Manicure instruments, genuine horn products and leather goods – handcrafted in the Solingen tradition since 1926.
Hans Kniebes GmbH
RheinbreitbachNew on Amplifa
About Hans Kniebes
Hans Kniebes GmbH is a family business founded in 1926 and now run by the fourth generation, specialising in high-quality manicure and nail care instruments as well as leather goods. The instruments made of stainless steel are manufactured in Solingen and offered in the surface variants stainless mirror-polished, stainless satin-finished or nickel-plated. The product range includes nail and skin care instruments, manicure cases and pocket manicure sets in configurations of 3 to 11 pieces, toiletry bags, small leather goods such as jewellery boxes and wallets, desk accessories, household scissors as well as beard and shaving items. In addition, the company offers a collection of genuine horn products made from buffalo horn, including combs, shoehorns, soap dishes and manicure stands. The leather goods are made from buffalo leather, nappa lambskin and full-grain cattle leather. With its two brands HK-MANICURE (premium) and SONNENSCHEIN (price-conscious), the company serves specialist retailers, department stores, drugstores and discounters; standard items are ready for immediate dispatch, custom-made products are offered in small quantities. The company's headquarters with showroom and shipping is located in Rheinbreitbach.
- Site
- Rheinbreitbach
- Processes
- Handcrafted manicure/nail care instruments (scissors, tweezers, files etc.) from Solingen, Surface finishing of instruments: stainless mirror-polished / stainless satin-finished /, Manufacture of leather goods (manicure cases, toiletry bags, small leather goods, desk accessories), Handcrafting of genuine horn products (combs using the 'Karlieren' technique, shoehorns, soap, Polishing of horn combs with beeswax, Custom-made products in small quantities, Retailer/B2B distribution, B2C online shop with shipping
- Materials
- Stainless steel, Steel (high-quality, instruments), Buffalo leather (shrunken-grain tanned), Nappa lambskin, Full-grain cattle leather, Buffalo horn (genuine horn), Bristle (genuine), Glass (glass nail file)
- Founded
- 1926
- Industries
- Body care/manicure instruments, Leather goods, Specialist retail, department stores, drugstores, discounters
- 01
Manufacture of the instruments in Solingen (high-quality steel)
- 02
Surface finishing (mirror-polished, satin-finished or nickel-plated)
- 03
Fitting and assembly of the sets
- 04
Cases and pouches made of leather / horn products made of buffalo horn
- 05
Distribution via specialist retail, department stores, drugstores, discounters
- 06
Shipping from Rheinbreitbach
Materials and Processes
Stainless steel
Material of the manicure and nail care instruments, rust-free and available in mirror-polished or satin-finished finish.
Steel (high-quality)
High-quality instrument steel for the precision instruments manufactured in Solingen.
Nickel-plated
Surface finish of the instruments, among others for men's grooming sets.
Buffalo leather (shrunken-grain tanned)
Material for manicure cases and small leather goods with high stability.
Nappa lambskin
Soft leather for cases, pocket manicure sets and toiletry bags.
Full-grain cattle leather
Robust leather for men's grooming sets and leather goods.
Buffalo horn (genuine horn)
Natural material for combs, shoehorns, soap dishes and manicure stands; skin-friendly and antistatic.
Glass
Material of the glass nail file.
Sites
Rheinbreitbach
DEHeadquarters, showroom and shipping
- Materials
- Stainless steel, steel, leather, buffalo horn
Components and Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handcrafted manicure/nail care instruments (scissors, tweezers, files etc.) from SolingenAssembly | – | 90 mm | – | small quantities (custom-made products) | stainless steel, steel |
| Surface finishing of instruments: stainless mirror-polished / stainless satin-finished /Surface | – | – | – | – | stainless steel, steel |
| Manufacture of leather goods (manicure cases, toiletry bags, small leather goods, desk accessories)Assembly | – | – | – | – | buffalo leather, nappa lambskin, full-grain cattle leather |
| Handcrafting of genuine horn products (combs using the 'Karlieren' technique, shoehorns, soapPlastics | – | – | – | – | buffalo horn |
| Polishing of horn combs with beeswaxSurface | – | – | – | – | buffalo horn |
Additional services
History
- 1926
Founding of Hans Kniebes in Bad Honnef, Brunnstraße, by Hans Kniebes
- 1932
Founding of Sonnenschein KG in Solingen, Caststraße
- 1944
Destruction of the Sonnenschein works in Solingen during the Second World War
- 1948
Otto Sonnenschein rebuilt the company on Florastraße in Solingen
- 1960
Union of the family businesses Hans Kniebes and Sonnenschein through the marriage of Hans-Walter Kniebes and Carla Sonnenschein
- 1963
Hans-Walter Kniebes took over the management (second generation)
- 1960er
Range extended to include manicure sets; later toiletry bags, leather goods, desk accessories
- 1992
Relocation of Hans Kniebes GmbH to the West industrial estate, Rheinbreitbach; third generation (Hans-Joachim Kniebes) takes over management
- 2004
Hardy Kniebes joined the company
- 2024
Patrick Kniebes joined the company (fourth generation)
- 2026
Certificate of honour from the IHK Koblenz for 100 years of entrepreneurial achievement