Before becoming a brand of tactical knives supplying the French army, TB-Outdoor is the culmination of thirteen generations of the same family of cutlers from Thiers. This history began in 1580 and has continued uninterrupted ever since — a rare continuity that has earned the Tarrerias Bonjean Group its membership in the very exclusive circle of the Hénokiens. Here is the complete story, with the dates and characters that comprise it.
1580: Claude Tarrerias, the first recorded cutler in the lineage
The documented history begins with Claude Tarrerias, who started his activity as a master grinder in the Thiers region. His son, Jean Tarrerias, continued the tradition — his 1646 marriage contract already explicitly mentions his activity as a cutler, proving that the trade was already being passed from father to son at that time.
1648: official registration
Departmental archives record the mention of Claude Tarrerias as a master grinder in Celles-sur-Durolle. This date of 1648 serves today as the official benchmark — the TB-1648 brand also takes its name from it — even if the family's cutlery activity has been attested since 1580. The two dates do not contradict each other: 1580 marks the beginning of the activity, 1648 marks its first official archival trace.
1919: the postcard documenting the gesture
The oldest visual testimony of the family history is a postcard titled "Thiers picturesque: The cutlers", dated around 1919. The photograph shows the family workshop — a "rouet" (grinding wheel) — located in the village of Moulin Neuf, on the banks of the Durolle river, whose motive force powered the grinding wheels.
It shows master grinders lying on planks, manually grinding blades by rubbing them on large stone grinding wheels. The central figure is Joseph Tarrerias, then the 8th generation of cutler in the lineage. In the foreground, blurred, an 11-year-old girl is polishing blades by hand: this is Marie Bonjean, 11th generation of another line of cutlers. A small dog is lying on a grinder's legs to warm him — a detail that gives this photograph, more than 100 years old, a rare intimate character for an industrial document.
1926: the union of the two lineages
Marie Bonjean marries Lucien Tarrerias, Joseph's son. This union united two families of cutlers from Thiers who had each been practicing the trade for several generations.
The founding of the Tarrerias Bonjean company
After the Second World War, Lucien Tarrerias and Marie Bonjean took the family workshop a decisive step forward: transitioning to an industrial scale. It was at this moment that the company Tarrerias Bonjean was formally founded, combining the two family names. Their son Georges Tarrerias then took over, before in turn passing it on to the next generation.
1989: the arrival of the current generation
Eric Tarrerias joined the family business, followed shortly after by his sister Carole Tarrerias and her husband Stéphane Guillaumont, who would later take over the management of the industrial subsidiary GDD. It is this generation — the 13th generation of cutlers in the lineage — that currently leads the group.
1998: complete industrial independence
Tarrerias Bonjean integrates the entire manufacturing process in-house — from the raw steel coil to the polishing of the finished product. A choice that durably distinguishes the company in a sector where partial subcontracting is the norm.
2001-2018: the birth of the military and outdoor universe
1996 marked the beginning of collaboration with the French army via the Bivouac®. The subsidiary Générale de Découpage (GDD), managed by Stéphane Guillaumont, obtained the EPV label in 2001 — the same year that the Baroudeur® took over from the Bivouac®. In 2007, Tarrerias Bonjean became the first French cutlery company to be ISO 9001 certified. The move in 2016 to the current site of La Monnerie-le-Montel accompanied the growth of the activity, until the C.A.C.® entered service in 2018 — the culmination of two decades of field feedback and collaboration with Philippe Perotti, a former member of the French special forces.
Today: two brands, one home
The SE Tarrerias Bonjean Group now manages two distinct commercial universes: TB-Outdoor, dedicated to field and military expertise, and TB-1648, dedicated to table cutlery and culinary art — a name that directly pays homage to the official registration date of 1648. This dual identity is based on the same foundation: thirteen generations of Thiers cutlery know-how, complete industrial integration via GDD, and uninterrupted family governance that earns the group its membership in the circle of the Hénokiens.
Recap Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1580 | Claude Tarrerias, first recorded master grinder in the lineage |
| 1648 | Official registration of cutlery activity in departmental archives |
| 1919 | Postcard "Thiers picturesque: The cutlers" — Joseph Tarrerias and Marie Bonjean |
| 1926 | Marriage of Marie Bonjean and Lucien Tarrerias |
| After 1945 | Industrial founding of the Tarrerias Bonjean company |
| 1989 | Arrival of Eric and Carole Tarrerias, 13th generation |
| 1996 | First standard issue knife supplied to the French army: the Bivouac® |
| 1998 | Complete vertical integration of production |
| 2001 | EPV label for GDD; Baroudeur® enters service |
| 2007 | First ISO 9001 certification for French cutlery |
| 2016 | Relocation to the current site of La Monnerie-le-Montel |
| 2018 | C.A.C.® enters service |
| 2022 | New warehouse, ecological transition (solar panels) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is TB-1648 named that if the family's history dates back to 1580?
1580 marks the beginning of the documented cutlery activity of the Tarrerias family. 1648 is the date on which this activity was officially registered in the departmental archives — it is this second date that was chosen as the official founding benchmark.
Who leads the Tarrerias Bonjean Group today?
Eric and Carole Tarrerias, 13th generation of the lineage, with Stéphane Guillaumont heading the industrial subsidiary GDD.
Is the 1919 postcard visible anywhere?
Yes, it is presented on the dedicated page for TB-Outdoor's history.
