Carl Schmidt Sohn – Tradition Since 1829
At CARL SCHMIDT SOHN, we create products for people who value outstanding quality, thoughtful functionality, and exclusive design at the table and in the kitchen. Following the tradition of Solingen’s cutlery industry, we manufacture high-quality knives, cutlery, cookware, scissors, and kitchen tools. All our products are perfectly suited for both private households and professional kitchens, hotels, and the gastronomy sector.
The exceptional quality of our products results from carefully selected materials and first-class craftsmanship. As a traditional Solingen-based company since 1829, working with steel is in our DNA. We draw upon proven knowledge, skilled craftsmanship, and decades of experience to create products that impress in both form and function. Superior workmanship and quality guarantee products that will bring you joy for many years.
Outstanding Products by CARL SCHMIDT SOHN
Good design is always contemporary. Always. Good design remains understated, focusing on minimal decoration. After all, the most important aspect of everyday tools is their function. Shape, high-quality materials, and outstanding craftsmanship come together to create quality products that are functional in use, comfortable to hold, and visually appealing.
The design of CARL SCHMIDT SOHN products has impressed juries of renowned awards such as the IF Design Award, the Red Dot Design Award, and the Best Brand Award, South Korea’s prestigious recognition for product design. These awards reinforce our work and our way of thinking and acting. They serve as both motivation and a guiding light for the future.
CARL SCHMIDT SOHN International
As an internationally active company based in Solingen, we collaborate with experts from various countries in both product development and sales. We understand the dining and cooking habits of different cultures and distribute our products in more than 40 countries worldwide. Everywhere in the world, people recognize what matters most in knives, cutlery, cookware, and kitchen tools: convincing design, functionality, and superior quality craftsmanship.
If you have any questions about our product range, our sales team will be happy to assist you personally.
History
Carl Schmidt was a trained blacksmith when he founded CARL SCHMIDT SOHN together with his son in 1829. A name that would spread around the world. A name that would become a brand. And one that still endures today.
The young company initially specialized in manufacturing swords. Thanks to its geographical location along the Wupper River and its abundant deposits of iron ore and wood for coal production, the city of Solingen provided ideal conditions for metal processing. At that time, no one could have predicted that Solingen would one day become the center of the cutlery industry and that "Made in Solingen" would be recognized worldwide as a mark of outstanding products and top quality.
From the very beginning, Carl Schmidt and his son led the company to great success. After just one year, they employed 100 blacksmiths, grinders, and assistants. The company's proximity to Cologne was almost ideal for large-scale production and distribution, as Cologne was one of the largest and wealthiest trading centers in Germany at the time. Thus, from the very beginning, CARL SCHMIDT SOHN products were exported around the world.
Solingen cutlery soon became synonymous with the highest quality and craftsmanship—even in an era when communication was slow and information traveled at a much slower pace. Swords, sabers, knives, and scissors from Solingen were recognized purely for their exceptional quality and durability. The key factors were premium materials and expert craftsmanship. The skills and expertise of Solingen’s blacksmiths, grinders, and Damascus steel artisans were—and still are—unparalleled. And when combined with strong business acumen, as in the case of CARL SCHMIDT SOHN, success was inevitable.
Around 1850, the company continuously expanded its production to include knives, cutlery, razors, pocket knives, and scissors. Its international business connections remained strong, and by the 1930s, the majority of its products were already being exported across Europe.
Today, under the brand name CARL SCHMIDT SOHN, knives, cutlery, cookware, scissors, and kitchen tools are produced. The company operates on a global scale, with experts from different cultures involved in the development of new products. This cross-cultural collaboration brings together innovative ideas, diverse markets, and varied target groups. The close global networking and cooperation benefit the products, production, and distribution equally—always combined with traditional craftsmanship and outstanding quality.
These strong foundations allow the company to look toward the future with confidence. CARL SCHMIDT SOHN is one of the oldest companies in Solingen, helping establish the city as the renowned center of the German cutlery industry worldwide.
The international network, the successful global marketing of products, and the high brand recognition are based on traditional blacksmith and craftsmanship skills, innovation, functional products, and consistently high quality.
The products and the CARL SCHMIDT SOHN brand are recognized worldwide. With a new corporate identity, the company expands its activities within Europe and into the Asian market. – Since March 19, 2012, the city of Solingen has officially carried the title "City of Blades."
CARL SCHMIDT SOHN celebrates its 175th anniversary. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce honors the company with a certificate of recognition for outstanding achievements.
The company expands exports to Europe and North America and enters the Asian market by selling knives in Japan. By 1997, its products are exported to 40 countries worldwide.
Even the most traditional Solingen companies must adapt to rapidly changing markets and continuously reinvent themselves. With the development of pressure cookers and modern designs for knives and cutlery, the company successfully maintains its competitive position.
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1970
The CARL SCHMIDT SOHN brand remained strong even after the turmoil of wartime and during economic growth. The company begins developing additional product lines. Cooking utensils are introduced, along with a cookware line that becomes established under the brand CSK – Carl Schmidt Kochsysteme.
The CARL SCHMIDT SOHN brand continues to expand. The majority of its knives and cutlery are exported to European markets. Solingen is already internationally renowned as the center of Germany’s cutlery industry and a guarantee of top quality.
The success of swords and sabers, as well as the growing demand for cutlery, leads Carl Schmidt to further expand production. The company begins manufacturing cutlery, razors, pocket knives, and scissors.
Just one year after its founding, the company employs more than 100 blacksmiths, grinders, and assistants. Production expands, and Carl Schmidt takes advantage of Cologne’s role as a major trade hub to distribute his products far beyond the city and national borders.
Carl Schmidt, a native of Solingen and a trained blacksmith, recognizes the potential for manufacturing swords. He founds his own company together with his son, marking the birth of the CARL SCHMIDT SOHN brand.