A kitchen knife is an essential tool for any earnest cook, assisting tirelessly in everyday cooking tasks. This indispensable culinary tool, which stems from a lineage of swords, is primarily utilised for slicing food. Various parts of the knife borrow their names from human anatomy – the spine, belly, throat, cheek, and heel. Handmade knives crafted by experts are gaining popularity as coveted items for both home cooks and professional chefs.
The number of knife-makers in Ireland is on the rise with the nation’s global reputation for such artisanship also expanding. Notable journalist Deirdre McQuillan had the opportunity to encounter some of the country’s top blade-smiths.
Among those met was Michael McGrath, who shared the ups and downs of his family life and other featured individuals who shared their distinct experiences. One of the prominent figures was Rory Conner.
The entrance to Conner’s residence near Bantry in County Cork proudly displays a sign that reads “Hand Crafted Knives”, which is a testament to his craft. Conner began his journey as a knife-maker in his hometown Ballylickey, Ireland in 1990, being the sole professional cutler in the country at that time. Today, he is considered a pioneer by other Irish knife-makers, inspiring them with his extraordinary skills in tool crafting.
Conner’s prowess was recognized early in his career, earning him several awards, including the outstanding work Muriel Gahan scholarship two years successively at the RDS. Sparked by an interest in cutlery design and a book on knife-making he discovered in Paris, Conner started creating knives from discarded Mercedes car springs using rudimentary tools such as hacksaws, files, and electric drills. This marks the transformative journey of a humble builder in Birmingham to a renowned blade-smith in Kilkenny.
Later on, his ambition for knowledge led him to study under one of the world’s finest knife manufacturers, the famed California-based Robert Lovelace. In this period of intense learning, he was introduced to the vital processes involved in the creation of high-quality knives, such as grinding, polishing and finishing. He also gained significant insight into understanding steel and setting up a workshop. As he explains, steel shares some similarities with skin and wood: it has pores and grains respectively. Recently, he completed a commission of crafting 60 steak knives with Irish bog oak handles for Waterford’s Cliff House.
Establishing the weight and balance of the knife is a key aspect of a cutler’s mastery and craftsmanship. Various exceptionally made daggers can be purchased from Conner’s website, ranging from kitchen and steak knives, to cheese, oyster, carving, camping, sushi and sailing knives. They are crafted from the finest steel and have handles of materials such as bog oak, rosewood, deer horn or tufnol resin. Most come with their own leather sheaths, which Conner makes alongside the knives. Emblazoned on all items is the Conner family’s lion crest and some display his signature, electro-etched onto the blade.
Pricing begins at €87 for oyster knives, ranging up to €200 for kitchen knives, €370 for a carving knife and fork set (a perfect wedding gift) and €700 for damas steel knives. In addition to crafting exceptional blades, Conner offers a knife sharpening and repair service.
FINGAL FERGUSON
Born into the renowned Gubbeen Cheese family, Fingal Ferguson’s enduring memory of his mother, Giana, making curds using her grandfather’s dressage sword next to the Aga during the family’s cheese revival in the 1970s is still vivid. However, it was his adoration for butchering that ignited his interest in knife-crafting and highlighted him as one of the leading hand-crafters of knives in the nation. His knives are treasured by those who have a passion for cooking, from everyday home cooks to famous chefs. Notably, Argentine chef and open-fire cooking specialist, Francis Mallmann, who trained in a Michelin-starred kitchen, is one of his biggest supporters. Ferguson began his knife-making journey by attending a knife-making and bladesmith workshop conducted by Owen Bush and Bushfire Forge in the UK, yet his first real motivation was Rory Conner, just ‘up the road’ in Ballylickey.
Conner was often approached by him for the acquisition of unique knives that were meant for special events and wedding gifts, sparking his interest in the craft. In his workshop, he elaborates on the two fundamental aspects of knife-making. The first is the process of metallurgy, using steel to form the blade, and the ways in which different types of steel can create different products. The second aspect is the handle which can either have a traditional design or a wild one.
He expresses how we reflect our personalities through the things we possess and that a knife can be functional or sentimental. The process of making a knife involves factors such as weight, balance, edge, and geometry and acts as a medium to express his artistic skills. Over the years, he’s experienced peculiar requests for custom knives including one made from a cherished apple tree’s wood, another with gold infused into the blade, and a third one with precious stones embedded in the handle.
He likens a handmade knife to a Mont Blanc pen to a writer, describing it as an essential tool to a cook. He’s part of an intimate community of knife-makers. To cater to the extensive local and international demand for his products, a monthly “Knife Drop” has been established where a newsletter is sent detailing the knives that will be available for purchase on a first come, first serve basis.
Meanwhile, Luke Scannell, a 21-year-old self-taught knife-maker, talks about his initiation into blacksmithing when he and a friend heated a fork in fire during a garden camping trip. He owes his acquired skills to instructional videos on YouTube and currently produces exquisite knives in his Dublin workshop, known for their vibrant handles. The designs of many are influenced by PopArt and artists like Piet Mondrian and Roy Lichtenstein.
He says, “I manufacture European knives with large bellies and 7” full-tang handles forged in stainless steel. I’m inclined towards stainless because I dislike gifting multifunctional knives that require significant maintenance. I favour simplicity”. His one-year experience of grinding knives with Fingal Ferguson proved vital to him, though he renounced his plans for a blacksmithing course in the UK to establish a workshop in Dublin’s Chocolate Factory.
Under the CollaForge brand, Scannell primarily targets home cooks with his sales, however, his early clientele included Gaz Smith, the owner of Michael’s in Mount Merrion. Smith has a substantial Instagram following, with over 43,000 fans and his posts about knives elicit swift feedback.
Discussing his craft, Scannell explains his fascination with tools that create something else. He details his process– starting with the steel template, progressing to angle grinding, kiln, cooling, tempering, grinding, and polishing. He has intentions to establish a Sharpening Shack, offering knife sharpening services for €25, as he believes this should only be undertaken once yearly. According to him, machine-sharpening can wreak havoc on a good knife edge, hence, he uses a strop for this task. He also intends to produce canvas sheaths soon.
Most of Scannell’s clients appreciate his designs, even if they’re not knife connoisseurs themselves. Creativity shines through in his handles, influenced by his past foray into painting. He creates drawings and metal sculptures, drawing inspiration from Lea Aripotch, a US metal sculptor.
Spotlighting Sam Gleeson, this artist, furniture maker, and award-winning bladesmith shares his enjoyment in making a knife, feeling connected to ancient blacksmiths. Gleeson has been distinguished with a Golden Fleece award and other prizes from Creative Ireland and the World Crafts Council. He’s set to showcase in Venice at Homo Faber this September.
Operating his business from a large corrugated shed in his garden in Ennistymon, Co Clare, Gleeson crafts knives suited for both domestic and professional kitchens. His creations aren’t just utilitarian, they’re a fusion of old-world techniques and modern inspiration.
It is a common feature of Gleeson’s work to incorporate high carbon steels found in unusual locations like old-fashioned iron carriage wheels, whiskey cask bands, or ship anchor chains. He often crafts handles from overlooked orchard woods, exotic tree fragments battered by the storm, or remnants of historic forests discovered in peatlands. A stand-out piece was a knife specifically crafted for a local mason, made from laminated steel sourced from a dated mason’s chisel, boasting a traditional buffalo horn bolster and a handle carved from wind-blown spalted beech. Another distinctive piece was a vegetable knife for The Worshipful Company of Cutlers in London, with a laminated steel blade sporting a white buffalo horn and a handle crafted from wind-tumbled sycamore.
Having a lineage that includes a self-employed mechanical engineer, Gleeson boasts an impressive knowledge of smelting, iron purification, and metal lamination. His work is commissioned exclusively for individuals and companies, and has even made its way into the Craft Archive of the National Museum of Ireland for the 21st century. His commissioned works includes those for DesignPop, Tullamore Dew, The Taste of West Cork, Jameson Whiskey and IMMA, with joint works for The Devon Guild of Crafts and OXO Tower in London.
Gleeson’s talent extends beyond iron smithing to building relationships and communities. His latest pursuit is establishing an Irish heritage hedge school, focusing on the instruction and preservation of valued crafts and cooking techniques. To support this initiative, he has curated a volunteer non-profit collective of artists and crafters to help fund the operational costs, with a goal of collecting €60,000.
The collaboration extends globally with a blade project that involves artisans from around the world. Each participant will either refine a rough blade or laminated billet (steel moulded into a blade shape) prepared by Gleeson, or supply him with one to finish. Upon completion of all the pieces – approximately 35-40 knives – an auction will be held with all the proceeds contributed towards constructing the school.
SAM DUNN
Sam Dunn, a resident of Glengarriff, finds solace and satisfaction in the art of crafting knives; each piece he creates, he believes, surpasses its predecessor. He employs a variety of materials to construct handle effects, such as bog oak, carbon fibres and poured resin. His construct also utilises more exotic elements, including Australian hardwoods, Indonesian snakewoods, Turkish walnut, and even shredded euro notes sealed within resin. A laser is used to etch his unique maker’s mark onto every blade he creates.
Dunn has successfully initiated an international customer base; around half of his knives are sold overseas, particularly within the US, UK, and Australia. Despite being entirely self-taught, he boasts perfection in his craft, heeding that it takes the production of hundreds of knives to truly master the art. Dunn emphasises that knife-making is fundamentally about creative expression, suggesting that an expanding interest in hand-crafted knives can be attributed to a burgeoning male fascination with food. He posits that men are in search of high-quality cooking tools that are equally enjoyable to use and collect.
Dunn, who relocated from urban Liverpool to Glengarriff with his family when he was a mere six years old, has always valued practical skills. He embarked on his knife-making journey seven years prior, and has perceived a growing appreciation for premium-quality knives among modern consumers. Dunn’s business has been significantly advanced through social media, particularly Instagram, assisting in the development of a communal bond with other knife enthusiasts.
The prices for Dunn’s knives start at €180 for a paring knife and can rise to €380 for a traditional chef’s knife. Additionally, he offers a T-shirt adorned with knife print designs for €25. He operates his business through his website, dunnbladeworks.com.