The rise of New Wave Knives – Felt
For Bay of Plenty maker Sam Upshall, a creative project started during the COVID-19 lockdowns has grown into a thriving business creating handcrafted resin and timber knife handles. Made in beautiful Ohope, New Wave Knives has caught the eye of an appreciative audience in New Zealand and internationally, including Cuisine magazine and Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel, who can be seen wielding the knives for various dishes in Off the Grid.
What do you make?
I make and custom resin and timber handles for culinary knives.
How did you get into your craft?
I began my business during the COVID-19 lockdown, it was just for fun originally. I made up ten knives using just a tiny belt sander, homemade moulds, and lots of hand tools. Once finished, I posted a couple up on Facebook and people absolutely loved them. Next thing I knew I got back from work to thousands of comments and messages asking how people can order. From here it took off, with wait lists lasting months and all knives selling out within minutes, sometimes even seconds!
Do you have formal training or qualifications in your craft?
I don’t have any formal training, however my dad is a joiner and my brother a chef. So I basically combined those two worlds and out popped New Wave Knives.
What inspires you?
My inspiration is from my local surroundings, using native timbers and blending that with pounamu and ocean blue pigments to create a stunning piece of functional art.
Describe your creative process:
My process starts with a crazy idea I have during my day, then I love to sketch it out and that really brings it to life for me. Then it usually begins with a few failures, but I never give up – I’m very stubborn and will continue until my idea is perfected.
Tell us about some of the techniques involved in producing one of your pieces
It all starts with stabilising, so I heat up the wood to remove all moisture before placing it in a vacuum chamber with resin. Then it’s removed and heated up to cure the resin – this is great for avoiding any cracking or warping in the future. Then resin and timber are poured into a mould to create the handle. This is followed by drilling out and gluing to the blade of choice. It’s then shaped on my trusty belt sander, and sanded up to 400grit. Then comes the hand sanding up to 1200grit, followed by a Danish oil bath and polish up.
Your favourite materials, tools, and processes?
I love to work with New Zealand native timbers. I have had the pleasure of working with the likes of Black Maire, Pohutukawa, Rimu, Kauri, and many others. Recently I have been working with a couple in Katikati who supply me with the most stunning Olive Wood and Black Walnut from their property.
Describe your workspace:
I work from home in a relatively small space, usually surrounded by my dust extractor, saw horse, resin moulds, and belt sander. It’s perfect for now, as we grow our business, but in the future I hope for a larger shed and shop.
Five words that describe your mind:
Creative, energetic, erratic, determined, hard working.
Your favourite feedback from a customer:
I love hearing stories of my knives being gifted and the joy on people’s faces. Usually it’s a wedding or birthday gift. My favourite feedback is not actually words but a wonderful image I got sent of a lovely lady receiving a knife and chopping board set I made, her mouth wide open with shock and glee, I love it!
What are you currently listening to?
Currently I’m enjoying some smooth, easy listening jams by my favourite musician Bobby Alu.
What’s your favourite childhood book and why?
My favourite book has to be Harry Potter – Mum used to read it to us, of course with all the voices and accents!
What are you reading now?
Currently I’m reading Richard Osman, The Man Who Died Twice. A hilarious read and a must if you don’t mind a far-fetched story line.
What has been a highlight of your maker journey so far?
I would say some of my greatest highlights so far have been being featured in Cuisine magazine, and also Colin and Manu used my knives on their latest TV show Off the Grid.
Who is your hero/heroine? Why?
My hero is my dad, he is such an inspiration and so talented. He built our childhood home from scratch, can fix our cars, helps anybody who needs it around the village, and is the most talented woodworker you will ever meet.
A favourite quote:
“Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice.” Henry Ford
What would your advice be for those starting out in a crafty business?
Keep at it, it’s a long, tough road to get to be an accomplished business. But once you start it will open so many doors to release your creativity. It is the best thing I have done, allowing me to work for myself and have more flexibility in my lifestyle.
Why do you think it’s important to buy handmade and/or locally made goods?
Because by buying local or handmade you’re making somebody else’s dream get that bit closer. We appreciate every purchase more than our customers will ever realise – you’re supporting not just us and our craft but our entire family and livelihood. I love to purchase handmade items, usually there is an option to customise to your exact tastes. If you’re not already, I highly recommend checking out our local talented artists throughout New Zealand.
What does it mean to you when someone buys your creations?
It means everything to me! It’s gives me the confidence to carry on creating and pushing the boundaries. It is an absolute honour to have people all over New Zealand and the world using my knives in their kitchens.
What was the last handmade item you bought and what attracted you to it?
I recently purchased two custom mugs from Wriggles Pots. Jessie created the most stunning ceramics for me to give to family members, she even customised them with an engraving amd I was able to choose a glaze to personalise it even further. If you’re looking for a gift idea, check her out, she also runs a Felt shop.
What’s your favourite item in your shop right now?
My favourite item has to be my latest experiment, it is a 7-inch Nakiri with homemade Micarta handle. To create this I layered the card with resin and pressed it down to heat cure. Then it’s cut out and shaped. I think it came out awesome, with layers and layers of colour. And also it’s super practical too, it’s one of the most hard-wearing handles you could get.
What’s in store for the rest of 2025?
We have big plans for this year, to bolster our stock knives, bring a few different styles in, and hopefully start getting to a couple of local markets.
