AK University is located in the beautiful city of Santa Ana, California. We are in a great location close to the airport, freeways, and many local attractions. At AKU, we believe that the best learning environment is fun. We love what we do and do our best to keep a positive atmosphere at our University.
The School
Classes
AKU classes are private and in-person courses designed to give each student the best opportunity to learn and practice throughout the course; therefore, each course is limited to no more than one student. This allows you to learn and practice the techniques while maximizing your time to learn the new craft. The cost of $400 per day includes materials based on the projects. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required upon the registration, which will be applied to the class tuition when the balance is paid in full. If you need to cancel, you can use the deposit amount for up to 12 months from the registration date.
School Of Knife-Making
This course allows you to advance your skills in all areas of knife making. Whether a newbie or pro, we will work together and teach you or help you master the art of knife making. We will review knife design, tools, materials, grinding techniques, heat treatment, and more to finish a fully functional knife which you will take home along with a set of new skills and experience that you can carry for the rest of your life.$400 / Day
2 Day Class
- Knife Design & Geometry
- Tools & Material Introductions
- Prototyping & Profiling
- Grinding Techniques
- Heat Treatment & Tempering
- Handle Construction
- Sharpening Techniques
School Of Forging
This class is a hands-on course for anyone interested in making hand-forged blades. We will discuss knife design, metal selection, and functionality, and We’ll teach you forging techniques to produce an essential knife. You will leave with a fully finished brute-Deforge style knife.$400 / Day
2 Day Class
- Tools & Equipment Techniques
- Hammer Technique & Control
- Knife Forging Techniques
- Grinding Techniques
- Heat Treatment & Tempering
- Simple Handle Design
- Sharpening Tempering
School Of Leather-Working
This is a full-day workshop class, where you will design and make a simple leather sheath or hybrid Kydex leather sheath for a knife that you bring in or previously made in our beginner class. This class will also provide you with the necessary skills, tools, and resources to accumulate the tools and materials needed to continue your sheath-making journey at home. In this course, you not only make a knife sheath but also learn the basic technique of working with leather which you can carry on for the rest of your life.$400 / Day
1 Day Class
- Tools & Material Introductions
- Sheath Design & Model
- Sheath Making Methods
- Stitching Techniques
- Lamination Techniques
- Dyeing & Airbrushing
- Accessories & Mounting
School Of Casting & Molding
This course offers a beginner’s introduction to making cast resin objects and silicon molding that you can use for various art and design practices. We will work with a nontoxic resin designed for arts and crafts. This course will explore how to work with resin and learn how to cast solid objects, plants, and insects in clear resin. We will cover mold making, casting, and diorama modeling. And at the end, you will take home a block of artwork preserved in hand-poured and cured resin, along with more skills to create your magic.$400 / Day
1 Day Class
- Resin & Epoxy Introduction
- Tools & Material
- Design & Style
- Diorama Modeling
- Resin CastingÂ
- Silicon Moulding
- Grinding & Finishing
Our Students
Blew my expectations out of the water
2nd the knife I’ve ever made taught by The Great Andreas Kalani at his new Orange County AK University. This two-day one-on-one course blew my expectations out of the water. The experience was polished and is hands down the best place in SoCal to learn the art of knife making. I am absolutely honored to be his first student and could not have asked for a better instructor. Check him out if you want to make knives and are in the SoCal area. You will not be disappointed.
Ej S.
All of my expectations were exceeded and then some
I have followed Andreas on social media for almost four years and have seen his amazing knife-making abilities, so when I saw he was offering a knife-making class, I immediately jumped on it! All of my expectations were exceeded and then some. Andreas takes the student through every single aspect of making a knife…from designing it on paper to grinding and heat treatment to handle design and finish sanding/polishing! What the student is holding at the end of 2 days is a one-of-a-kind, self-made, razor-sharp knife. Andreas is an amazing teacher and makes the class a ton of fun. As a former military and current first responder for almost three decades, a knife has been an extension of my hand. So, learning to actually make one was a truly fantastic experience for me, and one Andreas made exceptionally amazing! I highly recommend anyone interested in knives take this class. You will not regret it!
Nick K.
Learned a great deal from you
I want to thank you again for giving me the opportunity to take your knife-making course. I really enjoyed our time together and learned a great deal from you. Your from beginning to end teaching method provides every detail for making a knife. Also, the one-on-one instruction afforded me the ability to ask questions and practice each skill you taught.
I would highly recommend your course to anyone looking to start knife making or to learn new methods to produce a high-quality knife. I look forward to working with you more in the future!
Jay B.
Travel
Flights
John Wayne Airport
Location: Orange County, California
Address: 18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana, CA 92707
Airport Code: SNA
Distance To Shop: 10 min / 5.2 miles
Hotels
Courtyard by Marriott Costa Mesa South Coast Metro
Location: Orange County, California
Address:Â 3002 S Harbor Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92704
Phone: (714) 545-1001
Price Range: $150
Distance To Shop: 2 min / 0.7 miles
La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Costa Mesa / Newport Beach
Location: Orange County, California
Address:Â 3002 S Harbor Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92704
Phone: (714) 426-9833
Price Range: $100
Distance To Shop: 6 min / 1.7 miles
Registration
Complete the form below to signup for available classes. We'll contact you to confirm the dates and process the payment once we receive the registration form.
Please click here if you have already filled out the form and need to pay your deposit.
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