To celebrate reaching the summit of your sourdough craft, we looked to the country with a world renowned bread culture. The land of over 3000 bread varietals, bread sommeliers, manufacturers of grain mills and cutlery of unmatched craftsmanship: Germany.

Rooted in this glutinous heritage emerged Messermeister (messer meaning “knife;” meister meaning “master”), and we’ve failed to find a bread knife that surpasses the performance and artistry of the Oliva Elite. Sharp enough to cut foccacia without tearing and strong enough to break through a seeded loaf crust, its exquisitely balanced olive wood handle makes every cut a ceremony, where each downward stroke yields little to no crumbs and minimal compression.

The blade, bolster and tang consist of one piece of the finest German steel alloy that is hot-dropped, hammer forged, heat-treated and cooled in a process that reinforces the bonds in the metal, leading to a strong, inflexible blade that becomes (and stays) extremely sharp. This knife is made the old-fashioned way: forged in small batches from one billet of steel, hammered by hand to create a work of art with a Rockwell hardness scale of 58 — the magic number of knife nirvana — sought after by professional chefs around the world. 

So really this is not just a knife; it’s the herald before breaking bread — the scalloped convoy that forges the path along crust and crumb, and the balanced, effortless slice you’ve earned upon perfecting your bakes. This is for your kids and grandkids, or your cousins, and friends — the ones that will inherit your wisdom, techniques, standards (and eventually) your heirloom Messermeister Oliva Elite bread knife.

Handcrafted in the historic cutlery capital of Solingen, Germany.

Founded in 1981, Messermeister is a leading manufacturer of premium handcrafted chef’s knives, kitchen cutlery and cooking tools, as well as the exclusive knife supplier of Le Cordon Bleu. Now a 100% women-owned, California based company with German heritage, Messermeister remains one of the last companies in the world that hot-drop, hammer forge knives the traditional way. It truly is the knife for life. 

Messermeister Oliva Elite 9″ Bread Knife