Worked from raw materials to a fully finished knife

After searching for a way to build my knife-making skills, I was excited to discover AK UNIVERSITY—just an hour and a half away. I joined the two-day workshop and walked away feeling confident handling knife shop machines and tools. It was the first time I could actually get my knives sharp, and that alone made the class worth it. The hands-on vibe at AKU is laid-back and focused. I learned something new at every step, and Andreas made sure to answer every question in a way that actually made sense. I went in thinking I’d just assemble a knife from a kit, but instead, we worked from raw materials to a fully finished knife. It exceeded all my expectations. One moment that really stood out was pulling the knife from the hardening and tempering process and then testing its durability—seeing the toughness firsthand was impressive. This was my first time formally