Wayne County 4-H Junior Leaders tour Hinderer Knives in Shreve

The Wayne County 4-H Junior Leaders Club got to see how a small business is thriving in Shreve when it toured Hinderer Knives.

Rick Hinderer graciously hosted us at his business, Hinderer Knives, in Shreve Monday, Feb. 2. Rick currently employs about 20 people, which speaks volumes compared to being the owner and sole “employee” at his start. He started the tour of his facility by telling of his humble beginnings and his journey along the way. Rick jokes, stating he has never been “employed” since he has always been his own boss.

Hinderer began as a farrier by trade, got curious one day and attempted knife-making by hand. He was already familiar with forging metal, so it makes sense Rick was successful in his attempt. After all, he already knew he enjoyed working with his hands.

Today, Rick has several CNC machines that have cut production time down tremendously. He knew if he wanted to be able to offer these knives on a larger scale, he would need the help of machines. While the machines create the parts used, Rick has carefully chosen the machines he trusts with his masterpieces.

Rick led the group on a tour of his shop, stopping at each machine and explaining the function and how it fits in the knife-making process from start to finish. Rick makes his parts in-house from only the highest-quality material.

Hinderer talked to the youth about the importance of work ethic, determination, building relationships and much more. He graciously answered questions from the group, sprinkling in his knowledge and passion for the work he does every day.

Hinderer has hosted interns over the course of his business in areas such as marketing, an important aspect in making a business or product successful. The knives created by the Hinderer Knives team are truly a work of art. The passion of Hinderer shines through in each piece created and assembled. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to hear his story.

The Wayne County 4-H Junior Leaders Club is open to all youth age 13-18. Junior Leaders typically meet the first Monday of the month from October through June. Each monthly meeting features some aspects of leadership development, career exploration and/or community service. Hinderer Knives, Certified Angus Beef and Weaver Livestock were the tours chosen for this year.

Junior Leaders held its first meeting Jan. 5 to brainstorm and plan the year. During that meeting members were given sticky notes to share ideas of local businesses they would like to visit and learn about. Members could write as many as they desired to ensure their voice was heard. Once the sticky notes were all collected, they were sorted to see which were most popular.

We narrowed it down to the top three for our meetings from February through April. The group then brainstormed questions to ask each business related to careers. Some topics included manufacturing, marketing, business processes and internships.

The Wayne County 4-H Junior Leaders Club looks forward to the rest of the tours we have planned for 2026. As always, we are thankful for a community that is invested in our youth.

Hannah Getz is an Ohio State University Extension 4-H youth development educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or getz.107@osu.edu.