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Warning:

Sharpening has been suspended

while I start school

(Wtf is this left brain)

Please Check back

in Oct/Nov

Knife Sharpening

$15 per blade

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Serrated Blades

COMING SOON

Kitchen Shears

$20 per 

Traditional hand sharpening on a whetstone is the best way to sharpen a knife. The process is very similar to sanding - progressing from lower grits (take off more material) to higher grits (smoother and shinier).   

Electric, pull through, and even professional grinders do sharpen quickly but are heavy handed. Each pass takes off a ton of material - reducing the lifespan of a knife.  

Whetstone is an intentional approach that is respectful of the blade. 

Whet is Best

chef knife resting on whetstone
  • What exactly are you doing?
    I sharpen entirely by hand using a progression of Japanese whetstones. Every knife is treated with a personalized approach based on its type and the blade's condition. A common evolution starts with an 800-grit stone (does majority of sharpening) followed by a 6000-grit stone (to get that beautiful shine). Duller knives may require starting on a 220-grit and increasing from there. I finish with a leather strop to remove any micro-burr. I am constantly checking the blade's sharpness by running it along the back of my fingernail. As a final check, I like to slice a tomato. I am looking for: Does the tomato's skin deform or does the blades slices right through? Can I cut a paper thin slice?
  • What can you sharpen?
    Western and Japanese kitchen knives (no machetes or katanas please). Kitchen Shears
  • Serrated?
    Coming soon. Practicing on my wife's knives (poor woman)
  • This is embarrassing, I have cheap knives....
    I love them more because I will see you more often. Inexpensive knives sharpen just as well but don't hold their edge as long. FYI the process of sharpening does remove material, so years from now we might run out.
  • Can you fix my broken tip or chip?
    I recommend taking your knife to a professional shop and having them grind it down (it just takes too long by hand). Once you are satisfied, I am happy to help keep your blade healthy.
  • Do you sharpen other stuff?
    Well if your child needs a math tutor, I do have 3x technical degrees... I stick to kitchen blades (sorry barbers, axe throwers, or gardeners)
  • I'm sold! So how do I get you my knives?
    Great! Either contact me to schedule a drop off time in West Seattle or subscribe to my newsletter to hear of pop-ups. fyi, I am a student and a father first. So my schedule will be dynamic. Drop offs will be scheduled around my class schedule this quarter and bedtime. That said I will do my best to be convenient.
  • Turnaround time?
    I know the moment you give your knives to me you will feel a sense of loss and loneliness. Don't worry, I will have them back to you ASAP. I can do about 4 knives/hr, so depending on my popularity (and school work) I will have them back to you ASAP. Please let me know if you have an event coming up.
  • How often should I sharpen my knives?
    Rule of them for average home-kitchen use is about every 12-15 months.
  • What's the difference between honing and sharpening?
    "In short, sharpening is used to restore a dull or damaged edge by removing metal, while honing is used to maintain and straighten the edge (which can bend over time). It's good practice to hone a knife often to maintain the edge and only sharpen it when it becomes dull." - Chef Kenji I learned everything from Chef Kenji. check out his description here.
  • What are you studying?
    Masters in Counseling Psychology. My background is engineering and I would like to help other practically-minded individuals discover the freedom of emotions.

Happy Customers

What they’re saying

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"Owwie!" 
- Ashley
"That's a knife!"
- C. Dundee
"OMG! I never knew my knives could be this sharp!"
- K Stern
pocket knife resting on pylon

Contact me

to schedule knife drop-offs.

How did you hear about me?
Google
Facebook
West Seattle Blog
I know somebody
Word on the street (flyer)
Ooh, I KNOW the owner
News
Saw one of your pop-ups
Other

Hi, I'm Nolan

I am a father, a student, and I run Sharpness in Seattle, a kitchen knife sharpening service that specializes in traditional hand-sharpening on whetstones. 


 

I accept knife drop-offs at my home in West Seattle and regularly do pop up events.

Feel free to email me at sharpness.in.seattle@gmail.com 

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