Bob Kramer
Bob Kramer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 or 1958 (age 65–66)[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]
Education and early life[edit]
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[edit]
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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] 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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
Kramer lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife, Leanne.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Todd Oppenheimer (November 24, 2008), "SHARPER: Bob Kramer and the secret lives of knives", The New Yorker
- ^ a b c Josh Ozersky (August 29, 2014), "Culinary Cult Objects: Worth the Price?", The Wall Street Journal
- ^ a b Rachel Belle (November 28, 2015), The world's best kitchen knives are hand forged in Olympia, Seattle: KIRO-FM
- ^ a b Tom Sietsma (May 17, 1995), "Bob Kramer's job is a real grind - and he loves it", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, ProQuest 385979506
- ^ a b c d e Schuyler Ingle (December 7, 2000), "Master of the blade", Saveur
- ^ a b Emily Singer (January 15, 2018), America's Most Celebrated Knife Maker Is Just Getting Started, Gear Patrol
- ^ BAM Biennial Exhibition 2016 "Metalmorphosis", Bellevue Arts Museum, September 2, 2016, retrieved 2017-01-21
- ^ Dennis Tang (June 22, 2015), "The Mad Bladesmith Behind the World's Greatest Kitchen Knives", Esquire
- ^ Michael Prager (December 4, 2003), "A perfect gift for... The chef", Boston Globe – via HighBeam[dead link]
- ^ Danielle Garrand (November 5, 2019), Anthony Bourdain's chef's knife sells for over $230,000 at auction, CBS News
- ^ Craig Sailor (July 30, 2015), "Tumwater knife-maker is 'Forged In Fire' for History Channel", The Olympian
- ^ Elizabeth Stamp (April 6, 2016), "Anthony Bourdain's Newest Obsession: American Crafts", Architectural Digest
- ^ Chris Amundsen (July 27, 2015), "The Executive Director's Cut: Summer 2015", Official blog, American Craft Council