NWKW: Tell us a little about your background and your journey to becoming a Rock Block maker for New West KnifeWorks.

Sarah:
One of my favorite things in this whole planet is water, and that's where I find a lot of my rocks. I do enjoy fly fishing greatly. I can find some of the best rocks while I'm fly fishing, so I've gotten many, many, some of my all-time favorite rocks from some of my favorite rivers and some fishing adventures.

My creative background started when I was very young. I had started in the natural world. I loved being outside. I loved wood and rocks and water, and as I grew, I became more interested in woodworking. I started that in high school, and from there, I flowed into continuing to work with my hands, but as a trade.

I went to college for building technology and design. I started out as a woodworker. I also had a knack for interior design and architectural design, but always in the background was my love for working with my hands, not just on a drafting table. So I used custom woodworking to get me through college and high school, and it continued to push me and get my love for the arts, and the natural world brought me out to Teton Valley. And I was offered this position, which blew my mind. I was like, 'I get to make what now?' And my love for the arts and my experience in shops and my artistic eye, I think, grabbed their attention, and from there, I was trained into the Rock Block world."

NWKW: What inspires your design choices and your approach to crafting Rock Blocks?

Sarah:
"Every block, I think about how it's going to fit in a kitchen. Sometimes I say, if someone wants this to fit, they're going to make it fit, and I go big. And that's never proved to be an issue, I think, people. Again, I think there is that useful aspect of it, but people know it's art, and they will make room for it if they've got it.

My favorite part about this process is sourcing the rocks. It's, when I think back to different sources that I've had, I'm in the place where I feel most comfortable, and I'm, my brain is getting more excited and looking forward to pieces that I can make from this beautiful place that I'm in, and from there, thinking about it being in someone's kitchen and someone waking up every day and hopefully using these beautiful knives, thinking about how and where it came from."

NWKW: How do you hope your work resonates with customers?

Sarah:
"When I'm shaping, when I'm making the block, I keep in mind that someone who might love the outdoors and love the natural world gets to have this in their kitchen and have a piece of nature that they can use every day. Ultimately, our goal with New West KnifeWorks is that we create tools that are as beautiful as they are useful. We use only the best materials and the strongest resin, the best wood, the strongest metal, and I think that makes for the best quality product being able to last for multiple lifetimes."

Q: How do you choose names for your Rock Blocks?

Sarah Gage:
" I have taken names from places that I have found the rock, I've taken names from places that have inspired me while I've been shaping the piece. I've always been a fan of Greek mythology, and lately, I've been listening to podcasts about Greek mythology, and I have been inspired to name a very, very wide series of special blocks this past fall and winter after some of my favorite Greek gods and goddesses. This one's name is Poseidon."

Sarah’s Rock Blocks embody the New West KnifeWorks spirit: a harmonious blend of craftsmanship, beauty, and purpose. Her work invites us to see kitchen tools not only as functional objects but as pieces of art inspired by the natural world. Explore Sarah’s creations and bring a piece of knife sculpture into your home.