Bob Kramer
American bladesmith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
- American Bladesmith Society Master Bladesmith (1997)
- American Craft Council Rare Craft Fellowship Award (2015)
Bob Kramer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 or 1958 (age 67–68)[1] |
| Occupations | Knifemaker, Bladesmith |
| Awards |
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| Website | kramerknives |
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
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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] Food personality 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]