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"Raw Craft" Kramer auction

Discussion in 'The Kitchen Knife' started by Mareko Maumasi, Sep 14, 2015.

  1. I'm confident that more than a few of you have see the new video interview of Bob Kramer in Anthony Bourdain's new "Raw Craft" series sponsored by Balvenie scotch. Well, Bob has just put up the very blade used by Bourdain in said vignette and it's already proving to draw some serious monetary attention.



    The awareness that Bob has helped bring to the craft of bladesmithing and custom made knives, helping it to be seen not only as a means of high quality manufacturing, and art, but also as a path to self sufficiency and creative self expression. The ability to pursue this trade as a viable source of income and career has changed the lives of so many, myself included. I applaud him for all he has done, as well as for the generous donations that accompany each of his auction sales.

    2015-Sept-Auction-TV-Test-Mosaic-Damascus-10-Chef-2000-ZOOM-BACK.png 2015-Sept-Auction-TV-Test-Mosaic-Damascus-10-Chef-2000-ZOOM.png

    Here's the description via the auction site.

    "For Sale
    This is the latest Chef’s knife that has come from Bob Kramer’s studio. It was featured on the most recent Raw Craft episode with Anthony Bourdain. This is a 10" Meiji Chef’s knife made from carbon tool steel with a hardwood sheath and a custom made leather carrying case all made by Bob in his Olympia Washington workshop.

    The Blade
    This 10" blade is made from 3 different types of tool steel combined to create a mosaic pattern and is hardened to 61-62 Rockwell. The pattern is the result of folding, re-squaring and recombining the steel to create these mosaic like patterns. The handle is made from African Blackwood and Spalted Box Elder. The burl that this particular handle was cut from was actually destined for the firewood pile. I asked the guy cutting the tree down, "What are you going to do with that burl?" He said, "It's no good for firewood, you want it?" My mini-van could barely hold the huge piece of wet wood. The color is completely natural and some say the reddish tones are due to the tree getting its water from an iron rich source. I don't know if this is true, but it is very beautiful.

    Our Donation
    We'll donate 10% of the final auction amount to Kiva.

    Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world."

    It certainly will be interesting to see how this auction progresses.

    Kindest regards,
    Mareko
     
  2. Here's the current bid status.

    Screen Shot 2015-09-14 at 4.27.21 PM.png
     
  3. Lucretia

    Lucretia Founding Member

    I would love to handle a "real" Kramer some day. Right now ZK is as close as I'm going to get.
     
  4. I've only used one of his knives once, and it was only to mince garlic. It really took care of business from what I can remember.
     
  5. Looks like a different profile as compared to his other knives. Much more attractive in my opinion.
     
  6. Status as of 7:08amPST.
    Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 7.08.33 AM.png
     
  7. Haburn

    Haburn Founding Member

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Just under 1.5hrs left.
    Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 1.30.21 PM.png
     
  9. Toothpick

    Toothpick #2 since day #1 Founding Member

  10. His auctions, yes. I missed the last number as I was busy sharpening a customers knife, but the last price I saw it at was $31.2k.
     
  11. Toothpick

    Toothpick #2 since day #1 Founding Member

  12. 10% of the money earned will be donated to Kiva.
     
  13. XooMG

    XooMG Founding Member

    What kind of vehicle does he drive? I might need to get a wheelchair and some morphine and challenge his braking skills. Hopefully the hospital bills will be less than the price of a "guilt-gift" knife.
     
  14. Looks like it finished at $34.7k. Pretty incredible I'll have to say. Bob has helped elevate this craft to a level of fine art, that I'm sure the founders of the ABS could have only dreamed of. The man has been at this work for over 20 years, practicing and constantly reaching for unattainable perfection. Building and creating some of the finest cutting tools available in the world. I think he embodies the ideal of keeping your head down and do your work to the absolute best of you ability, while maintaining a constant curiosity and willingness to learn and pay attention to you craft, as it continuously teaches you lessons and skills. He has worked incredibly hard and it has gotten him to incredible places. Bob did was keep his head down and did his work to the absolute best of his ability, while maintaining a constant curiosity and willingness to learn and pay attention to his craft, as it continuously has lessons to teach. He is a good man with a wonderful story, he's clearly talented and creative, but beyond all that he's doing honorable work and helping to reinvigorate a tradition that I feel fortunate and proud to be a part of. He (like many of us, lets be real here) loves food and the tradition of the meal. It's been one of the most powerful driving forces since the beginning of agrarian culture. To come together to eat and survive. Cooking continues to be one of the most honorable jobs anyone can do, be it at home or in a commercial kitchen, and especially when it is to feed others, whether they be loved ones, friends, or complete strangers. He and many in the same pursuit, are doing their damnedest to enhance the culinary experience with every slice, dice, mince, chop, julienne, and chiffonade. I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn and work beside him for three years, and I continue to be inspired by him and his work, as he serves as a living reminder of where discovering and following your passionate pursuit can take you.

    Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 7.28.58 PM.png
     
  15. WildBoar

    WildBoar Founding Member Contributor

    Mareko, very well said.
     
  16. Lucretia

    Lucretia Founding Member

    It's really interesting how Bob prices his ready-mades vs the prices people pay for his knives during an auction. I think the last batch ranged from a little less than $3K to just over $6K for a 10" damascus. Granted they're still not something most people would blithely purchase, but given the amount he could make with an auction, it's pretty cool that, if someone really saved their pennies--say go with basic cell phone and cable for a year--it's possible to own a genuine Kramer if you really want one. The fact that he doesn't just auction everything off for top dollar says a lot about him. Some folks whinge about the cost of his knives, but people are sure willing to pay for them.
     
  17. Thank you @WildBoar. Looks like I accidentally got a little repetitive in there. I guess that's what happens when it's late you've got a couple glasses of red in yuh.
     
  18. @Lucretia, I agree with you. Bob could be a total dick and only auction off his work, for the rest of his bladesmithing career. He definitely values his work, his time, the level of quality he puts out and his experience. On top of all that it's hard, specialized work done to build something, so well made, that you can hand it down to consecutive generations. It all adds to the overall value of his work, and that's before you add his story to the equation. It takes me a solid 40hr work week to build one knife from start to finish. That's forging the (simplest style) damascus for the blade all the way to sharpening and finishing touch-up. What's a weeks worth of work worth to folks these days? His work is expensive, but it is also an incredible value and investment.

    I don't mean to speak for Bob, but I think he, as do I and many other makers, loves the idea that his work is being lovingly used in the hands and homes of folks of all backgrounds and not just laying on a shelf of the highest bidders.
     
  19. Totally agree with Mareko. And this is the fundamental issue I have with people bemoaning true custom makers.

    As an engineer people don't really balk at my hourly rate of $150/hr. This equates to $6000 for a weeks work. Now overheads are different between industries, but i am sure if you bothered to sit down and work it out properly you would find that a custom maker should value themselves at around that mark (i should say this is in the Australian market so it might be more like $100/hr in the US market). And also this is only a rate for a mid level engineer. So a top maker could demand a higher rate as they are more skilled.

    Ignoring that now, it does say a lot for the man that he sells things for 3 to 5 times less than what it appears the market will pay.
     
  20. Lucretia

    Lucretia Founding Member

    1o years ago we figured $125/hr for a senior engineer working on a government project. The engineer only saw about $40-45/hr of that. The rest was overhead. That's with the government providing a lot of the necessary facilities and equipment.
     

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