Bob Kramer

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 he forges steel and makes knives in Bellingham, Washington.[6]

Bob Kramer
Born1957 or 1958 (age 64–65)[1]
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Knifemaker, Bladesmith
Awards
Websitekramerknives.com
Custom made knife made personally by Bob Kramer in his shop in Bellingham, Washington. It was auctioned off in July 2019.

Education and early life

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]

Knifemaking
Kramer by Zwilling mass-produced knife

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]

Apprentices

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]

Awards and media

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]

Personal life

Kramer lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife, Leanne.[6]

References
  1. Todd Oppenheimer (November 24, 2008), "SHARPER: Bob Kramer and the secret lives of knives", The New Yorker
  2. Josh Ozersky (August 29, 2014), "Culinary Cult Objects: Worth the Price?", The Wall Street Journal
  3. Rachel Belle (November 28, 2015), The world's best kitchen knives are hand forged in Olympia, Seattle: KIRO-FM
  4. Tom Sietsma (May 17, 1995), "Bob Kramer's job is a real grind - and he loves it", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, ProQuest 385979506
  5. Schuyler Ingle (December 7, 2000), "Master of the blade", Saveur
  6. Emily Singer (January 15, 2018), America's Most Celebrated Knife Maker Is Just Getting Started, Gear Patrol
  7. BAM Biennial Exhibition 2016 "Metalmorphosis", Bellevue Arts Museum, September 2, 2016, retrieved 2017-01-21
  8. Dennis Tang (June 22, 2015), "The Mad Bladesmith Behind the World's Greatest Kitchen Knives", Esquire
  9. Michael Prager (December 4, 2003), "A perfect gift for... The chef", Boston Globe – via HighBeam
  10. Danielle Garrand (November 5, 2019), Anthony Bourdain's chef's knife sells for over $230,000 at auction, CBS News
  11. Craig Sailor (July 30, 2015), "Tumwater knife-maker is 'Forged In Fire' for History Channel", The Olympian
  12. Elizabeth Stamp (April 6, 2016), "Anthony Bourdain's Newest Obsession: American Crafts", Architectural Digest
  13. Chris Amundsen (July 27, 2015), "The Executive Director's Cut: Summer 2015", Official blog, American Craft Council


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