Bob Kramer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957or1958(age 66–67) [1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Knifemaker, Bladesmith |
| Awards |
|
| Website | kramerknives |
Bob Kramer (born 1958) is an American bladesmith, "widely considered the greatest American knifesmith working today". [2] Some consider his kitchen knives to be "the best in the world". [3] His first knife shop in Seattle, Bladesmiths, opened in 1993. [4] [5] As of 2017 [update] he forges steel and makes knives in Bellingham, Washington. [6]
Kramer worked as a cook at Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle when he was an oceanography student at University of Washington. [5] In 1992 he took a two-week course at American Bladesmith Society's school (ABS) in Hope, Arkansas (also reported as Washington, Arkansas [1] ) to become an apprentice knifemaker. [5] He received the Master Bladesmith recognition from ABS in 1997. [1]
Kramer initially sold his knives in the conventional fashion: $150 for an 8-inch chef's knife in 1995, [4] $125–$225 in 2000, [5] $475 in 2008. [1] After a 2008 article in Cook's Illustrated that deemed his 8-inch chef's knife to have "outperformed every knife we've ever rated" [1] Kramer began selling by a waiting list. The knives are now sold by auction only. At auction a new handmade knife by Kramer cost $30,000 in 2015, as much as 100 knives mass-produced with similar materials to his specifications. [3] [2]
A handmade blade by Kramer was displayed as part of a juried art exhibition at Bellevue Arts Museum in 2016–2017. [7] His knives are especially known for their fine Damascus steel patterns and exotic wood handles [8] [2] and "heirloom quality" polishing and finishing. [5] Chef Christopher Kimball has called a Kramer chef's knife his "most prized tool". [9]
Kramer made a custom steel and meteorite knife for celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain. The knife realized $231,250 including buyer's premium, at auction in October 2019. [10]
Mareko Maumasi, also from the Olympia-Tumwater area, worked for Kramer in the 2010s and went on to become a noted independent knifemaker himself. [11]
Kramer appeared on Top Chef: Seattle as a judge in January 2013. He was named an American Craft Council Rare Craft Fellow in 2015. [12] [13]
Kramer lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife, Leanne. [6]
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