Knife Sharpening Services

[Scint]

Hi, my chef's knife has gotten dull and I need it sharpened. I always hear on Food Network and such that you should avoid knife-sharpening machines and use a professional service. I tried searching for one in my area with no luck, and Google local was no help either. I live near San Jose, CA. Can anyone on this board recommend a knife sharpening service for me?

 

[Andy M.]

I did a quick search in the Verizon Super pages and this is one possibility I found.

http://www.williamscutleryandgifts.com/

 

[ironchef]

Why don't you buy a good quality stone and do it yourself? It will be much cheaper in the long run, and you can use the stone to sharpen scissors, gardening/kitchen shears, etc.

I like this one myself:

 

[fireweaver]

scint, a professional sharpening service will in fact do a world of good for your knives. simplest to just look in the yellow pages under "knife sharpening" or "sharpening service". oftentimes fancy homeware stores in the mall (think williams sonoma or a knife shop) will know of a place to have kitchen knives worked on. alternately, ask at your local hair cutter's or vet's office, since these businesses will have instruments sharpened locally, too.

 

[Poppinfresh]

Totally disagree on buying a stone and doing it yourself. A stone will never do as good of a job as a professional service and the extra equipment and expertise they bring to the table.

 

[ironchef]

Totally disagree on buying a stone and doing it yourself. A stone will never do as good of a job as a professional service and the extra equipment and expertise they bring to the table.

If you learn how to do it properly, you can keep your knives very sharp, and keep them that way on a daily basis. I use my knives 5-6 days out of the week, for several hours every day, and they are kept razor sharp. Put it this way, I can cut a slice off a block of blackened ahi with just one pass of my chef's knife, without shredding any of the cooked tuna.

But to each their own. I like the feeling of using a knife that I've kept sharp and in great condition by my own hand, and not anyone elses. Do whatever you feel that you're comfortable with.

 

[pdswife]

QFC used to sharpen knives.. not sure if they still do.

 

[Caine]

Most sharpening services, especially stores such as Williams-Sanoma and Sur La Table, will use some type of electrically powered grinding to sharpen your knives.

Your best bet is your local butcher. In fact, if you are a good customer, the local butcher will most likely offer to sharpen them for free, as long as you don't get too carried away with either quantity or frequency. Another alternative is to ask the chefs at local restaurants who sharpens their knives.

 

[Robo410]

growing up in a big city, we had the sharpening truck come by every other month. haven't seen that for ages (although Alton Brown seems to think it still happens.) However, I taught myself after some advice and a little pamphlet how to use a stone to good effect. I practiced on an old knife and got good. Now I feel comfy doing my own all the time. (I do send my one really pricey chefs knife out once a year for a pro job to undo any harm I may have done, but I have never gotten it back with a question of "who hacked cactus with your knife, Joe?" So if locating the pro in your area is not happening, you can indeed egt good at sharpening. Lots of folks do.

 

[velochic]

Personally, I would avoid trying to do it yourself. It takes so much practice and precision. I wouldn't want to use my own valuable knives for guinea pigs. In the US, I have found that the best resource for finding a reputable blade sharpener is your local fabric store, believe it or not. If you inquire at a fabric or craft store, they can probably give you the number of the professional they use to sharpen their scissors. I know that in years past, when still there, they periodically offered the sharpening services to customers at the store. I'd start there. HTH!!

 

[GB]

I agree that you should avoid the knife sharpening machines (the electric kind). There are knife sharpening systems out there that work very well though. Most of them have a stone or ceramic rods, but have a way of keeping the knife at the correct angle.

I just bought the Lansky Crock Stick system and I love it. It is very easy to use and it does a great job at getting my blades nice and sharp.

Don't forget that even a professional can mess up your blades. Usually of course that would not be the case, but it can happen.

 

[Robo410]

I understand the reluctance to do it yourself. Lots of things I leave to the pros. And I do use a pro once a year for some of my fine knives. But there are times I'm really glad I got competent at home sharpening, (like two nights ago before cutting up a mess of vegies for soup.) I am one of those people who prefers to chop by hand rather than use a food processor.

 

[GB]

I hope to some day learn to use a stone and do it by hand. I think it is a great skill to have for anyone who like to cook. I am very nervous that I would mess up my knives though. What I might do some day is buy some dull knives at a garage sale or something and practice on them. I think that might be the way to go for me at least.

 

[AllenOK]

I agree with Ironchef. Get a stone and learn how to do it yourself. I learned how to sharpen knives back when I was a Boy Scout. My professional knives for work are razor sharp. My home knives are just as sharp.

 

[Chef_Jimmy]

I agree, i sharpen my own knives at the restaurant and home, when you cook for a living, you learn how to take care of your stuff, It's like a policeman cleaning and working on his own gun, he doesn't just drop it off and say "here, clean it" Sharpening is not hard at all I have a three sided stone that goes from coarse to medium to fine like a steel. My knives are as sharp as the day i bought them (maybe sharper)