San Mai Nakiri

The creation and use of tools is part of what defines human beings and separates us from other primates. The knife, it could be argued, was the first tool; now used throughout the world daily, it has become an essential part of the human existence.

Sam Gleeson’s submission showcases a progressive pathway of skills inspired by centuries old bladesmith techniques pushed into the modern age. Working with carefully selected base materials, each completed blade represents the development in understanding of metal fusion and forging, from necessity to extravagance of design.

In response to the ‘Pathways’ theme, Sam’s three pieces identify the journey of human need through creation, to refinement and efficiency, arriving at achievement for the sake of expression – being able to use heritage skills and apply them with a modern craft interpretation is what fuels my daily desire to work – looking into history to inform the future. 

The blade shown here is multi-layer clad, san-mai Nakiri (vegetable knife).  Layers of 100+ year old wrought iron cartwheel rim have been forge welded together to create the decorative softer cladding sandwiching a high carbon steel cutting edge. The layered construction allows for a very thin, yet strong blade.

Description: 170mm in house laminated steel – layers made from wrought iron cartwheel rims and old plough tines, with a 26C3 high carbon steel cutting edge. Fully forged and profiled with distal taper throughout the blade. Traditional style horn and wood handle with hidden tang construction, shaped with right handed biased. Balance of weight at join of blade/handle. Full acid etch to give pattern contrast, sharpened on Japanese whetstones.

Materials: laminated steel blade with wrought iron layering over high carbon steel core. White buffalo horn and wind-felled Irish Rippled Sycamore handle.