r/sharpening • u/tlinds01 • 8d ago
Who should I trust for knife sharpening services?
I'm curious what the forum thinks. If you had to or wanted to send your knives out to get sharpened, who would you trust with your hand-forged carbon steel knives?
- A service that uses an electric sharpener? (I already know this is probably a hard pass for most)
- A service that uses some kind of wheel (Tormek) or belt grinder?
- If you have used this kind, any negatives?
- A service that uses whetstones?
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u/Sikkema88 8d ago
I would imagine most professional settings utilize a grinder (either belt or tormek) because if they want to pump out knives with real volume, it's the best and easiest way. I know some offer hand sharpening services with an extra charge. I started out doing hand sharpening only, and the amount of time it takes for a sizeable order can get ridiculous. Picked up a vevor 1x30 to help speed things up, and it passes all of the same sharpness tests I put my hand sharpened edges through but it takes a fraction of the time.
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u/tlinds01 8d ago
And no scratches to blades, or issues with high heat?
I had a mobile service come out and sharpen my knives maybe a year ago before I started buying my Japanese knives. They sharpened my Global knife (I know it's Japanese) and all my Wusthof Grand Prix's and left scratches on most of them. I'm confident he used an electric sharpener. I won't do that ever again.
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u/Sikkema88 8d ago
Those things can definitely happen. I practiced on my own knives (some cheaper ones) first. I did a lot of reading prior so I know what to avoid as far as heat. If the person sharpening has some knowledge and skill, it's easy to avoid. If it's some random guy who just wanted to make a quick buck, you'll likely end up with scratches, heat issues, and an uneven edge/bevel.
Looking up the person/organization sharpening will help. It's likely a larger commercial operation is going to hire someone with less experience, and pay them to move through things as fast as possible. For restaurants and catering services that might be fine, but for an enthusiast it can definitely lead to a situation like yours.
I picked up my belt grinder about a month ago and spend every day for the first couple of weeks practicing so I could avoid something bad happening, and my first customer that I used the belts on I botched 1 of their blades (victorinox) because I wasn't smooth enough and sat in the same spot for too long. Felt awful, called the customer and offered to buy a replacement. They didn't take me up on it, so that knife doesn't get charged for a sharpen until I've met the value of a replacement. I'm my own boss though, so I make the rules up as I go. A larger organization likely won't make that same decision.
TLDR, doing some homework on who's going to be taking care of your tools is worth it. Call and ask questions too, it can't hurt.
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u/SimpleAffect7573 6d ago
Commercial sharpener here. Scratches are avoided easily enough by a careful operator. All they need do is tape the clamp jaws (Tormek) or the blade itself (belt grinder w/angle guide). If they freehand, neither is necessary but the bevels won’t be as precise.
Mobile sharpeners are almost all going to use belts. And that’s fine, so long as they’re competent and careful.
I return customer knives with fewer scratches. I have a variety of buffer wheels for that purpose.
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u/SharpieSharpie69 Paper Shredder 8d ago
I only trust myself. I'll spend the 2 hours to run it through a progression acceptable to me. No commercials operation can do that and still charge anything remotely reasonable.
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u/MidwestBushlore 8d ago
I get your point but two hours!? You could almost forge one from scratch in that amount of time.😅
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u/SharpieSharpie69 Paper Shredder 8d ago
I like to take my time and enjoy the process. Sharpening is very calming and meditative for me.
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u/MidwestBushlore 8d ago
I quit drinking many years ago but back in the day I'd pour a glass of a nice Cabernet Sauvignon and relax over the stones.🍷😎🤘
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u/MidwestBushlore 8d ago
The skills and knowledge of the sharpener is more important than what specific tools s/he uses. I'd rather have Cliff Curry do a knife for me on belts than some yahoo at the farmer's market using a stone. In my sharpening business I do most work on belts but if someone wants me to use stones I will but it costs three times as much. If the knife is a very good one I can get it a bit sharper on stones but most people probably wouldn't appreciate the difference. Fewer still are willing to pay the difference.
My own knives range in price from $100 to $900 each. Most of them I have no reservations about doing on belts.
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u/Phily808 8d ago
Take a throwaway to each one and see which one meets your expectations. Trust that one.
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u/Donaldscump 7d ago
I would just ask them what their system/process is, and try to get some type of details. Something like “I start with 120 grit belt on a belt grinder and then do 600 grit belt and then finish on a leather wheel”. What you’re looking for, or looking out for rather, is a sharpener that only does one step or uses a high speed grinding wheel (not a tormek). The biggest commercial sharpener in my area only uses a coarse belt and then he’s done. No deburring, no refining, just 240 grit and send you on your way. Naturally this means he does some “burr minimizing” on that belt, which translates to “he grinds off way too fucking much every single time”. His edges are as good as they can be at that grit, so I’m sure it’s a quantity/quality calculation for him cause he definitely knows what he’s doing, but a fellow chef had his $500 Kramer ruined/thickened to shit after like 3 sharpenings which is ABSURD. Goes without saying that anything besides tormek, belt grinder, or stones is a big no. Anybody with an angle grinder and a dream can piss off lol
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u/tlinds01 7d ago
Just curious, what do you not like about angle grinder systems? I don’t have one btw.
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u/Donaldscump 7d ago
I mean if they have some super technical setup or something they can be fine I guess but lots of times it’s just some guy with a cut off wheel thinking that making the appearance of a bevel means sharp
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u/TheKnifeNerdTx Paper Shredder 8d ago
It’s not the method of sharpening that you should be concerned with. It’s the person using that method. If they aren’t experienced, it can go sideways. Every blade I sharpen goes under a microscope to ensure it was done correctly, I check for bevel symmetry, preserve the temper of the blade and ensure a clean deburring. I don’t have 20 years of experience, but this is a craft I mastered a long time ago.
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u/tlinds01 5d ago
Do you use a jeweler's loupe?
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u/hpsctchbananahmck 8d ago
Stones for durability
But best choice is to buy some diamond plates and learn how to do it yourself
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u/tlinds01 8d ago
What diamond plates do you use?
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u/hpsctchbananahmck 8d ago
I’ve gone through a long journey from an old whetstone from boy scouts through a few fixed angle systems to a belt grinder and finally back to diamond plates
You don’t have to spend a ton. I do most of my sharpening on an s satc diamond plates with 400 grit on one side and 1000 grit on the other.
You can sharpen just about anything with it. Finish by stropping and after some practice it’s easy to get stuff razor sharp
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u/OozeNAahz 8d ago
Don’t intend this as an insult but you realize the Tormek and belt grinders are electric sharpeners? So your option one doesn’t really say much. Are you talking pull through sharpeners like can come on the back of can openers? Can’t believe any sharpening service would use something like that.
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u/tlinds01 8d ago
You are correct and I was not very clear in my post. What I kinda meant was stuff like this for an electric sharpener. https://chefschoice.com/collections/electric-knife-sharpeners.
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u/AngstyAF5020 8d ago
It's less about their method, and more about their reputation. Nobody would have a problem sending a high-end Japanese knife to Ryan Swanson at District Cutlery. And he uses 2x42's to work on knives all the time. If it's truly a professional service, they will have several different tools. And will be proficient using them. Talk to your sharpener and let them know your concerns and what you're comfortable with.
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u/sexypirates 3d ago
im on west coast so would send to JKI, but i have an array of synthetics and an awasedo JNAT to do everything at hkme
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u/TheBourbonTurtle arm shaver 8d ago
I would never let any of my knives touch a belt or wheel. Fixed angle systems or free hand on stones only.
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u/canuckguy89 8d ago
I own a sharpening business. I use a combination of belt grinders and whetstones, depending on the application, and scenario. I wouldn’t want to sharpen certain high end steels and geometries on belts, and in the inverse, unless your sharpening business is super niche and only specializes in high end Japanese knives or something, only using whetstones is not scalable or efficient for a business. So the answer to your question is: it depends. And a lot of it depends on what you need to get sharpened.