Nogent
Origin
The Nogent workshop has been operating in Nogent-en-Bassigny in the Haute-Marne region of northeastern France since 1929. The town of Nogent has been a centre of French cutlery production for centuries, known historically for its precision metalworking. The workshop produces knives using methods that have changed little in nearly 100 years: hand-ground blades, carefully fitted handles, and finishing done by people who have done it for a long time.
Materials and Craft
Nogent knives use 420C stainless steel blades, a food-safe alloy that holds a sharp edge and resists corrosion without any coating or surface treatment. The hornbeam handles are the other half of the story: hornbeam is one of the densest hardwoods found in Europe, resistant to moisture, cracking, and daily wear in a way that softer woods are not. The full bolster where blade meets handle is forged as part of the knife, giving it balanced weight and a clean transition that does not trap food. Nothing in a Nogent knife requires maintenance beyond washing and the occasional sharpening.
Why ASH Carries Them
Nogent sits at the crossroads of two things ASH values: French workshop craft and genuinely non-toxic materials. Stainless steel knives with no coatings, no liners, and no synthetic finishes are a straightforward choice for a kitchen that is moving away from PTFE and PFAS. They sharpen cleanly, they last, and they are made in a workshop that has been doing this since 1929. The hornbeam handle is not precious; it is practical, and it improves with use.
Product Range at ASH
ASH carries the Nogent hornbeam handle collection as a curated kitchen bundle, the Kitchen Starter Pack, bringing together nine pieces: a 3.5 inch paring knife, a 4.25 inch serrated bistro knife, a 4.25 inch santoku, a 6 inch kitchen knife, a 6.75 inch chef's knife, a 7.5 inch bread knife, a double-edge peeler, a 3.25 inch spreader, and a bagel knife. The set covers the full range of home kitchen tasks and is designed to serve as a complete knife collection for a kitchen that wants fewer, better things.