Will Ferraby, one of the UK’s last remaining Knifesmiths and known to make some of the sharpest blades in the world, is the first craftsman Michel Roux Jr encounters in Rogan Productions’ latest series ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’.
Will Ferraby, one of the UK’s last remaining Knifesmiths, is the first craftsman Michel Roux Jr encounters in Rogan Productions’ latest series ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’ – a six-part online series commissioned by the Balvenie, that uncovers the stories behind some of the UK’s finest culinary craftspeople.
A skill passed down through generations, Will Ferraby’s ancestors were making knives from as early as 1860. Ferraby Knives are made out of Sheffield steel, hand-forged, cryogencially hardened (in the UK’s only specialised furnace), double tempered, then convex ground to create one of the world’s sharpest blades. In the first episode of The Craftsmen’s Dinner, Michel Roux Jr visits Will’s Sheffield-based workshop in a Victorian cutlery works to learn more about how Ferraby Knives is continuing the city’s iconic steel legacy. We asked Will what it meant to him to be one of the last remaining Knifesmiths in the UK:
‘I am very proud to be one of the few remaining Knifesmiths in the UK. Quality never goes out of fashion though. My emphasis on providence, design and sustainability is becoming very popular. How a product is made can add value, the long slow way of doing something can add personality. Surrounding yourself with beauty improves your quality of life. I work using methods that have almost died out, but I am part of a new movement towards a world where people appreciate small dynamic makers doing things the right way.’
Throughout the series, Director Ed McGown was keen to illuminate the subtleties of the contributors’ crafts through atmosphere, visuals and a sense of theatre. In the Ferraby Knives film it was important to illustrate how Will’s deep understanding of the materials he works with is the key to the quality of his products. Ed McGown commented on the Ferraby Knives film and how he went about translating Will’s craft to the visual screen:
‘In the film about Ferraby knives, we had a challenge in that we were asking the audience to get excited about something that’s quite hard to show on film: the way in which a hard-crafted knife is – to the trained chef – noticeably sharper than its machine-made equivalent. We couldn’t simply show Michel chopping with Will’s knife and commenting on how sharp it was, because to the viewer it would look just the same as if he were chopping with an ordinary knife. To get round the problem, we devised a ‘knife-off’ in which we would show that – while a tomato might simply ‘bounce off’ an ordinary blade when dropped from a height – a Ferraby blade would slice clean through it in mid-air. To do this, we had to use a macro lens placed directly beneath the knife, separated from the camera by a sheet of glass. After a few takes, we finally got the tomato to slice in two perfect halves – each falling either side of frame. It was a visual way of showing a distinction that would otherwise have been invisible.’
Whilst ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’ is all about seeking out the most talented culinary craftspeople across the country, it was also about bringing them together for a joint celebration of craftsmanship. The series gave the craftspeople featured the chance to engage with other disciplines; Will spoke about his experience being involved in the series:
‘I really enjoyed spending time with the other craftspeople in the series. We all got on very well because we are all passionate about making prestige products. In particular, Naine Woodrow – the potter, was a real inspiration to me with her strong focus on philanthropy and having an open mind. She is obviously an extremely talented potter, but also very good company. The series brought all the craftspeople together and we’ve kept in contact since – I’ve just returned from visiting Ole (Hansen & Lydersen) at the Norwegian cod feast, he is a great guy and a talented entrepreneur & craftsman.’
The first episode of series featuring Will Ferraby is due to be released on the Craftsmen’s Dinner YouTube channel on Tuesday 15th March. Watch the trailer for the Ferraby Knives episode here.
