Where were all these clasp knives manufactured (Jambette, Flatin, Capucin et à la Dauphine)?

Picture of the town of St.-Étienne, France.

After some considerable research and the help from Brigitte Liabeuf from the Musée de la coutellerie in Thiers and Monsieur Bernard Rivatton ,Directeur du Musee du Vieux Saint-Etienne,  we were able to conclude that nearly all french clasp knives found in Canada and the U.S were in fact manufactured in a suburb in the town of St.-Étienne called Chambon Feugerolles or St.-Étienne-en-forez.  Bernard Rivatton has forwarded me a very interesting picture of a plaque.  The tablet is of all knifemakers in the St.Etienne region for 1737.  I am hoping to find some very valuable information from this tablet and this will help and cross reference the names on the plaque with the ones I compiled from all archeological digs (see the section Markings and identification)

This is furthermore confirmed by Bondaroy's writeup on the St.Etienne knifemaking industry in 1763:

"Folding knives are called jambettes in the country, but are better known in Paris as Eustache Dubois knives, since they were formerly made by a St. Etienne craftsman of that name, who manufactured large quantities of them which were very good, bringing him some fame. Some of his descendants still work in St. Etienne, and their knives bear the same mark. Although knives are produced elsewhere in the Forez region, workshops in St. Etienne and in nearby Chambon manufacture annually 500 to 600,000 livres worth of jambettes, Eustache Dubois knives, dauphine knives, and a la capucine [folding] knives. They also produce table knives and butcher knives amounting to 100,000 livres annually. Everyone is always astonished at the low prices at which the St. Etienne knives sell. They are of extremely simple manufacture, but the blade is of good quality. A craftsman could not subsist if he worked alone; however; the master cutlers .of St. Etienne have organized factories employing 30 or 40 artisans, each one working at only one operation, so that the manufacturing process is performed more quickly, and also more exactly. " ²⁷

How were these knives shipped?

Le front de mer vu de l'avant-port et la ville. Gravure aquarellée du milieu du XVIIe siècle - Front view from the sea of the La Rochelle Port (17th century)
 

Based on the some of the early records and thanks to Timothy J. Kent for his fine detective work, we are able to determine that the shipment of clasp knives were sent from St.Étienne to the La Rochelle port in bales or cases that would of been loaded on ships destined for New-France.  It is noted that the agent for some of these St.Etienne knifemaker's was based out of the town of Lyon. (see Map below)

Possibly the earliest documentation of Siamese folding knives in New France was recorded in 1699, when the Quebec outfitter Martel ordered 144 of them with horn handles from his supplier in the mother country. (N.N.Q.-Q., Inventaire d'une Collection, Dossier 397, original ms., 18 octobre, 1699) ²⁷

Fifteen years later, a letter which was written by an individual in Lyon, France, apparently acting as the agent for a manufacturer in nearby St. Etienne, noted that 576 Siamese knives of medium size and 288 others of large size had been shipped in three bales or cases to La Rochelle, for delivery to Canada; the two sizes were priced at 0.83 and 1.08 livres per dozen, respectively. (Letter of 22 Février, 1714, Université de Montréal, Collection Baby, G-2)²⁷

Christian Lemasson of France, a local knife enthusiast, has been researching the history of the "jambette" knifemaking traditions in the local archives at St.-Etienne.  Based on his recent finds he has sent me some interesting information regarding the transportation of these knives from their place of manufacture to the western sea ports in destination of New-France.

In the King's registers (18th century register of grievances), the representatives of the corporation of the cutlers of St Etienne en Forez (corporation des couteliers du mandement de St Etienne en Forez) explained that the passage towards Marseilles which was used for export to New France, implied transport on wooden carts then a transfer of goods onto boats (gabarres) on the Rhone. This   however much faster but implied 5 successive passages through customs without exemptions and privileges which increased the final price of the knives, on top of which were added the taxes collected by the local farmers (collecteurs d'impots pour leur compte et pour le Roi), whereas the passage towards Bordeaux was financially more interesting but longer and more perilous. The road between St Etienne and Saint Flour was not possible using carts and requited transports on mules, then by carts and finally by boat. On the other hand Saint-Etienne profited during these transfers of goods while passing through the provinces that necessitated fewer customs crossing whereas the transit by the Rhone and Marseilles required the passage of several borders.

 Dans la supplique au Roi (cahier de doléance 18eme ),les représentants de la corporation des couteliers du mandement de St Etienne en Forez expliquent que le passage vers Marseille qui était utilisé pour l'exportation vers la Nouvelle France , impliquait le transport en voiture puis le transfert sur des gabarres sur le Rhone était plus rapide mais qu'il impliquait 5 passages en douane succéssifs sans exemptions et privilèges qui grévaient d'autant le prix final des couteaux ,plus des taxes et frais divers récoltés par les fermiers généraux (collecteurs d'impots pour leur compte et pour le Roi),alors que le passage vers Bordeaux était financièrement plus intéressant mais plus long et périlleux. La route entre St Etienne et Saint Flour n'était pas carossable et nécéssitait le transport sur des mulets ,puis par voiture puis gabarre. Par contre Saint Etienne bénéficiait lors du transfert en passant par ces provinces de privilèges de douane (alors que le transit par le Rhone et Marseille supportait le passage de plusieurs frontières
 

There is a mention that the vessel l'Inflame made the voyage from Rochefort to Mississipy (Fort Biloxy). Could it be that certain ships would be leaving from the port of Rochefort or were the goods stored in the King's stores in Rochefort?

"...Rochefort to Mississipy 1701.  Extracts  from the certificates for the Provisions made in 1701 for the King's Service, and sent to Mississipy on His Majesty's vessel l'Inflame for the fort at Biloxy. By the Commissary General of the Navy, Jean Baptiste Guichard on 22 January, 1701." (Funds of the Colonies F1A 200)

There is also a mention of Brest being one of the towns were these knives were being sent to from St.Étienne, destined for Canada.