The knife appears to have been used. I think that's very cool (assuming) that Bourdain used it and didn't lock it away. I sometimes wonder what a maker thinks about making a fine and capable tool, especially a high-end piece, that may very well spend its life sitting on a shelf or in a safe. That's an odd but interesting quandary to me, and I recall it being a subject that had quite a bit of division once when Lorien decided to put a very nice piece to use that had been the subject of a WIP thread. (A Wheeler I think it was Lorien?)
I watched that Raw Craft series a while back. I thought it was really good, even being just the short segments. If you liked that one on Kramer, the others are worth checking out as well.
the topic you mentioned could be discussed all day long and probably has been a topic for conversation for many hundreds of years.
from the perspective of a knife maker, it may or may not be preferable to see your knives 'used'. It really depends on how one approaches the craft. A knife maker who is regarded as a top tier Art Knife guy will probably see the issue very differently than a knife maker who is regarded as a top tier Performance Knife guy.
when I say 'used', that's exactly what I mean. Some think that simply having a knife is using it, often noting that admiring a knife falls under the definition of use. Personally, I don't think that rationale or justification is necessary, and I think in some cases could be insulting to some. That's what I've observed over the years, so I'll make it clear in this post that my definition of 'use' means physically employing a tool for its intended purpose, based upon its design and form.
I personally enjoy using knives that are made to be used, so that's what I tend to acquire and design. But I also have a great respect for Art Knives and those who make them, and have a few that fall under that category, (not to say that they can't be used, they all have cutting edges...). The Art Knives I have do not get used, I just like having them around and generally score great deals on them, so regard them as investments.
in the case of the knife that Nick Wheeler made for me, it's a keeper. All the knives that I use are mine, in the sense that I'm unconcerned about their resale value since they will probably never be sold. A lot of that rides on the situation which led to the creation of the knife, and that is entirely dependent on the relationship that was built while the knife was being built.
in my view, using a knife maker's work for what it's intended for honours the maker an his or her work as much as placing that work in a display case and admiring it daily. It's different strokes for different folks, and I don't think anyone is more right with how they approach this pursuit individually.
I'll leave with an example which is pertinent to this thread, in regards to how I see things;
if I had a personal relationship with Bob Kramer, and he wanted to make a knife for me so bad he went out of his way to do so, I would honour that gesture by trying to use that knife every day.
if I did not have a personal relationship with Bob Kramer, and just really wanted one of his knives, I'd pay whatever it takes to get one and would probably want it to retain as much of its value as possible in the case I needed or wanted to resell it, and would likely not use it.