 

Some versions of the Laguiole pocket knife include a trocar (awl).  This may seem mundane unless you have read Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy.  Then you will remember the harrowing scene where Gabriel Oak must puncture a bloated sheep using a trocar while Bathsheba stands by swallowing her pride.  Believe me, it’s worth a read.