Tyler Morris Woodworking Blog

"New and Improved!" Henckels cabinets

We recently completed 20 Cutlery Display Cabinets for Zwilling J.A. Henckels.  J.A Henckels is a knife manufacturer based in Solingen, Germany.  They are one of the largest and oldest (since 1731!) manufacturers of kitchen knives, scissors, cookware and flatware.

You may be wondering, "Why is a small, 4-person shop in Colorado making display cabinets for a famous brand from Germany?"   Well, here's the story.  In 1999, The Cupboard, our local kitchen specialty store, asked us to make a display cabinet larger than the ones Henckels were providing.  They desired the cabinet to display knives on magnetic knife bars and knife block sets, plus provide storage for back stock.  After a few meetings and sketches, we designed the current  cabinet.  Then, shortly after we installed three of these cabinets in The Cupboard, the regional Henckels sales representative noticed a spike in sales and notified their headquarters in New York.  They then took a chance with us and we have maintained a great relationship since.  The original version was made from Baltic Birch plywood and had a clear, lacquer finish. The second version featured "Studio Teak," a laminate with a walnut appearance.  Lastly, the third and current version is made from "Leave Likatre" laminate.

Interestingly, in 1731 Peter Henckels registered the "Zwilling" (German for "Twin") logo with the Cutlers’ Guild of Solingen. This makes Zwilling one of the oldest trademarks in the world.

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