Kramer vs. Kramer vs. Kramer

Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

pitonboy

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2012
Messages
532
Reaction score
1
This may well have been beaten to death, but I can't find it. There seem to be three kinds of Kramer out there: the Zwilling 52100, the Zwilling-Kramer Damascus ($1799), and his own work, custom or premade on his website. Can someone please comment as to whether the monosteel and/or Damascus Zwillings aregreat knives and something special, and what do his own knives typically go for in auction and if one gets chosen for a custom?
 
Can't speak to the Zwillings, but his customs go for $5,000 and up.
 
I don't believe that I would spring for the factory ZK Damascus. There are a lot of other customs you could have made for that price and potentially several customs.
 
Don't buy the ZK damascus. Please.
 
I was at Sur La Table, for the first time ever, 4 days ago. I thought I was seeing some trick of light, so I asked to see the Zwilling Kramers. I was thoroughly unimpressed. Some really piss poor factory grinding, at least on the 6 that I saw.
 
I was at Sur La Table, for the first time ever, 4 days ago. I thought I was seeing some trick of light, so I asked to see the Zwilling Kramers. I was thoroughly unimpressed. Some really piss poor factory grinding, at least on the 6 that I saw.

the one that i handled was fine.
 
Maybe they were damaged or something. But they had 2 overgrinds each, and a rounded-over heel on all of them. For the price, I expected a LOT more grind-wise.
 
I had issues myself with the first 10" Chef I received from an Amazon vendor in the US (the only way I had found of having one shipped internationally): an over-grind in the middle of the blade (which would not touch the cutting board), a shrunken handle, and a slightly bent blade. However, as I wrote in another post some time ago (http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/6258-Knife-tales-of-Japan), both Zwilling US and Zwilling Japan went WAY out of their way to make it right, and now I could not be more pleased with my Zwilling Kramer knives. Serious kudos to them once again! This said, I believe they had some issues in the beginning, so you may have seen what were probably early-production knives...
 
I have the ZK utility knife and like it quite a bit. The handles are kind of fat for smaller hands, though.
 
Maybe they were damaged or something. But they had 2 overgrinds each, and a rounded-over heel on all of them. For the price, I expected a LOT more grind-wise.

maybe bad QC, because i definitely didn't see that!
 
maybe bad QC, because i definitely didn't see that!

Well, you need to take into account who made this post. Definitely not someone that seems to like Henckels and even with a professional reason to dislike them.
 
The ZK I owned did not have grind issues at all. The handle shrunk a bit, but that was it.

There is nothing special about it, it was just okay. There are a few users here who have both the ZK and originals...if I remember right, they were impressed with the ZK replica.
 
So I am wondering if getting the ZK for $400 will be less thrilling than getting an ITK or a Masamoto or such, or is it enough of the Kramer "experience" that I don't then need to get a custom? I signed up for one but am now AFRAID of being picked as there is no way I could fork out $5000. I wish I could rent a real Kramer for a week to see if they are all THAT.
 
So I am wondering if getting the ZK for $400 will be less thrilling than getting an ITK or a Masamoto or such, or is it enough of the Kramer "experience" that I don't then need to get a custom? I signed up for one but am now AFRAID of being picked as there is no way I could fork out $5000. I wish I could rent a real Kramer for a week to see if they are all THAT.

As mentioned above, there is a thread here somewhere where a member who owns both (a Kramer original and the ZK version) said the ZK was very close to an original. You should be able to visit a Sur La Table and try cutting with one in the store (and if you get it home and decide you don't like it, Sur La Table is famous for their return policy). If it feels good to you and you have the money to spend, why not? I don't have enough money to spend $5,000 on one knife, and wouldn't blame anyone for balking at doing so. Just imagine what you could get from one or more of the makers here for that kind of money...
 
So I am wondering if getting the ZK for $400 will be less thrilling than getting an ITK or a Masamoto or such, or is it enough of the Kramer "experience" that I don't then need to get a custom? I signed up for one but am now AFRAID of being picked as there is no way I could fork out $5000. I wish I could rent a real Kramer for a week to see if they are all THAT.

IMO DT ITK out performs the ZK hands down.
 
He's a sellout.

Perhaps, the term is so often used in a derogatory fashion with those whom have made it through hard work. Leveraging strengths, making sound business decisions, working hard and supporting his family is hardly something I can frown on.
 
Can't fault him for being a businessman. Plus he is quite open that these knives are not made by him, that they are production knives made to his specs.
 
I've been dancing around this Kramer thing for years. In short, I believe he sold me a knife that was a "second" after waiting three years. At the time I requested two different damascus patterns that he would not make. ***? I waited three ******* years and you're only going to limit me to your B stock? It wasn't until he realized I might have a clue that he made me a good knife, which I promptly sold because of the bad taste left in my mouth. I can't own a knife produced by someone I consider a Shiester.

Love him all you want but I know how he screwed me. I'm guessing I'm not the first or last. And at those prices?

Gee, would someone like that sell out to the big boys?

Enjoy your home in Hawai. It's been paid for by more than a few idiots.
 
I think the ZKramer falls into a category with the likes of Takeda or Takagi; there are quirks that must be overcame. If you can see past them, you have a great knife. Kind of like comparing a Viper to a 911...

I would like to someday try the 8" ZKramer, as I found most of the problems I had were with the length of the flat spot vs. the huge belly; both too drastic for my taste.

(They don't call him Saltydog for nothing, lol)
 
...and I own 2 ZKramers; both are constructed flawlessly with a perfect grind. Handle shrinkage on the gyuto is noticeable, as mentioned.


I'm sure Eamon has no professional conspiracy in the works, but he has gone on a few tangents of his complete distaste for Henckels in the past... I agree that this would discredit any future opinions of the brand. But whatev's... I think most of us feel this way about Shun, lol....
 
Its not talked about much but I have one of his Williams Sonoma Meiji knifes in SG2 (6" paid $179 shipped) that is now discontinued and it blows away all my other steels including Kono HD and all of the Hitachi steel colors. My CPM Chef Choice is a close second. Although I bought the knife before I really knew anything about knives (much credit given to this forum), I'ts really grown on me. You know how it goes, buy something, exciting times, then it doesn't live up to your expectations and you remember what it cost, then you start thinking about how much of a loss your willing to accept when you put it on the chopping block. Then you get occupied/lazy, forget to sell the knife, pick it up again and say hey, lookie here. And the love affair begins again.

Seriously, even though it as a belly like a bear in salmon season, the grind, profile, tip, handle and STEEL really impresses me. The blade road is straiter than anything else I have including Kono, Yusuke and Sakai's. Its also the size of two stacked hairs, just how I like it, minimum cutting edge bevel.

Anybody else buy one of his Meiji SG2 Knives? Love to hear your feedback. Admittedly, it is a little wonky looking, but does that butch harner heel and nice hight.
 
Considering they are made in Japan, there are a lot of $400 Japanese knives I'd rather have over a ZKramer any day. Suisin IH, Takeda, Martell reworked Hiro AS, Gengetsu, to name a few.

I have no idea what you are paying for with the ZK. A shiny choil maybe?
 
Considering they are made in Japan, there are a lot of $400 Japanese knives I'd rather have over a ZKramer any day. Suisin IH, Takeda, Martell reworked Hiro AS, Gengetsu, to name a few.

I have no idea what you are paying for with the ZK. A shiny choil maybe?

What the what?

Jay
 

Latest posts

Back
Top