Bladesmithing and Cooking with Sam

Sam is a bladesmith, blacksmith, and furniture maker known for crafting sculptural knives and tools from reclaimed steel and locally sourced wood. His journey began with a lathe gifted by his father. Years later, he restored one of his father’s old knives with help from renowned maker Fingal Ferguson—an experience that set him on the path to bladesmithing. Today, Sam’s knives are collected worldwide by chefs, home cooks, and design enthusiasts, and are held in the National Museum of Ireland’s permanent Arts and Metals collection.

While best known for his knives, Sam’s work spans blacksmithing, woodcraft, sculpture, and furniture making. He forge-welds high-carbon steels—modern and salvaged—from Japanese and German blades to antique ship chains, cartwheel rims, and whiskey barrel hoops, creating functional tools that are also sculptural heirlooms. His ergonomic handles come from native Irish hardwoods, orchard offcuts, storm-downed trees, and ancient bog woods, each rich with history. Inspired by makers like William Morris, David Nash, and Peter Korn, Sam’s work explores humanity’s connection to nature, waste, food, and craft, blending traditional forging, precise furniture-making, and environmental awareness.

With a diverse background as a teacher, chef, furniture designer, outdoor educator, and international development coordinator, Sam brings broad experience to his craft. He and his wife Niamh recently co-created immersive outdoor food and craft experiences and are building a community craft and cookery school.

Sam invites you to his vibrant, wood-scented workshop to share skills and co-create meaningful handmade tools.