knife sharpening-charges

On the other hand, a Denver friend has run a very profitable knife sharpening business for many yrs. 4 vans do nothing but pickup and delivery, full time. Last I asked, he got $1/knife and provided the knife. This was a service to restaurant kitchens, available to anybody. Needless to say, he didn't spend very long on each knife, maybe 20 seconds with a huge water wheel. Wasn't my idea of sharp, but his customers were happy. IIRC, they got about 50 grindings (1 yr) before the knives were worn out.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

I bought a set of cardboard wheels for knife sharpening and they produce and excellent edge on high carbon blades. It takes a bit of practice to control the included angle to the 17 to 22 degrees and to get a high polish on the sharpened edge. It takes about five minutes to get the edge back into shape on a good knife but if it has been abused and has divits taken out of the edge then it takes quite a bit longer.

These wheels can be dangerous to the unintiated. I bought a set for a friend and explained to him how to use them. He set it up at home and used it with success. His father decided to try it while the friend was out and the father put the blade up to the wheel backwards so that the knife edge was was leading into the cardboard wheel. A second later he had a knife stuck in his stomach and was bleeding profusely. His father is a retired fireman and used a belt and a towel to hold pressure on the wound while he drove himself to hospital. Turns out he had nicked and artery and had a very serious injury from which he did eventually recover. Be careful sharpening knives.

• Knife sharpening wheels.