In La Monnerie, at the gates of Thiers, Locau has been making scissors, pruning shears and knives since 1975. A house that chose to take over neighbouring workshops so their know-how would live on.
A story of passing things on
Founded in 1975, Locau first made its name in scissors, the historic speciality of the Thiers area. Over the decades, rather than let the valley’s workshops disappear, it took them over one by one, with their tools and their skills. That is how the house now covers a rare range: sewing and embroidery scissors, pruning shears, pocket and table knives.
- 1975 · Locau is founded in La Monnerie.
- 1988 · Takeover of the Barraud-Brosson scissor works.
- 1989 · Cisochoc®, the first scissors without a gram of metal.
- 2006 · Le Thiers® scissors are created.
- 2007 · Takeover of the Rimbert Chevalerias scissor works.
- 2009 · Launch of the Le Thiers® knife range.
- 2016 · Takeover of Rocher et Fils pruning shears production.
- 2019 · Takeover of Atelier CRT, a cutlery maker.
Hot-forged scissors
Most Locau scissors and pruning shears are hot-forged as they used to be, then go through about ten steps before leaving the workshop:
- Hot forging of the blades
- Making and cutting the “crampon”
- Cutting the rings
- Drilling and heat treatment
- Straightening and grinding
- Threading and sharpening
- Assembly
- Adjusting the cut by hand
- Wiping and cleaning
Le Thiers® scissors are cold-forged. Alongside these age-old gestures, Locau uses modern tools: laser cutting, ultrasonic welding and controlled-atmosphere heat treatment.
Steels and materials
- Scissors: XC50 carbon steel, 52 to 56 HRC.
- Pruning shears: carbon steel, 50 to 56 HRC.
- Pocket knives: 12C27 stainless steel, at least 52 HRC.
- Table knives: X46Cr13 or X20Cr13 stainless steel.
Handles are polished in the workshop: woods (ebony, juniper, olive, rosewood…), horn and bone, and rarer materials such as mother-of-pearl or coral.
Le Thiers® and the Jurande
Le Thiers® is more than a name: it is a knife created by the town’s cutlers and governed by the Jurande, a quality charter requiring it to be made in Thiers. Locau made it one of its pillars, with Le Thiers® scissors since 2006 and a Le Thiers® knife range since 2009, in several sizes and many woods.
Designed with the people who use it
Locau products are designed with professionals (dressmakers, florists, chefs) and design schools, combining function, sturdiness and safety. They are made on a 6,000 m² site beside the A72 motorway and sold through a network of around 500 retailers. The house is committed to preserving the valley’s know-how and local jobs.