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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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Kramer lives in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife, Leanne.^[6]