New Kramer Auction

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deanb

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Just got an email from Bob Kramer announcing an auction that ends on Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. The knife is a 10" chef's in Pulsar Mosaic Damascus with a snake wood handle. Man, I sure wish I could afford to make a competitive bid.:(
 
I just looked it is a beauty. It's already at $12,100 with two days to go. Wonder how high this one will make it.
 
Newbie question. How much are his normal customs? How long is the wait list and most importantly are they worth it? I can't afford it atm but who knows how thing are in a couple of years :)
 
Considering that his ready mades go for 15,000 and above- I'm guessing you'd need something beyond that to get his attention. I follow him on Instagram, and he just seems to travel constantly and hang out with knife makers across the world. Why bother with making what somebody else wants, when you can bang out a knife every few months, get some residuals from having your name on a couple mass produced knives, and live free and easy?
 
Wow, are the waiting list lottery thing on his website for his ready made??? I honestly thought the auction prices are for the rich buggers who can't wait. But you can wait a bit and get it cheaper.
 
I don't understand what makes his knives so special that warrants that kind of price tag? I don't find them all that appealing but maybe I'm missing something.
 
All the luck to you mate. I can't see myself spending that much on a knife.
 
I don't understand what makes his knives so special that warrants that kind of price tag? I don't find them all that appealing but maybe I'm missing something.

I agree, regarding the aesthetics. I've heard they cut great, but that could be another example of the Emperor's clothes...
 
I don't understand what makes his knives so special that warrants that kind of price tag? I don't find them all that appealing but maybe I'm missing something.

Are they worth that price? Hell no. It's not hard to understand though, capitalism 101: Supply/demand determines price.

ETA: Those that can afford these knives live by different rules than us common folk. Once again though, not hard to understand. While we think it's crazy to pay that, how many of your friends/family/coworkers think it's crazy to spend a couple of hundred dollars on your current knives? Same concept, just at a level more than you make.
 
Bob's the king. Good for him. I would love to have one.
I'd use and abuse the hell out of it every day, just like I do to my Raders!
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for capitalism, I'm just wondering why someone would pay that much. What differentiates his knives from everyone else's. Admittedly, I don't know much about him other than his knives are uber expensive and a guy on top chef won one of them a couple of seasons ago lol.
 
I know even less. Are they really worth 15k.
 
Are they worth that price? Hell no. It's not hard to understand though, capitalism 101: Supply/demand determines price.

ETA: Those that can afford these knives live by different rules than us common folk. Once again though, not hard to understand. While we think it's crazy to pay that, how many of your friends/family/coworkers think it's crazy to spend a couple of hundred dollars on your current knives? Same concept, just at a level more than you make.

True, I've often gotten that wide eyed "girl you're crazy" look but, when I take out any of mine and show them it really doesn't have to take 10 min to chop up some rosemary and you really don't have to saw an onion, they understand better. Unless it was a light saber, I don't think I could ever spend a half years salary on a kitchen knife.



ETA: how are you liking the new base?
 
True, I've often gotten that wide eyed "girl you're crazy" look but, when I take out any of mine and show them it really doesn't have to take 10 min to chop up some rosemary and you really don't have to saw an onion, they understand better. Unless it was a light saber, I don't think I could ever spend a half years salary on a kitchen knife.



ETA: how are you liking the new base?

I just got to Travis a week ago. Very nice area, nice weather friendly people. They like to tax for everything here, I will be poor the entire tour. I bought a case of water today and was taxed $1.20 for a bottle fee on a $3.99 purchase. I don't get it. Second observation is that everyone lives on top of each other, despite having tons of open farm land. I was warned about California. I visited Napa and Sonoma this past weekend, a very beautiful and rememberable experience. It's gonna take some time to grow on me, but then again I just loved Colorado.
 
Bob Kramer seems to be a rare example of a person who is not only a master in his craft (I do not doubt his knives are excellent based on what I have read), but also managed to find his way to high end collectors and cash them heavily. Few modern painters manage to sell a painting in a good gallery for what Bob can charge for a knife via his website. That tells a lot IMO. My hat if off to Bob (even if I would never spend this money for a knife).
 
Bob Kramer seems to be a rare example of a person who is not only a master in his craft (I do not doubt his knives are excellent based on what I have read), but also managed to find his way to high end collectors and cash them heavily. Few modern painters manage to sell a painting in a good gallery for what Bob can charge for a knife via his website. That tells a lot IMO. My hat if off to Bob (even if I would never spend this money for a knife).

So what's your dream knife? The one you will consider spending on?
 
I just got to Travis a week ago. Very nice area, nice weather friendly people. They like to tax for everything here, I will be poor the entire tour. I bought a case of water today and was taxed $1.20 for a bottle fee on a $3.99 purchase. I don't get it. Second observation is that everyone lives on top of each other, despite having tons of open farm land. I was warned about California. I visited Napa and Sonoma this past weekend, a very beautiful and rememberable experience. It's gonna take some time to grow on me, but then again I just loved Colorado.

The $1.20 is a bottle deposit so don't throw away the bottles!! Once you've accumulated a few bags, take them to the recycling center to cash them in. Check your bottles for the CA CRV 5c before you recycle it. We are gonna be up that way this summer for my husbands LASIK surgery. You'll have to let me know where the good places to go are lol.
 
The $1.20 is a bottle deposit so don't throw away the bottles!! Once you've accumulated a few bags, take them to the recycling center to cash them in. Check your bottles for the CA CRV 5c before you recycle it. We are gonna be up that way this summer for my husbands LASIK surgery. You'll have to let me know where the good places to go are lol.

Thanks for the tip!
 
Bob Kramer seems to be a rare example of a person who is not only a master in his craft (I do not doubt his knives are excellent based on what I have read), but also managed to find his way to high end collectors and cash them heavily. Few modern painters manage to sell a painting in a good gallery for what Bob can charge for a knife via his website. That tells a lot IMO. My hat if off to Bob (even if I would never spend this money for a knife).

I don't doubt he produces a great knife, even if I don't find them aesthetically pleasing I'm sure they are good cutters. How he marketed his brand and craft to garner the prices his knives command is intriguing.
 
I don't doubt he produces a great knife, even if I don't find them aesthetically pleasing I'm sure they are good cutters. How he marketed his brand and craft to garner the prices his knives command is intriguing.

Same question as before which knifes would you like to have. Money is no object?
 
I don't doubt he produces a great knife, even if I don't find them aesthetically pleasing I'm sure they are good cutters. How he marketed his brand and craft to garner the prices his knives command is intriguing.

I'm a big fan of Carter knives. I love my Rodrigue. I could get major bucks for my Kramers; they feel just right in the hand, no way the money is worth it. Some things just need to be tried.
 
Same question as before which knifes would you like to have. Money is no object?

I honestly don't know. I'm still on a quest to find a gyuto that feels right to me. Even if I could afford any knife out there, I don't think I could undo almost 40 years of thriftiness and drop that kind of money on a kitchen knife by anyone.
 
I'm a big fan of Carter knives. I love my Rodrigue. I could get major bucks for my Kramers; they feel just right in the hand, no way the money is worth it. Some things just need to be tried.

I haven't handled any of those but Pierre does make some beautiful eye candy. I think all our knife makers here do.
 

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