Bob Kramer is a master bladesmith, widely considered to be the greatest American knifesmith working today, and will share his relentless quest to forge the perfect knife. His love of the knife as functional form famously began when he worked as a cook at Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle when he was an oceanography student at the University of Washington. Kramer went on to become a graduate of the American Bladesmith Society in Arkansas, where he received special recognition as a “master bladesmith” in 1997. In 2016, the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington state included a handmade blade by Kramer in BAM Biennial, a juried exhibition focusing on the work of established and emerging artists, craftspeople, and designers living and working in the state. Kramer knives are especially known for their fine Damascus steel patterns, exotic wood handles, and “heirloom-quality” finishing. Since 2017, Kramer has been creating handmade knives for auction only from his studio in Olympia, Washington.

Supported by Design Core Detroit.