9″ Insieme Bread Knife

David Berti founded Coltellerie Berti in 1895 in Tuscany. Since its inception, the art of handcrafted knives has been passed down through each generation of the family. First at the hands of David, then his son Severino, then Severino’s son, Alvaro, and finally Alvaro’s son, Andrea. It is so incredible to me that this family has passed down the tradition of handmade knives for more than 100 years, uninterrupted.

The family describes their commitment to creating knives the same way, in the same place as “almost a religious observance to craftsmanship.” To me, this is what is so remarkable about this family and their products. Coltellerie Berti stands for traditional craftsmanship in the face of modern consumerism, low labor costs, and a general modern predisposition to purchase disposable, lower quality products. Beri knives are made to last a lifetime and meant to be passed down to young generations within a family. 

The workshop is located in a small village north of Florence and roughly ten artisans work daily crafting knives, apprentices must complete three years of training before they are approved to craft knives for the brand. Within the workshop, artisans kneel on cushions or low stools, focusing intently on the knife they are crafting that day. These artisans melt, assemble, and sharpen, slowly crafting a work of art. A special quality about each Berti knife: each one is crafted by one artisan and once it is finished, the artisan marks their initials on the blade. 

Whenever Andrea is interviewed or speaks about the family business, he notes his commitment to tradition. “We cannot live without traditions” is the mantra of this family. Chefs have taken note of Berti knives’ quality and they are popular among many top chefs. In fact, many chefs who own Beri knives will ship them across the world, just to have their blades sharpened by Berti artisans in Tuscany.