This rat tail tang knife's seamless handle ends in a polished stainless steel pommel with dropped heel, making the knife comfortable to work with and easy to grip. Gapless construction prevents buildup of food particles and eliminates that potential source of cross contamination.

Built in the classic chef's knife style, the camber of the molybdenum vanadium stainless steel blade's eight-inch cutting edge allows rocking as well as slicing movement. Although it's heavy enough at the base for chopping, the blade tapers towards the tip. This gradual change in the blade allows different parts to perform well at a full range of lighter kitchen tasks including peeling, trimming, slicing, dicing, and mincing. If something needs doing, there's usually a way to do it with the chef's knife, since each part of the blade is fitted to a different purpose. The San Moritz blade is built extra wide, increasing the range of the knife and also putting more room between the knuckles and the cutting board. Sometimes referred to as the flagship knife, it's the most versatile knife in a European-style kitchen.

The Messermeister San Moritz provides space for personalized engraving and comes packaged in a handsome gift box.

For a high quality stamped steel version of the Chef's knife, see the Messermeister Park Plaza.

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Messermeister San Moritz Elite 2 Pc Chefs Knife and Parer Set US $139.95   Auction Ends: 42m

Messermeister FORGED San Moritz Elite 8 Chefs Knife US $89.99   Auction Ends: 18d 20h 52m

Two rotating steel hones fixed in the cast iron housing provide the sharpening action. The angle of the honing rods is fixed at the standard European bevel of approximately 25 degrees. That's not as acute as the bevel of harder and narrower Asian cutlery, so don't use this sharpener on high-end Asian knives like Shun. Nearly any American or European knife will fit, but worn knives may take some work before the edge fits the sharpener and the device produces really good results.

If beginning with very dull and worn knives, you may need to restore the edge with whetstones or have the knives professionally refurbished. Knives in good condition usually only require resetting, since at a microscopic level the softer European style of steel folds over slightly during use instead of chipping or wearing away. Stroking the edge along a harder steel rod sets that invisible edge straight again.

Use enough downward pressure to rotate both honing steels as you pull the blade through the sharpener. Keep the blade vertical in the slot, and only a half dozen strokes should set the knife right again and restore razor-sharp cutting action. The Chantry manual sharpener from Messermeister is available in four colors including black, white, silver and red.

For a handy knife hone set at the correct bevel angle for Asian cutlery, see the Chef's Choice 463 Pronto.

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Messermeister Chantry Mini Knife Sharpener Black US $41.72   Auction Ends: 19d

NEW Taylors Eye Chantry Knife Sharpener White US $66.48   Auction Ends: 27d 5h 47m

Messermeister isn't the best known German cutlery manufacturer, but it's definitely one of the best. This Santoku with seven inches of cutting edge, forged bolster, and full tang handle could become one of your handiest kitchen knives. Thinner than the standard cook's or chef's knife, the slicing action of the taper-ground edge is much improved over the traditional European version. While you'll still need the chef's knife for heavier chopping, the santoku unquestionably does a better job of slicing vegetables, fruit and meat.

Unlike the bolsters of older European blades, the bolster of the santoku doesn't follow the base of the blade. That leaves the entire cutting edge from heel to point completely available for use. One smooth movement puts the entire blade through the work. Sharpening the entire edge is a simple matter of a few strokes on a honing steel.

Granton hollows along the edge of the blade break the surface contact and reduce the friction between the steel and the food. Slices tend to fall away instead of stacking up on the blade, and when slicing meats, the pockets collect fats and juices which lubricate the cut. Because there's less friction, the knife cuts thinner and without distorting the product.

The riveted handle slabs of POM or Polyoxymethaline resist temperature extremes, chemicals, and moisture. The hand-polished and razor-sharp knife ships in a handsome gift box.

Also consider the Meridian Elite Chef's Knife, a good slicer in the classic European style.

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Messermeister Granton Santoku Knife 5 Meridian Elite US $79.99   Auction Ends: 18d 21h 37m

Messermeister Mini Santoku Knife w Sheath 4 1 2 Blade US $9.99   Auction Ends: 12d 18h 54m

Full tang blades and forged bolsters mark a traditional design popular in Europe and America for many years, but instead of the repetitive handle pattern of better-known German companies, Messermeister offers a refined grip. The slim handle profile of the 3-1/2-inch paring knife in this set improves the balance between the handle and the taper ground stainless steel blade. The well-rounded handle slabs of the Messermeister handle design increase comfort in use without reducing grip strength.

Instead of the usual straight-edged serrated bread knife, Messermeister prefers the slightly concave and scalloped edge shown in this nine-inch pastry knife. Designed to cut accurately through hard crusts and tender loaves, the scalloped edge slices without compacting the structure of bread, cake, or rolls. A rocking cut slips quickly through the tough bottom crust of home baked bread.

The genuine workhorse knife of the set would be the eight-inch plain edge chef's knife. Since the forged bolster does not extend the full width of the blade, you get the strength of a forged design but with improved cutting edge access. The Messermeister Chef's Knife is capable of many different chores in the kitchen, from light chopping and dividing large cuts of meat to mincing and dicing of herbs. Each part of the blade has a different specialty.

Messermeister backs their knives with a lifetime 100% product satisfaction guarantee.

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Messermeister Meridian Elite Serrated Steak Knife Set in Wood Box US $109.99   Auction Ends: 19d 21h 52m

Messermeister Meridian Elite 9 Piece Knife Block Set Handcrafted E 3000 9S US $415.99   Auction Ends: 12d 16h 10m

Stamped from a blank of no-stain X50CrMoV15 high carbon stainless steel and tempered to HRC 56, the Park Plaza chef's knife will hold an edge well. With a tapered 20-degree edge bevel, this knife slices easily and accurately while being strong enough for a wide range of other common kitchen tasks. Made in the traditional cook's knife pattern, the Park Plaza knife covers mincing, paring, dicing, and even splitting. Each part of the blade is suited to a different style of work. In skilled hands, few other knives perform as well as the cook's or chef's pattern.

The rounded edges of the polyoxymethylene (POM) handle slabs provide a comfortable grip. Triple-riveted to the full tang, the shaped handle slabs prevent slipping either forward or backward. Messermeister guarantees the knife against defects in workmanship for life and offers a sharpening service for the cost of shipping. Reworking the blade at home ought to be within the capability of most chefs and could be easily done with a series of whetstones. Daily sharpening with a honing steel resets the edge quickly.

Although the Messermeister Park Plaza doesn't look fancy, the knife does have many good features. Built heavier than some stamped brands, the Park Plaza chef's knife is strong enough for tough jobs and is a good all-purpose choice for the average kitchen.

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Messermeister Park Plaza Series 10 Scimitar Knife US $49.99   Auction Ends: 25d 18h 10m

Messermeister 6 in Chefs Knife Park Plaza US $39.99   Auction Ends: 25d 17h 16m

The forging methods used by Messermeister are limited to shaping rather than strengthening the steel. Knives could be ground from a block of good steel and show most of the qualities this forged blade does. Forging here is the quickest way to create a complex blade with tapered bolster and full length tang ready for final tempering and grinding. Forged blades easily drift towards being unnecessarily heavy, but the Messermeister pattern cuts back on weight while still holding onto the best elements of this old design.

The forged bolster serves as a comfortable and secure fingerguard while strengthening the blade at the critical point between cutting edge and handle. The reduced profile of the bolster doesn't limit the use of the cutting edge or interfere with sharpening -- as a full width bolster does. Final three-step hand finishing of the full tang high carbon stainless steel knife starts owners off with a professionally shaped cutting edge easily touched up with a honing steel. The Messermeister holds up to heavy chores without being overly heavy in the hand.

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Messermeister Granton 10 Chefs Knife Meridian Elite US $129.99   Auction Ends: 18d 22h 12m

All three use the same combination of forged steel and streamlined modern design that sets Messermeister's Elite series apart from the usual Solingen cutlery. Blade and full length tang are forged from the same bar of high carbon stainless steel. Most of the shaping comes from the forging process rather than stock removal. After trimming and heat treating, the blades are fitted with gap-free triple riveted polymer handle slabs. Final polishing and sharpening is a hand process. The finished flat ground blades show a professionally tapered edge that holds up to hard work without being too wide for efficient cutting.

The biggest difference between Messermeister Elite and the competition is the streamlined forged bolster. The bolster contributes strength to the blade and forms a dependable fingerguard for the grip, but its reduced profile doesn't interfere with the movement of the cutting edge through the food. The full length of the blade's edge is accessible for sharpening with either stone or honing steel.

The set of three is stain-free stainless steel, tough enough to survive a dishwashing machine but better off with a quick hand wash and dry. Dishwashers could degrade the finish and the cutting edge.

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Messermeister Meridian Elite 3 Pc Trio Set US $219.95   Auction Ends: 41m

Messermeister Meridian Elite 3 Pc Starter Set US $199.95   Auction Ends: 41m

The unique feature of the Elite boning knife is the reduced and tapered bolster, still enough to strengthen the critical juncture between blade and handle but toned down enough to slide through a joint of meat or a poultry carcass without stopping short. Honing steels access the full length of the cutting edge instead of everything but the last quarter inch. The Elite boning knife also works on fish as a filet knife because of its thin and flexible high carbon stainless steel blade.

Cleanup is always important, but even more so when cutting meat. The triple stainless steel rivets bond the dark polymer handles solidly to the steel tang. Handle slabs fit tight against the bolster, giving fats, juices and germs no place to hide. The handle shape resists slipping either forward or backward even when the knife gets slick. Though the knife blade is small, the handle provides enough width for a firm and comfortable grip. There's enough handle here to provide the leverage you need to guide the blade.

As with most of today's fine cutlery steel, the Meridian Elite is dishwasher safe but survives much better with a hand wash and dry in mild detergent. Sharpen with a honing steel before use.

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Messermeister Meridian Elite 6 Stiff Boning Knife US $79.95   Auction Ends: 41m

Messermeister Meridian Elite 5 Stiff Boning Knife US $69.95   Auction Ends: 41m

That's mostly because they've kept a lower profile, but their products are excellent. See our review of their San Moritz Elite Knife Set and you'll see what we mean.

In the meantime, they've quietly created a kitchen shears that rivals their more well-know cousins. Compare these shears to the Wusthof shears and you'll come away impressed.

Sporting the same come-apart design for easy cleaning, these knives also feature a jar-opening clench tool, a finger-protecting plastic nub between the grips, and Solingen German-made stainless steel.

But they go one better by adding in an offset design, bone and twig cutter, screwdriver and nut cracker. Oh, and did we mention that Cook's Illustrated them their favorite kitchen shears? All that for twenty bucks.

Handles are santoprene for a non-slip grip. Blades are pre-sharpened and measure 8.5 inches.

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Messermeister Take Apart Kitchen Scissors Shears 8 1 2 US $19.95   Auction Ends: 18d 16h 50m

Messermeister 8 Take Apart Kitchen Utility Scissors Shears Red US $15.95   Auction Ends: 4d 17h 31m

That's good news. Since they're lesser-known than Wusthof and Henckels, they don't charge the huge markups that come from being a household name.

Instead, they just make great knives. Their San Moritz Elite features blades made of X55CrMoV15 steel -- a high-carbon blend containing molybdenum and vanadium for sharpness and edge-retention.

Those blades are full-tang, running the full length and width of the handle. They are hardened to a Rockwell Hardness of 56. This is not quite as hard (and sharp) as some of the high-end Japanese knives, but plenty sharp enough for everyday use.

The handles are molded black Polyoxymetholene (POM) for durability. POM is an extremely tough synthetic material that should never chip or break. The handles are triple-riveted and have no bolster to get in the way of your pinch grip or in the way of re-sharpening.

As an added bonus, Messermeister provides free lifetime re-sharpening as well as a lifetime warranty on these knives.

It's hard to beat the value -- high-end German knives of this caliber can be priced at 40% or more above this set.

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