To hear the sea, most children hold a shell to their ear; all I had to do was hurtle down my street to see it dance. I had the good fortune to be born in Cancale, a small Breton fishing port between Saint-Malo and the Mont-Saint-Michel. Here, young people learn to sail just as they learn to ride a bicycle. Early on, each sailor must have a knife, the most faithful and necessary companion for yachting or fishing. Cancale is the birthplace of oyster-farming in France, and since François I, kings have feasted on its exceptional oysters. Cancale and its oysters lead us to a love of marine foods.
My passion for cooking over the past 20 years has inevitably drawn me to the world of knife-making. With Henri Viallon, one of the finest names in French knife-making, we wished to create an oyster knife linked to my natural and cultural environment.
What was missing from the sailor's terre-neuvas knife for slicing cod, the cap hornier for cutting the rope and the pirate's knife for attacking a ship was a blade for the oyster-eater. Thanks to Henri, we were able to make this teenage dream reality.
The shape of the knife is similar to the "London" knife, which could be found in the pocket of any ocean adventurer from the 18th century onwards. Since, according to legend, sailors were forbidden to take pointed blades on board to avoid murderous disputes between members of the crew, the knife has a rounded end. The profile of the open knife recalls that of the sperm whale, as well as the movement of a heavy swell. When it's closed, it's rounded in the palm of the hand and the blade becomes an upside-down hull. Early on, some models had a marlin spike which we chose to replace with an oyster blade.
This blade works equally beautifully for those who like to open their oysters from the side and those who prefer to use the hinge. Neither the creuse nor the flat oysters can resist it, and an ingenious flick-knife system ensures maximum security. Many prototypes were necessary before settling on this fully realised model.
The knives were fabricated in a workshop manned by ten artisans, all working in the pure Thiernoise tradition. For the blades, we used Swedish Sandwick steel (12c27) containing 0.65% carbon for excellent cutting and 13% chrome so that they would be perfectly stainless.
To protect it, we teamed up with "Vent de Voyage" to create a case from competition sail fabric (Devlar or Dacron). This small Saint-Malo workshop, which specialises in sailors' bags, works only with salvaged sails. So, after having opened a perfect oyster, a pure expression of marine life, you'll spread on a slice of bread some salted butter which will pearl under the stroke of this blade, which is born to feed and never to injure.

A few tips from Henri Viallon for taking care of your knife:
After having opened the oysters, rince the knife under running water and wipe it well before closing it.
Occasionally, place a small drop of mineral oil on the heel of the blade to ensure its smooth operation.
If the handle is made of ebony or exotic wood, feed it regularly with linseed oil.
Sharpen the knife with a knife sharpener or stone.