Bob Kramer is a 'Master Bladesmith'. He is the who's who in the knife making world. The blade material, design and craftsmanship make these knives extraordinaire. His knives are sought after by top notch, high end and celebrity chefs. At one time he would sell you his custom hand made knives, but to purchase you had to be put on a waiting list. I was on this waiting list and purchased a complete set over a ten year period. He then partnered with the famous J. A. Henckel Company out of Germany to mas produce his line of knives. You can go to a department store and buy this set for around 2500 dollars.To actually purchase a Bob Kramer handmade knife these days is almost impossible unless you have a very large bank account. He occasionally sells his handmade knifes on e-bay which sells in the thousands for a single knife. I had the opportunity to purchase a handmade custom Bob Kramer "Picnic Knife". I did not hesitate for this acquisition.
This knife is considered a 'Friction Folder' knife. A friction folder is a folding knife that doesn't use a lock or springs. It uses the handle's friction against the tang to stay open. The blade is made of 'AEB-L Straight Stainless Steel' which is the material razor blades are made of. The handle is made of carbon fiber. When the blade is open the edge of the blade tang doubles as a bottle opener. This knife feels very good in the hand. A friend asked me if I was actually going to use this knife or mount it for display. It is a beauty and a fair question. I plan to use it on special occasions.
This is one fine knife. I feel privileged and a little bit lucky to own one. These knives sold out immediately. Ms. Goofy and I met Bob Kramer when his shop was in Seattle. He gave us a tour of his knife shop. After meeting Bob and seeing the process you will understand why his knives are so sought after. I think we will go on a picnic.
6 comments:
I read his story - very interesting.
Big Dude, Bob had made the rounds of television, Anthony Bourdain, Bay Cafe, 60 Minutes, Americas Test Kitchen, numerous magazine articles and many more. He is a rockstar in the chef knives world.
My knife actually has the "First Run 2016" text misspelled as "Frist Run 2016". I love this knife so far, although I worry when carrying it in Chicago since its over the 2.5" limit.
Jon, Your knife is even rarer. I would not worry about the 2.5 size limit unless you are prone for nefarious activities. Around here it depends on what county you are in. My buck is 4 inch blade and nine open. I potentially
break the law several times a day. Jeeze 2.5 in tiny.
nice post
Beautiful Bob Kramer knife, I like it! The blade looked sturdy and the handle seemed steady and I think it won't slide from your grip. I've been drooling on some knives lately and taking my time just going through a lot of products. I do a lot of cooking outdoors and needless to say, just for the packing bit - I recommend a bowie knife even for cutting meat and fruit. Much as I would like to bring a lot of my kitchen knives, for space limitations I take a bowie knife. See: http://myoutdoorslife.com/gear/camping-and-hiking/best-bowie-knife.html
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