The Secret Knives Of Chefs: Bob Kramer's Legendary Knives & 6 Chefs' Favorite Blades

Chef Charlie Palmer has a Michelin star, a few James Beard Awards, and a Kramer Knife. Chef Thomas Keller has three Michelin stars, several James Beard Awards, and a Kramer Knife.

What's a Kramer Knife? It may fall in the J.P. Morgan category of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." The hand-crafted Kramer Knives sell for $300 an inch. So figure for a basic 8-inch chef knife, you'll have to pony up $2400. On top of that, there is a waiting list of well over a year.

Why? Bob Kramer is one of only a hundred and three people in the world, and the only former chef, to be certified as a Master Bladesmith. He makes each knife by hand, using a multi-step process which encompasses as many as 200 layers of steel. The outcome is a stunning Damascus steel blade with a swirling pattern resembling wood grain and is harder, thinner, sharper, and slices and dices with ease and perfection..

Bob Kramer has been a circus clown, a magician, a chef, a waiter, and a traveling knife sharpener. But it's his ability to slice through a one inch thick rope with one swing and hack through a 2X4 that's helped him achieve rock star status with chefs all over the globe.

If you don't feel like waiting for your own custom blade, Williams-Sonoma currently sell more affordable and ready made versions of the Kramer Knives.

Want to know why chefs idolize Bob Kramer? Chef Erik Desjarlais has the answer.

Flip through the slides below to see what 6 chefs name as their favorite knives, and for more on Kramer's renowned knives.

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Like an extension of their hand, the knife puts a chef in contact with the food and allows the artistry to begin. It must have form, function, aesthetics, and craftsmanship. And like a surgeon, it should feel right in the hand.
These knives from MKS Design are made with bicycle handles.

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Like an extension of their hand, the knife puts a chef in contact with the food and allows the artistry to begin. It must have form, function, aesthetics, and craftsmanship. And like a surgeon, it should feel right in the hand.


These knives from MKS Design are made with bicycle handles.

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Comments

[Collielady]

12:44 PM on 09/20/2010

I use my Cutco Santoku for just about every purpose. My other knives get occasional use. If I owned only one knife, it would be a Santoku.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

10:22 AM on 09/20/2010

I am a lot safer because my knives are not too sharp, but they cut the mustard.

[Collielady]

12:48 PM on 09/20/2010

A really sharp knife will help you work much faster and easier, but it must be kept sharp and you must stay aware that it's always sharp.

You're fanned for the boxer... love them!

[Steve Samuels]

10:26 PM on 09/10/2010

I've been using Messermies­ter Elite for a while, & I love them. However, I have some old Chicago Cutlery stuff that, well just fits...I can understand why Mr. Keller & Mr. Palmer buy these Kramer Knives....­THEY CAN AFFORD THEM. That's cool, I wish I was rich...I'm just a battle-har­dened working chef.

[AngusC]

02:39 PM on 09/08/2010

I have absolute no need for a Kramer knife and don't have the skill to deserve to own one, but I want one badly.
It is like a Lamborghin­i.

My friend's mother, who is an excellent cook, has Wusthof knives and they are quite excellent.
Well worth the money.

[MarcEdward]

05:24 PM on 09/06/2010

Pretty knives, but I can get a good functionin­g knife at walmart for a dollar.
I appreciate the craft - wish I had the time to learn how to do it.

[Lasse Von Gakhausen]

03:15 AM on 09/06/2010

well im a Danish bladesmith and make damascene knives from usd 1000-5000 the most expensive one is made from an iron meteor, and can be found featured in the nationwide us magazine twisted south july edition with a 2 page article on mythologic­al knives... find me on vikingcraf­ts denmark, 123hjemmes­ide . dk / vikingcraf­ts, hope to see you there. Lasse

[ardethbay]

08:04 AM on 09/17/2010

I thought the correct term was pattern welded steel, because true damascus came from iron ingots some place in India. I'm not trying to correct, I truly want to know so I Know the facts.

[Yohomegirl]

12:22 AM on 09/05/2010

J.D. Smith IS the master of the Damascus technique of making blades. I met him a few years ago and got to look at his knives, They are INCREDIBLE­! Unfortunat­ely I can't find a good collection of photos of them. http://www­.massfolka­rts.org/ob­ject_detai­l.asp?Obje­ctID=80500­70

[cookerman45]

01:20 AM on 09/02/2010

I will keep my GLOBAL knifes,...­... thank you very much.

[Waldo11]

11:34 PM on 09/01/2010

Well, like you said- opinion is opinion. Knives are personal. My kramers aren't shiny and new anymore, and I use them because they fit my needs- and they do a great job. Not because I think they look pretty.
I guess I'm from the school that is against the idea that in a kitchen anything goes. If you are picking up a knife with a wet hand, you might be lacking the foresight to make every move deliberate­...and making deliberate moves in a kitchen shows strong confidence in the ability to finesse every step, and in ones ability to work efficientl­y without resorting to the auto-pilot mode that 95% of cooks rely on these days. Auto-pilot is certainly lacking in finesse.
I just dry my hands. So do my cooks. Even, and especially when they are dans la merde.

[Lasse Von Gakhausen]

03:15 AM on 09/06/2010

well im a Danish bladesmith and make damascene knives from usd 1000-5000 the most expensive one is made from an iron meteor, and can be found featured in the nationwide us magazine twisted south july edition with a 2 page article on mythologic­al knives... find me on vikingcraf­ts denmark, 123hjemmes­ide . dk / vikingcraf­ts, hope to see you there. Lasse

[Lori Bowles]

06:06 PM on 08/31/2010

I want that Kramer and would do anything for those Damascus knifes. I'm in love!

[SwingingFromCenter]

09:10 PM on 08/31/2010

The Kramer really isn't anything special. It's more form over functional­ity. Looks pretty on a magnet, but the handle gets slippery when wet.

[Lasse Von Gakhausen]

03:16 AM on 09/06/2010

well im a Danish bladesmith and make damascene knives from usd 1000-5000 the most expensive one is made from an iron meteor, and can be found featured in the nationwide us magazine twisted south july edition with a 2 page article on mythologic­al knives... find me on vikingcraf­ts denmark, 123hjemmes­ide . dk / vikingcraf­ts, hope to see you there. Lasse

[SpikeC]

04:46 PM on 08/31/2010

I am a tool junky and always drool over cool knives. Then I go into the kitchen to work and keep picking up my 8 inch R.H. Forschner chefs knife. It is so well balanced and the curve of the cutting edge matches my cutting style perfectly. An occasional swipe with the steel and slices ripe tomatoes with aplomb!

[Chinalover]

04:38 PM on 08/31/2010

I have Wusthof, Henkel, victorinox­, Friodur, MAC, and Guttman knives ... all (with the exception of the MACs) at flea markets for under 5 dollars. Most are in very good order. I also have a couple of hand hammered carbon steel Asian Cleavers. One is an elongated version which is very coarsely hammered except for the cutting edge and which never rusts. It is used for chopping through roast duck and poultry and other assorted meats filled with bones. It is razor sharp and I haven't touched it in years.

[american-dolt]

12:43 PM on 08/31/2010

C'mon nothing beats the Ginsu Knife.

[MarcEdward]

05:32 PM on 09/06/2010

It can cut through a nail and still make Julian fries and cut through this tomato!

[jmpurser]

12:33 PM on 08/31/2010

Practical as tits on a boar but those Kramers are GORGEOUS!!­!

[Waldo11]

06:53 PM on 08/31/2010

See below. They are amazingly practical.

[belyeu]

12:24 PM on 08/31/2010

I use Wusthof knives.