Knives out of this world...

Last week I had the pleasure to watch one of Anthony Bourdain’s “Raw Craft” TV episodes which introduced Master Bladesmith Bob Kramer, forging some very unique kitchen knives.

In this particular episode, he used a chunk of meteorite to make a knife and that made me want to visit his website and learn more about him and his craft. After he was first featured in Saveur Magazine in the '90s, he was so deluged with orders that it took him ten years to catch up.

He also earned the title of Master Bladesmith in the US and to earn this title one must undergo years of study and then pass a Master's Test. The test required building a 10" Bowie knife made of 300+ layers of steel!! This one knife then had to cut through a 1" free hanging rope in one swing, chop through a piece of four-by-two... twice, shave a swatch of arm hair (after the two-by-four), and finally, bend the blade at a 90 degree angle without the blade breaking. If someone succeeds with this test, then they have to submit five flawless knives (including a 15th century Quillion dagger, a very difficult knife to make) to a panel of judges.

If you pass that - you can have the title of Master Bladesmith.

Watch the master as he makes a knife from outer space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x0f2b_0kn0

And if I still have your attention after reading this, check his website to find out more including one of his selling methods thru an online auction system. And while Mr Kramer's knives may be out of most of our budgets - we actually have a fantastic range of Japanese Kitchen Knives available on our own website www.piranhatools.co.nz that won't break the bank!

Enjoy.

Gaston