This famous traditional model has been in recent years really hard to get – the makers offering a variety of excuses, the usual one being that the machine tools used in their manufacture were getting old and too expensive to replace.
We’re quite proud of our persistence here. We got Graef to repair the machine tools, and the hand-operated slicer with the 190 knife came back into production – by Graef in Arnsberg, Westphalia.
This was some years now. Today, things look a bit different. You’ve guessed it, of course. The machinery is still there, bus has (for the usual reason: cost) been re-located to China. At any rate the ‘heart’ of the slicer – its big, serrated knife – is still made in Solingen, Germany, and the slicer itself is assembled in Germany too. Perhaps some of you will regret this and not wish to buy the new ‘big Graef’ – or, as we most sincerely hope, will be pleased with us that it’s being made once more and that this high-quality slicer is still available at an attractive price.

The new Graef hand-operated slicer has a slightly different appearance. The all-metal body now stands on a tubular steel frame equipped with strong rubber suction pads. The knife with its big serrated blade cuts bread, sausage and cheese or suitable fruit and vegetables to any width from wafer-thin to thumb-size. The combined size and cutting height of the knife (14 cm with steel carriage, 15 cm without) means you can cut large objects (say, half a Gouda cheese) while at the same time a safety holder enables you to do more delicate jobs like thin-slicing tomatoes or radishes. The exact width can be set by a regulator knob on the side of the machine.
Its rather elevated construction means that there’s room for you to put a dish or tray underneath to catch the slices as they fall.

To keep clean use a soft, slightly damp cloth. Use washing-up liquid only (a mild variety) if extremely dirty. For a really thorough clean the knife can be unscrewed. The carriage should be regularly greased (manufacturer’s recommendation).