MADE IN WEST ASHLEYOne Lucky Shucker

Started in 2013, The Lucky Shucker was founded by friends Will Altman and Josh Silverman who met through their involvement with the financial advocacy group Slow Money. Both were interested in locally developed, sustainable products, and recognized in each other a shared love of food and fellowship. Altman, a local farmer, is the owner of Rightous Ranch, which is a sustainable heritage ranch in Effingham, S.C. Silverman is the owner of Jericho Advisors in West Ashley, a business consulting firm that focuses on the local community.
Last year Altman, who enjoys designing handmade tools from readapted farm implements, came up with the Lucky Shucker — an oyster knife made from a horseshoe. Over the course of a few weeks, he and Silverman came up with a prototype that they then perfected as the Lucky Shucker.
“There are a few elements that make the Lucky Shucker better than the typical shucker,” explains Silverman. Besides being made with a commitment to quality that will last, the curve of the horseshoe fits in your hand perfectly and allows for more control when opening oysters, clams, and other shellfish.
Silverman says the biggest challenge for the burgeoning business is production. “The time it takes to make each one is our biggest challenge,” he says. “Being a hand-made product, we need to balance consistency with inventory.  It’s also physically intensive to make them — the forge gets considerably hot, and these are hand hammered one by one.”
So far the demand has been huge for the Lucky Shucker. As a way to raise capital Altman and Silverman started a Kickstarter campaign online with the goal of raising $400 in order to get a run of shuckers made for the holidays. So far they have more than doubled that goal with about three weeks still left on the online campaign.
“We think personalization and monogrammed Shuckers is going to be a big hit. For grooms gifts and special occasions, having that touch will be important,” says Silverman. “We’re also moving forward with other products that are farm inspired culinary tools to enjoy life, to compliment the Lucky Shucker.”  — Lorne Chambers