Schmidt Brothers Cutlery Review: Knives for the Modern Kitchen
By Bobby B. | June 6, 2020 | Knife Brands
Their knives have seemingly come out of nowhere in the past few years, but their design and performance make you feel like they’ve been around forever. Here in our Schmidt Brothers Cutlery review we’ll discuss what makes their knives so special and if you should consider spending your hard-earned money on their products.
Schmidt Brothers Cutlery designs and produces modern-looking kitchen knives using 100% German steel and FSC-certified sustainable wood. The company was founded in 2010 by two brothers with a real knack for combining modern materials with old-world, traditional processes and techniques. Here’s a quick video from their youtube page introducing you to the brothers.
Schmidt Brothers Knife Lines
It appears these guys are constantly producing new designs, but their core cutlery business seems to be built around the four product lines shown here. As mentioned above, each of their knives is made using 100% German steel (DN 1.4116 Stainless to be exact). They are all engineered and designed in New York (assembled in China).
All of Schmidt Brothers Cutlery’s knives are what we’d call Western-style knives, and their blades are sharpened to an 18-degree angle on both sides, creating a nice sharp cutting edge. During the manufacturing process, the steel blades are hardened to 59HRC +/-.
Bonded Teak
The Bonded Teak series is a fully forged knife with a full bolster, full-tang handle, and a high-polished German steel blade. Besides the shape of its handle, the unique feature on this series is the high-quality Asian teak wood used in the handle.
>> Schmidt Brothers Bonded Teak Knives at Amazon <<
Bonded Ash
The Schmidt Brothers Bonded Ash Series of knives looks amazing. Many of the same features as their other knives (German steel, fully forged, full-tang, rust & stain resistant), but the focal point of this knife is the Ash Pakka Wood handle.
>> Schmidt Brothers Bonded Ash Knives at Amazon <<
Carbon 6
Unless any other Schmidt Brothers knife currently available, the Carbon 6 Series knives are made completely out of single piece of German stainless steel. It’s unique from the others b/c of no bolster and a slightly different blade shape at the tip.
>> Schmidt Brothers Carbon 6 Knives at Amazon <<
Zebra Wood
Another amazingly beautiful knife series by the Schmidt Brothers. Yes, it uses the same German steel forged blade and has a full bolster. Perhaps our favorite feature of this series is that the zebra wood grain on each handle is unique and different.
>> Schmidt Brothers Zebra Wood Knives at Amazon <<
The Best Schmidt Brothers Knife Sets
Lucky for all of us, the consumer, Schmidt Brothers has provided multiple options for purchasing their fine knives. They can be obtained through modern-looking knives sets with amazing magnetic wood blocks, or individually knife by knife. Since our average reader likes to purchase sets of matching knives, we’ll cover our favorite Schmidt Brother knife sets and highlight some of their cool features. Note, they come in 7-pc and 15-pc sets, all with these very modern magnet knife blocks.
Knives Included:
8” Chef’s Knife, 8.5” Bread Knife, 8.5″ Carving Knife, 6” Serrated Utility Knife, 7″ Boning Knife, 4” Paring Knife, 7″ Deli Knife, (6) 5″ Steak Knives
Blade Material:
German Stainless Steel (DN 1.4116)
Block Material:
Acacia Wood
Extras:
2-Stage Sharpener
Schmidt Brothers Bonded Teak Knives Review:
The Schmidt Brothers bonded teak knives have such a smooth finish. The wood handles flow very nicely with the rounded stainless steel edges of the bolster and butt of the knives. The better than average grade German stainless steel is hardned to a 59 on the Rockwell Hardness scale, meaning it’s hard enough to keep a sharp edge, but not so hard that it’s brittle and chips. This beautiful set comes with (13) different knives, including (6) steak knives. But, the centerpiece of this Schmidt Brothers knife set is certainly the awesome-looking magnetic knife block made of similar (Acacia) wood. In addition to the 15-pc set mentioned here, there is also a Bonded Teak 7-pc knife set that works great for smaller budgets or spaces.
Knives Included:
8” Chef’s Knife, 9” Bread Knife, 8″ Slicer Knife, 7″ Santoku Knife, 6″ Tomato/Bagel Knife, 4” Paring Knife
Blade Material:
German Stainless Steel (DN 1.4116)
Block Material:
Wood
Extras:
N/A
Schmidt Brothers Bonded Ash Knives Review
Yes, fewer knives in this set, but no less beautiful! This is a smaller set that still gets the job done. This is a great set if you just need fewer knives, live alone, have a smaller budget, or just don’t have the counter space for all those knives in the 15-pc set. The wood in the handle is actually Ash Pakka Wood which is a fantastic material for knife handles. In case you were wondering, these smaller 7-pc knife sets from Schmidt Brothers Cutlery have (3) knives stuck to each side of the block, allowing for a much smaller knife block, thus saving you space in the kitchen.
Knives Included:
8” Chef’s Knife, 8.5” Bread Knife, 8.5″ Carving Knife, 7” Serrated Utility Knife, 7″ Hollow-Ground Santoku Knife, 4” Paring Knife, 6″ Deli Knife, (6) 4.5″ Steak Knives
Blade Material:
German Stainless Steel (DN 1.4116)
Block Material:
Acacia Wood
Extras:
2-Stage Knife Sharpener
Schmidt Brothers Carbon 6 Knives Review:
The Carbon 6 series of knives is perhaps the most unique within the Schmidt Brothers lineup. First, they don’t have wooden handles like the others, and they’re actually made from just one single piece of steel. What really sets them off is the contrast between the polished, ultra-sharp blades and the scorched, blade matte-finsihed handles. No need to worry if you have a small apartement, the Carbon 6 knives also come in a smaller, 7-pc knife set that will help you conserve countertop space in your kitchen.
Knives Included:
8” Chef’s Knife, 8.5” Bread Knife, 8.5″ Slicer Knife, 7.5″ Santoku Knife, 6″ Serrated Utility Knife, 4” Paring Knife
Blade Material:
German Stainless Steel (DN 1.4116)
Block Material:
Zebra Wood
Extras:
N/A
Schmidt Brothers Zebra Wood Knives Review:
Yet another great knife set by the Schmidt Brothers Cutlery team. What makes this set fun is the uniqueness of each and every handle since the grain in the zebra wood is so inconsistent. It really gives these knives tons of character. This is a perfect set for someone that doesn’t need many knives or has a smaller budget. If you need more, take a look at their 15-pc Zebra Wood Knife Set.
Schmidt Brothers Steak Knives
Schmidt Brothers Cutlery does a great job making steak knife sets. Most of their steak knife sets come in 4-pieces and include a very nice storage/gift box that makes a great presentation for a give of any sort. The exception to this is their Carbon 6, 6-pc steak knife set. Need 8 knives??? Just get 2 sets.
They have steak knives in each of the lineups listed above, but also some additional types that aren’t shown above including the one pictured below called “Farmhouse” jumbo steak knives.
Schmidt Brothers Knives Review Conclusion
If you’ve followed us along this far, we hope you’ve enjoyed our review of the Schmidt Brothers Cutlery knives and also learned something along the way. They are an awesome collection of modern kitchen knives that will certainly get the attention of visitors to your home. They’re also offered at a fair price that reflect the high-quality materials that are used along the way….but not too high so they empty your wallet!
Are they worth a look? Of course they are. Are they the best knives in the world? No, but you already knew that and probably don’t want to pay for them anyway :).
Did you know… Schmidt Brothers also produces BBQ utensils, many of which match their kitchen knife sets? Click here to see them at Amazon
Below are a few answers to frequently asked questions we’ve seen asked around the web or have been asked ourselves.
Schmidt Brothers Knife FAQs
Where Are Schmidt Brothers Knives Made?
The knives are designed in New York in the United States. The raw materials are sourced from all over the world (USA, Germany, Indonesia). The actually manufacturing and assembly is done in China.
Are Schmidt Brothers Knives Dishwasher Safe?
These knives, like all good kitchen knives that contain high amounts of carbon in the steel should be hand wash only. Never put them in the dishwasher. As they say… “clean without the machine.”
What Kind of Warranty Do Schmidt Brothers Knives Have?
Because of the high-quality materials used in their knives, Schmidt Brothers is able to offer a Limited Lifetime Warranty that guards against defects in materials and/or craftsmanship. This shows confidence in their products. Check here for more on their warranty details.
Are the Schmidt Brothers Real?
Yes, they are two brothers, Jared and Jordan who were knife enthusiasts turned knife designers. This article tells you much about their backstory and what they’re all about.
Are Schmidt Brothers Knives Any Good?
Did you even read any of the entire page above? Just kidding! Yes, they’re good and well-suited for use by home chefs for the price point they’re sold at. However for the price, you could price you could probably find higher-end knives, but most of the value in Schmidt Brothers knives are their sleek, modern design. So if you don’t like their designs, I’d move on to another knife brand that might be a better fit for you.