How much to charge to sharpen knives?

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cudgee
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by cudgee »

Many eons ago i had a small boutique sharpening business. Looking at your figures, they do not work for me, but You may be comfortable with them. The first thing you have to do when starting any business is look at your market e.g. - where is your customer base. Then you can start to work out costings. Most people fail because they do not understand cash flow. You MUST have a consistent cash flow, firstly to stay afloat, secondly to be able to cover any unexpected draw downs on your cash bank e.g.- your car blows up, or your rent goes up, and thirdly to allow you to be able to expand your business. Another big failing is when people work out their costings, rent, electricity and other outgoings they forget to work out WHAT is MY TIME and EXPERTISE worth. This is one of the major flaws in their business model, they sell themselves short. If you can work out Costs versus your income with a decent margin for your self, that is the start, if the numbers don't add up, you will go broke. Sorry if i have depressed you, but i don't want to see you go through the grief of a failed business.
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by Rotten »

I had cards made up and my fiance even put a nice website and FB page together for me a few years ago. Fast forward to today and the website is gone and I have gotten a grand total of 1 customer from the hundreds of business cards I've handed out. Most guys will pull out their knife and show me and I'll hand them whatever I'm carrying that day so they can see my work. Every one of them has been impressed but they all balk at a $20 per blade fee. Amazes me that they will pay $100 and up for a nice knife and then balk at a professional sharpening. At one point I was even offering to teach them how to maintain the edge after my work which would significantly reduce how often they would have to come to me. Except for very rare referrals from fellow knife guys my sharpening "business" is dead.

One untapped market for sharpening that I found was hairdressers. But that dried up when they found that they could replace their scissors for less than the cost of sharpening.
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by cudgee »

Rotten wrote:I had cards made up and my fiance even put a nice website and FB page together for me a few years ago. Fast forward to today and the website is gone and I have gotten a grand total of 1 customer from the hundreds of business cards I've handed out. Most guys will pull out their knife and show me and I'll hand them whatever I'm carrying that day so they can see my work. Every one of them has been impressed but they all balk at a $20 per blade fee. Amazes me that they will pay $100 and up for a nice knife and then balk at a professional sharpening. At one point I was even offering to teach them how to maintain the edge after my work which would significantly reduce how often they would have to come to me. Except for very rare referrals from fellow knife guys my sharpening "business" is dead.

One untapped market for sharpening that I found was hairdressers. But that dried up when they found that they could replace their scissors for less than the cost of sharpening.
My friend that is what you were up against, the mindset of the human. It also amazes me that someone will pay good money for anything, does not necessarily have to be a knife, but then does not want to pay to keep it in pristine condition, or even bother to look after it themselves. I heard something the other day that absolutely staggered me and would make a very interesting thread. A professional chef has a weekly spot on radio over here, sounds smart, articulate and has a very successful business. He was talking about knives, what sort to buy for the home cook and how to keep them in top working order, he said for the average home cook they are better off buying a cheap mass produced knife from say Walmart, and when it goes blunt, throw it in the bin and buy a new one. This same person goes on and on about food production and wastage destroying the atmosphere and the planet with landfill. Where the hell does he think throw away knives go??? It should not surprise me because, human stupidity knows no bounds. Sorry to hear about your business, but do not over think it, people now are a throw away society. :) ::tu::
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

I make a living sharpening things, knives, scissors, axes, mower blades, nearly anything with a dull edge.

It can be done BUT you have to be mindful of the customer’s mindset. You also need to rethink what is sharp. If you are going to spend 30 or more minutes to sharpen one blade you will not make out in this business.

I sharpen using slow rpm wheels for knives and scissors, a slow belt sander for some scissors and garden tools and various hand tools for other things. I do not have a brick and mortar storefront but was fortunate enough to be invited into a local grocery chain after the owner saw me in a farmers’ market. I still do fm’s and other events. I also sharpen salon tools on a different machine specific to salon shears. My schedule in 2019 included about 480 events. Next year there are a few more.

To be successful in this business you need the right mindset and a steady flow of customers. I am constantly on the lookout for new venues.

It may be a labor of love but it is still a labor. We will celebrate 10 full time years on 31 October.

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by Case XX 6383 »

StrawHat wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:24 am I make a living sharpening things, knives, scissors, axes, mower blades, nearly anything with a dull edge.

It can be done BUT you have to be mindful of the customer’s mindset. You also need to rethink what is sharp. If you are going to spend 30 or more minutes to sharpen one blade you will not make out in this business.

I sharpen using slow rpm wheels for knives and scissors, a slow belt sander for some scissors and garden tools and various hand tools for other things. I do not have a brick and mortar storefront but was fortunate enough to be invited into a local grocery chain after the owner saw me in a farmers’ market. I still do fm’s and other events. I also sharpen salon tools on a different machine specific to salon shears. My schedule in 2019 included about 480 events. Next year there are a few more.

To be successful in this business you need the right mindset and a steady flow of customers. I am constantly on the lookout for new venues.

It may be a labor of love but it is still a labor. We will celebrate 10 full time years on 31 October.

Kevin

would you tell what you charge for Reference?
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

Case XX 6383 wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:44 pm...would you tell what you charge for Reference?...
Sorry for the slow response. For kitchen knives, I charge $1.00 per inch for straight edges, $1.50 per inch for serrated edges. Each blade is tested before returning it to the customer, for sharpness, I use cash register tape. Flimsy and tough to get a cut started, it shows if the edge is sharp and if there are nicks present. There is also a visual inspection of the edge. Sharp is great, BUT customers expect pretty also. No wavy lines, no wheel excursions into the flat of the blade, you get the idea.

It rarely takes longer than 2 minutes to complete an edge.

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by Colonel26 »

StrawHat wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:59 am
Case XX 6383 wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:44 pm...would you tell what you charge for Reference?...
Sorry for the slow response. For kitchen knives, I charge $1.00 per inch for straight edges, $1.50 per inch for serrated edges. Each blade is tested before returning it to the customer, for sharpness, I use cash register tape. Flimsy and tough to get a cut started, it shows if the edge is sharp and if there are nicks present. There is also a visual inspection of the edge. Sharp is great, BUT customers expect pretty also. No wavy lines, no wheel excursions into the flat of the blade, you get the idea.

It rarely takes longer than 2 minutes to complete an edge.

Kevin
Thank you for that information Kevin. I’ve often thought of setting up a sharpening booth myself. You mentioned the slow wheel set up, is that a Tormek or similar set up?

As to the serrated blades I’ve done my own by hand, but are you using the wheels for that too?

Thanks again for the info!
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

[quote=Colonel26 post_id=849169 time=1600266739 user_id=14441 in
Thank you for that information Kevin. I’ve often thought of setting up a sharpening booth myself. You mentioned the slow wheel set up, is that a Tormek or similar set up?

As to the serrated blades I’ve done my own by hand, but are you using the wheels for that too?

Thanks again for the info!
[/quote]

Well, let say it is an Amish Tormek. I took an old (1913) Singer sewing machine base and adapted an old belt driven pedestal to it. My wheels turn about 85-90 rpm.

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by edge213 »

StrawHat wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2020 1:01 am [quote=Colonel26 post_id=849169 time=1600266739 user_id=14441 in
Thank you for that information Kevin. I’ve often thought of setting up a sharpening booth myself. You mentioned the slow wheel set up, is that a Tormek or similar set up?

As to the serrated blades I’ve done my own by hand, but are you using the wheels for that too?

Thanks again for the info!
Well, let say it is an Amish Tormek. I took an old (1913) Singer sewing machine base and adapted an old belt driven pedestal to it. My wheels turn about 85-90 rpm.

Kevin
[/quote]


Pictures??
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

edge213 wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 3:50 am Well, let say it is an Amish Tormek. I took an old (1913) Singer sewing machine base and adapted an old belt driven pedestal to it. My wheels turn about 85-90 rpm.

Kevin

Pictures??
[/quote]

Here is an old one but it will give you an idea of what I devised and use.
8FC454F3-D643-493D-A9FC-D9594E16548C.jpeg
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by cudgee »

That is ingenious and fantastic. That is something that previous generations would have come up with, they would have thought what do i need, what have i got that i don't need or use anymore, and came up with that. Well thought out and done mate, i love it. 8) 8) 8) ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by edge213 »

StrawHat wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:52 am
edge213 wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 3:50 am Well, let say it is an Amish Tormek. I took an old (1913) Singer sewing machine base and adapted an old belt driven pedestal to it. My wheels turn about 85-90 rpm.

Kevin

Pictures??
Here is an old one but it will give you an idea of what I devised and use.

8FC454F3-D643-493D-A9FC-D9594E16548C.jpeg

Kevin
[/quote]

Quite interesting.
Thanks for the picture.
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

cudgee wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:03 am That is ingenious and fantastic. That is something that previous generations would have come up with, they would have thought what do i need, what have i got that i don't need or use anymore, and came up with that. Well thought out and done mate, i love it. 8) 8) 8) ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::
What can I say, it was my wife’s idea. So was sharpening as a career. I was laid off from construction and in my fifties. Long story short, sharpening is my sixth career. And the one I learned from my Father nearly six decades ago.

The machine came about out of necessity. Our first year full time involved me going to Farmers’ Markets. I worked with bench stones as I had been taught. They are very capable of producing a fine edge but they take time and time is one thing not available at a FM. Herself asked why I did not use wheels like the other sharpeners we saw used. I explained the lack of adequate electric power at a FM (one long cord to feed everyone). She came up with this idea. It took me a couple of minutes to wrap my head around it and maybe 30 to come up with a working prototype. We are now on the 4th or 5th iteration and perhaps the final one.

It certainly is a show stopper and stays in the memory of the customers.

Kevin
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by cudgee »

StrawHat wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 8:41 pm
cudgee wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:03 am That is ingenious and fantastic. That is something that previous generations would have come up with, they would have thought what do i need, what have i got that i don't need or use anymore, and came up with that. Well thought out and done mate, i love it. 8) 8) 8) ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::
What can I say, it was my wife’s idea. So was sharpening as a career. I was laid off from construction and in my fifties. Long story short, sharpening is my sixth career. And the one I learned from my Father nearly six decades ago.

The machine came about out of necessity. Our first year full time involved me going to Farmers’ Markets. I worked with bench stones as I had been taught. They are very capable of producing a fine edge but they take time and time is one thing not available at a FM. Herself asked why I did not use wheels like the other sharpeners we saw used. I explained the lack of adequate electric power at a FM (one long cord to feed everyone). She came up with this idea. It took me a couple of minutes to wrap my head around it and maybe 30 to come up with a working prototype. We are now on the 4th or 5th iteration and perhaps the final one.

It certainly is a show stopper and stays in the memory of the customers.

Kevin
You have a good one there, and i meant wife. :roll: ::tu:: ::handshake::
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

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I agree on both. ::nod::
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

Colonel26 wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2020 2:32 pm ...Thank you for that information Kevin. I’ve often thought of setting up a sharpening booth myself....
I just reread the thread and saw this.

What kind of venue are you considering? Farmers’ Markets are usually good venues. Same goes for butcher shops. I have found places that sell food attract a better crowd of customers than non food venues although I have one hardware/tool store that is a big venue for me.

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by Colonel26 »

StrawHat wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 4:38 pm
Colonel26 wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2020 2:32 pm ...Thank you for that information Kevin. I’ve often thought of setting up a sharpening booth myself....
I just reread the thread and saw this.

What kind of venue are you considering? Farmers’ Markets are usually good venues. Same goes for butcher shops. I have found places that sell food attract a better crowd of customers than non food venues although I have one hardware/tool store that is a big venue for me.

Kevin
That sharpening set up is ingenious! I love it. And I’ll throw my hat in with the rest, fantastic machine and a great wife you have there.

As to the venue I was thinking farmer’s markets. We have a couple of large ones close by me. Also a big gun and knife show.
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

Colonel26 wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 7:32 pm
StrawHat wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 4:38 pm
Colonel26 wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2020 2:32 pm ...Thank you for that information Kevin. I’ve often thought of setting up a sharpening booth myself....
I just reread the thread and saw this.

What kind of venue are you considering? Farmers’ Markets are usually good venues. Same goes for butcher shops. I have found places that sell food attract a better crowd of customers than non food venues although I have one hardware/tool store that is a big venue for me.

Kevin

That sharpening set up is ingenious! I love it. And I’ll throw my hat in with the rest, fantastic machine and a great wife you have there.

As to the venue I was thinking farmer’s markets. We have a couple of large ones close by me. Also a big gun and knife show.

A friend of mine sharpens at the ara Gun Shows so I stay out of them. He mostly gets pocket knives, a few belt knives. His big money maker at the gun shows is buying and selling pocket knives. He only deals with well made, usually older, knives. It might be something to consider. I am not sure if there are any fees involved but assume there are. There may also be other sharpeners.

Farmers’ Markets are where I got my professional start. First year I worked three. Second year, six Markets and the third year, 12.

I worked exactly 1 Flea Market and now avoid them. People expect to haggle prices. I don’t haggle. My prices are fair and set. Another acquaintance works a couple of fleas and seems to do okay but he also sells wooden spoons, rings and other crafts he makes.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I don’t necessarily have all the answers but I certainly have made all the mistakes and lived through them.

Kevin
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by fergusontd »

::facepalm:: I've been to alot of gun and knife shows where were guys with a table set up to sharpen knives. I've watched a few of these guys sharpen knives and thought I wouldn't want them to touch mine. I saw 1 guy take the temper out of a blade then he asked me if I wanted mine sharpened. I responded not in my lifetime! Most charged about $5. I hope you do well in your business and do a great job! Good luck. ftd
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

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fergusontd wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 12:35 pm ::facepalm:: I've been to alot of gun and knife shows where were guys with a table set up to sharpen knives. I've watched a few of these guys sharpen knives and thought I wouldn't want them to touch mine. I saw 1 guy take the temper out of a blade then he asked me if I wanted mine sharpened. I responded not in my lifetime! Most charged about $5. I hope you do well in your business and do a great job! Good luck. ftd
Do you remember what he was using to sharpen?

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by Mumbleypeg »

There’s a guy who sets up his knife sharpening at the monthly trade days (Third Monday). From what I’ve observed he seems to do okay. He is a gregarious sort though and if not busy sharpening at the time (or sometimes even while busy) he will,engage passers-by with banter. Once when I was walking buy with my wife he said to me “a man wearing a John Deere cap surely has a Case knife in his pocket!” I said I did so he asked if he could see it. Then he asked if I wanted it sharpened. I passed but stayed a minute to talk and looked at his set up. He has two different belt sanders/sharpeners and a buffing wheel on about a three ft wide by six or eight ft long portable workbench. Also has a panel van with signage on the side, advertising his sharpening business.

IIRC he charges $3 for a single blade knife, $4 for two blades and $5 for three blades. I watched him sharpen a guy’s three-blade stockman - took him less than about 5 minutes total. As each blade was sharpened he held up a piece of paper and sliced it with the blade to show it was sharp. Quick and no wasted motion. When finished he asked the guy if he wanted the knife buffed too.

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by fergusontd »

::woot:: Strawhat, he was using a paper wheel on a bench grinder. Said it was the best and easiest way. Looked a little dubious to me. ftd
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

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fergusontd wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 12:35 pm ::facepalm:: I've been to alot of gun and knife shows where were guys with a table set up to sharpen knives. I've watched a few of these guys sharpen knives and thought I wouldn't want them to touch mine. I saw 1 guy take the temper out of a blade then he asked me if I wanted mine sharpened. I responded not in my lifetime! Most charged about $5. I hope you do well in your business and do a great job! Good luck. ftd
I have seen the same thing at local gunshows. No way they are touching mine also. The reason they have a lot of work and can make money is that the average Joe has no clue how to sharpen anything. This was proven to me when I worked for a Stihl dealer where chainsaw sharpening was done and people would bring in chains that they had "attempted " to sharpen themselves. One look at their efforts and I would have to tell them to toss it and buy a new chain.
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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by StrawHat »

Paper wheels, in my opinion, operate way to fast 3500 (+/-) RPM is not sharpening speed. Also, in my opinion, since the common grinder has the top of the wheel coming towards the operator, they spin in the wrong direction for my peace of mind. The prep and maintenance is also a lot more than I am willing to deal with. Having said that, they seem to be popular with the Gun Show Sharpeners.

I have a couple of slow speed (1725 RPM) systems and find them to be better but still too fast. At that speed, they can still remove to much stock and heat the metal more than I like to see.

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Re: How much to charge to sharpen knives?

Post by orvet »

I have used a variety of systems since the early 1980s starting in a cutlery store with a system from the Gerber factory, a 150 grit stone at 1700 RPM and sharpening into the oncoming wheel. It was a scarry way to learn sharpening but you learned to move quickly!

Mostly I use a 1X 42 belt sander with a 150 or 220 grit ceramic belt. I move the blade quickly so heating is not a problem. I finish the knife on a Powr-Strop leather wheel to deburr the blade.
Since I collect different sharpening systems I play with all different methods. I have a Tormix type sharpener, a slow wet stone wheel. Great for sharpening blades for hand planes and chisels.

Over 95% of all my sharpening is on the 1X42 including my EDCs.
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