Basic Knife Making

This 3 day class will teach you how to create a blade from a flat piece of steel, focusing on shaping, grinding bevels, heat treating for hardness, and handle fitting using the stock removal process.

Perfect for beginners who want a hands-on, tool-focused introduction without forging; you'll learn design, safety, grinding techniques (like distal tapering), heat treatment cycles for steel like 1084, and handle application, often leaving with a functional knife.

  • Design & Layout: Creating patterns, marking the steel.

  • Shaping: Cutting to rough shape (bandsaw), refining with grinders.

  • Grinding: Achieving proper thickness, edge geometry, and distal tapering (advanced).

  • Heat Treatment: Hardening and tempering for optimal blade performance (using steels like 1084/1095).

  • Handle Work: Gluing scales, shaping, fitting, and finishing.

  • Finishing: Sanding, polishing, and sharpening for a usable blade. 

What you will learn

All classes are schedules with the student after purchase based on mutual availability. Download the Syllabus here for a comprehensive view of the class

Basic Knife Making Class Basic Knife Making Class
Basic Knife Making Class
$750.00

Basic Knife Making — 3-Day Stock Removal Workshop

Learn to make your own one-of-a-kind knife in this one-on-one, hands-on, three-day stock removal class. We’ll take you step-by-step through the process used by professional knifemakers to shape, refine, and finish a blade using the stock removal method. Perfect for beginners and hobbyists who want to create a functional, beautiful knife they can be proud of.

What you’ll learn

  • Introduction to materials and tools: steels, handle materials, grinders, files, and safety gear

  • Layout and design: template creation and transferring a design to steel

  • Stock removal techniques: safe grinding practices, bevel formation, and establishing a clean profile

  • Heat treatment basics: hardening, tempering, and checking hardness (we supervise and demonstrate; some heat-treatment work is done by instructor for safety)

  • Blade finishing: sanding, polishing, and edge geometry

  • Handle making and attachment: shaping scales, pinning, epoxy use, and final sanding

  • Sharpening and maintenance: achieving a razor edge and care for long-term use

What’s included

  • All basic consumable materials: steel blanks, handle materials (micarta, wood, or composite options

All classes are schedules with the student after purchase based on mutual availability. Download the Syllabus here for a comprehensive view of the class.