Get a custom knife, then make one yourself

Helmed by Siberian-born, martial-arts-practicing world traveler Arnon Kartmazov (trained by masters in Israel...and Japan!), Bridgetown Forge hammers out -- and'll also teach you to make -- custom tools, sculpture, and sharp-as-hell knives with a signature organic chunkiness meant to "take something ordinary and make it extraordinary"...but through fire and might, not a preceding submodifier. The things you'll stab yourself for not taking advantage of:

Custom Knife Creation: Stop by the 4,000sqft smithy to peruse previous work as Arnon designs a blade shape for your requirements (from utility knives, to chef's jobs, to massive cleavers). All works feature ergonomic yet decorative handles, plus softer steel on the upper blade for resilience not seen in brittle store-bought knives, qualities enjoyed by pro clients like a bramble/branch-hacking Forest Service ranger, and chef Adam Sappington of Country Cat Dinner House, who wields a monster 12-incher, which ain't too tabby.

Knife-Making Classes: Things get even awesomer during Bridgetown's 2.5-day, 18hr chef's knife course, which has you at the forge and anvil learning to cut, bend, split, and twist hot steel before you gear up with safety goggles and a variety of hammers, and get set loose. You'll heat your steel to a white hot glow before it's pummeled into shape and honed into a 7in chef's knife, all using an ergonomic "loose body" technique that's easier on the joints and "makes smithing more enjoyable", though learning why Morrissey can't just be plain ordinary'll definitely cost you extra.