Knives of all types have always been essential, whether for commercial or personal use. We’ll look at the application of Lean in knife manufacturing from top manufacturers and finish with a video of how a top of the line chef’s knife is made.

 

Lean at Gerber Gear

 

In an article titled “4 Challenges Solved for Gerber Gear” software manufacturer VKS discusses the Lean journey at Gerber, a major knife manufacturer.

“To hit the ground running on its journey to becoming a Lean manufacturer, Gerber turned to VKS to speed up its production and reduce waste.”

  • Solution 1: Skillset Conversion
  • Solution 2: Consistency in the Builds
  • Solution 3: Mastering Different Skills
  • Solution 4: Building Confidence on the Shop Floor

You can read the article here.

 

Buck Knives and Lean

 

In a brief article titled “Buck Knives Goes Lean(er) for Growth” author Charles B. (CJ) Buck, CEO and Chairman of Buck Knives discusses their use of Lean.

In Fall 2001, they adopted Lean Manufacturing through the Toyota Production System.

You can read the short article here.

 

Lean in Blade Manufacturing

 

In another brief article titled “Manufacturing Capabilities” Kasco, a maker of all types of blades, discusses its use of Lean in blade manufacturing.

Kasco applies Lean Manufacturing and total quality management systems. All departments have been trained in the use of Lean.

You can read the short article here.

 

Lean at Cutco Cutlery

 

In an article titled “ Cutco Cutlery” University at Buffalo Center for Industrial Effectiveness (TCIE) discusses the impact Lean has had at Cutco Cutlery.

The article covers the approach that was taken to implement Lean and the results achieved.

  • Decreased Unanticipated Down Time
  • Elimination of Unnecessary Tasks
  • Reduced Work in Process
  • Minimized Inventory
  • Elevated Employee Pride
  • Saving of 1800 Hours Per Year from Installing an Automated Conveyor

You can access the article here.

 

Making a Top of the Line Chef’s Knife

 

See how a ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS Knife is made in a video from BRANDMADE.TV.

You can watch the video here.

 

 

Note: As you might expect after watching the video that the Zwilling Twin 1731 8 inch Chef’s Knife is not cheap. We recently checked the price and found it to be available for $499.95!