Force and finesse
- Fingal makes beautiful culinary knives
- Material choice is a core concern for him
- He sees his craft as a key step in enjoying good food
Fingal Ferguson makes knives on Gubbeen Farm, where four generations before him have lived and worked the family farm. His workshop is a hub for repairs needed on food production and farming tools. From this multifunctional space, he creates his stunning chef knives. It is a dusty, rustic room with antlers hanging from the ceiling. Knives at different stages of production lie in wait to be finished, depending on the mood of the maker each day. Mostly self-taught, Fingal has amassed his skills over years of practice and with the support of fellow knife makers. His craft is age-old and though he is creating objects for use, each one is crafted with extreme care and creativity. Aesthetically beautiful, his finished works are also perfectly balanced precision tools.
Discover his work
INTERVIEW
I started as a hobby, training with local knife maker Rory Connor. I am mostly self-taught, and took short courses or sought advice from fellow makers. I started selling knives about 15 years ago, and now I have a waiting list for my knives!
It is the knife that makes food that brings people together. I grew up in a family that makes artisan food and many of our friends are food lovers. By making culinary knives I opened another door of connection to peers and fellow food lovers.
Collecting the unique materials for a handle is one of my favourite parts of the process. Burl wood and fossils, as well as specialist knife steels are a passion for most knife makers. The knife is such a personal implement – I want to make something that is definitively singular.
I feel that the process of creating beautiful blades comes from a combination of understanding the materials, and skills built up through experience. A working and perfectly formed blade is a balance between brute force and finishing with finesse.
