Messermeister was established in 1800, in Solingen, Germany, and brought to America in 1866 by German immigrant, August Klinkermann. Today, Klinkermann's great grandson, Bernd Dressler, and his wife Debra own the company. Distribution was re-established in the United States in 1984 after being absent from the US market since 1888, when Klinkermann returned to Germany. All sales and marketing for the United States, Canada, and the Pacific Rim countries is directed from the Messermeister headquarters in Ojai, California.

Widely used by professional chefs, these knives are now entering the kitchens of home cooks and food enthusiasts worldwide. Messermeister knives are still manufactured in Solingen, Germany under the design guidance of Bernd and Debra Dressler.