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Bob Kramer Knives

Fish

By Fish
in Kitchen Consumer

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Fish

Fish

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A couple of weeks ago, I went to visit Bob Kramer, of Bladesmiths. Bob is a former cook turned bladesmith, and while he can make he usual ornamental stuff most other bladesmiths seem to make, he specializes in making the most wonderful cooking knives. He also does the best sharpening work I've ever seen.

I took a friend, and a trunk full of knives (My trunk was packed with about 40 or so knives - friends and coworkers). We spent a good couple of hours with Bob, mostly discussing the various knives he was making, has made, and will be making (one for me, in particular :smile:). His work is absolutely amazing: the finished knives are works of art, but they're meant to be used. I had my current knife with me, an 8" Wusthof Grand Prix, which I love. I compared it to a 10" Euro chefs knife Bob had just finished, and the difference was quite remarkable. Despite the bigger (wider and longer) blade, the knife was lighter than mine. It was perfectly balance at the guard, and felt amazing to hold. Bob also takes more time finishing his knives than (say) Wusthof or Henckels, so he can do things like round the top of the blade.

Working with Bob on the specs for my knife was also pretty cool. A 10" knife is a bit big for me, so he's going to make me a 9" blade. I also got to pick out the piece of wood (with the grain patterns I liked best) for the handle. It's truly going to be MY knife. I can't wait to get it - only 3 months to wait !

When I was there a couple of weeks ago, Bob had a couple of knives for sale (unusual, since most of his work is custom). The list he gave me then included:

10" Euro slicer @ $350 (Thomas Keller has one of these)

2 x 8" Meiji chefs knife @$310 (one with cocobola handle (spectacular) and one with an ebony handle)

I'd post pictures, but my camera was stolen the next day :angry:

- S

P.S. My knives came back a couple of days later, so sharp they'll cut you if you look at them wrong.

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Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

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Are those $350 chef knives pre-made? Or do you have to wait 3 months for them?

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

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Really Nice!

Really Nice!

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Bob is incredible. He made me a couple of knives back in 2001. A 10" Chef's knife and an 8" boning knife. I'd love to see him forge the steel if I could.

Drink!

I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat. There is no pleasure worth forgoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward. --John Mortimera

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Fish

Fish

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Are those $350 chef knives pre-made? Or do you have to wait 3 months for them?

The ones I mentioned above are pre-made. Anything else will require a wait.

Bob is incredible. He made me a couple of knives back in 2001. A 10" Chef's knife and an 8" boning knife. I'd love to see him forge the steel if I could.

He showed us the basics of the process. He starts off with a large cylinder of metal, about the diameter of a soup can, with a long piece of what looks like rebar attached to it as a handle. He heats that in a furnace at about 2700 degrees, and then uses an hydraulic device to shape it. It looks like a lot of very hard work.

- S

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Ye-Ye Girl

Ye-Ye Girl

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1.5 - 2 hours to Ferndale, depending on traffic and how fast you like to drive. :biggrin:

Seems like it would be a good field trip along the way for the next eGullet trip to Vancouver.

Edited For Proper Capitalization

Edited by Ye-Ye Girl (log)
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Really Nice!

Really Nice!

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Seems like it would be a good field trip along the way for the next eGullet trip to Vancouver.

If you're going up with a bunch of people, he is open to giving demonstrations on his craft. He explained why he uses the metal he uses, how he makes them, how to care for knives etc. We had about 10 people go up there in 2002(?) Fish can verify the date.

I think he charged $30 a person for the 'lecture' and demos. It was very worthwhile. We dropped off our knives and had them back within two days via UPS.

Drink!

I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat. There is no pleasure worth forgoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward. --John Mortimera

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chuck

chuck

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God, I miss that guy. My knives would stay perfectly sharp for three months at a time. And he was pleasant and obviously knew what he was doing. Since he left Seattle I have never found anyone who could sharpen my knives half as well...

If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?

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Fish

Fish

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God, I miss that guy.  My knives would stay perfectly sharp for three months at a time.  And he was pleasant and obviously knew what he was doing.  Since he left Seattle I have never found anyone who could sharpen my knives half as well...

You can ship them to him. If you send them on Monday from Seattle, he'll get them Tuesday (even using Ground service), and ship them back out on Wednesday, to get to you Thursday. Mine stay pretty good for a year or so, with regular maintenance.

- S

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iain

iain

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I live in NYC and really need to get my knives sharpened. Anyone here know of a good place in the city? Or is it worth sending them to bladesmiths?

Edited by iain (log)
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Fish

Fish

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I live in NYC and really need to get my knives sharpened. Anyone here know of a good place in the city? Or is it worth sending them to bladesmiths?

I can't comment on a sharpener in NYC, but you certainly won't be disappointed in Bob's work. Can you tell I'm a fan ? :biggrin:

- S

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