Build Your Own Knife. Start to Finish.

Spend two days in the Rucker Knives shop turning raw steel into a finished blade you’ll carry, use, and keep for life. This is a hands-on, small-group class where you don’t watch, you actually you build.

Every step is guided, every tool is real, and every knife leaves with you.

What You Take Home

• A fully finished, functional knife you built yourself

• A clear understanding of the full knife-making process

• Hands-on experience with professional shop tools and techniques

• The confidence to maintain, sharpen, and understand your blade

Class Format

Each class is a two-day experience:

• Day One: ~4 hours (design, profiling, initial grinding)

• Day Two: ~6 hours (heat treat, finishing, handle work, final edge)

• Start Time: Typically between 8:00–9:00 AM depending on the group

• Class Size: Limited to 4 participants

We’ll connect with you prior to the class to coordinate timing, answer questions, and make sure you’re fully prepared.

What You’ll Learn

• How to design and shape a blade from raw steel

• How blade geometry impacts cutting performance and edge retention

• The differences between carbon steel, stainless, and Damascus

• Belt grinding, hand finishing, and shaping techniques

• Heat treating and tempering for real-world durability

• How to verify hardness using a Rockwell tester

• Handle fitting, shaping, and attachment

Built the Right Way

Every class is led by experienced makers who have spent decades building, testing, and refining these processes. We teach safety, technique, and craftsmanship together because none of them stand alone.

This is the same standard we hold in our own shop.

Safety & Requirements

• Minimum age: 12 years old

• Safety briefing provided at the start of class

• Signed waiver required prior to participation

Limited Spots

Each class is capped at 4 participants to ensure hands-on instruction and access to equipment.

Once a class fills, it’s closed