Savernake Knives

Handmade kitchen knives from the edge of Savernake Forest

Savernake Knives is a small British knife-making workshop based in a converted 1854 sawmill on the edge of Savernake Forest, outside Marlborough in Wiltshire. The team makes kitchen knives to order, combining what it describes as traditional craft with modern metallurgy. Each knife is built for a specific customer rather than as a stock item, and the company states that enquiries are handled by the same people who will make the knife.

The workshop produces both a core range of everyday kitchen knives and fully bespoke pieces, and also supplies Michelin-starred chefs, private members' clubs, hotels and restaurants. The company reports that its knives are independently tested by CATRA and ranked in the top 2.5% worldwide for initial sharpness and edge durability.

Essential and custom ranges

The catalogue is organised into several lines. The Essentials collection covers core kitchen knives aimed at home cooks, while the Custom Knives line spans the full precision-made range. Sets & Editions groups special and limited pieces, and Design Your Own allows a knife to be configured from scratch.

• Essentials: core kitchen knives for everyday use.
• All Custom Knives: the complete range of precision-crafted knives.
• Sets & Editions: specials and esoterica.
• Design Your Own: fully configurable custom knives.
• Bespoke steak knives and collaborations.

Configuring a custom knife

Every custom knife is a one-off, designed by the customer and made by the workshop. The process starts with a choice of 18 blade shapes, from a compact paring knife to a full-size chef knife. A configurator then allows the handle material, blade geometry, liner colour, spine detail and engraving to be specified. The company notes that designs not shown on the website can be discussed directly, and points to its gallery as an indication of what the workshop can produce.

Selected pieces from the catalogue

The range shown on the site includes individual knives and sets, with prices listed in pounds sterling. Among the items displayed were:

• Savernake Knife 18cm Mid-Sized Nakiri, £360.
• The Talon 19cm Fusion Bunka, £370.
• Classic 18cm Classic Chef, £335.
• Gyuto 20cm All Rounder, £350.
• The Mako 17cm Mid-Sized Santoku, £335.
• Useful Boner 12cm Traditional Boner, £310.
• Liquorice, with hand-layered handles, a crisp spine pattern and 67-layer etched San Mai steel, £2,046.
• Littoral, in burnt orange and sea-glass teal, £2,153–£2,433.
• Woods of Savernake steak knives, four blade styles with a green suede wrap, £500–£2,400.
• Walnut Carving Set, five tools, £535–£1,385.

Workshop visits and collaborations

The workshop is located on the edge of the forest in a converted sawmill outside Marlborough. Visits to see how the knives are made, try the range, meet the makers or look through the workshop's stock of materials are possible by appointment only, Monday to Friday, and the company asks visitors to get in touch before coming. The site also documents collaborations, including bespoke steak knives and work with tableware and design studios; testimonials attributed to Anouska Hempel Signature, Major Food Group and Maison Margaux describe custom projects and prototype development.

Reputation and guarantees

The company states that its knives carry a lifetime guarantee and that it offers expert advice on choosing and caring for a knife. When this profile was written, the site displayed a rating based on 181 reviews, with individual comments praising the configuration process, packaging, balance and customer service; one reviewer noted difficulty finding special offers. These are customer impressions shown on the site and not an independent assessment.