Whetstones are abrasive stones that remove a small amount of material from your blade to create a new edge.

Machines are also able to do this, often with a ceramic stone wheel, with abrasive belts, or diamond encrusted wheels.

The primary difference is the amount of material that is removed, and the heat that the blade is put under. Whetstones typically remove less material from your blade, but the difference isn't going to be much more noticeable. The biggest difference is the heat applied in the process. Machine sharpening can heat the steel, changing its temper. Essentially, when a blade is being forged, the smith will superheat the metal, and then rapidly cool it. This process hardens the steel. If you're not careful, using a machine can add unwanted heat to the blade that can cause the steel to soften. I take extra care when machine sharpening to keep the blades cool. However, some knives require machine sharpening. Some pocket knives, hunting knives, and EDC knives have steel that whetstones cannot reliably remove material.

I'm not going to try to upsell you to the more expensive option. For most people, the Standard Machine Sharpening is going to get you the edge that you need. However, if your knives are over $30, I'd recommend getting the whetstone sharpening. When your knives are an investment, it's worth it to go the extra mile to keep their lives longer.

We offer sharpening for steel blades of all kinds. Pocket knives, chef knives, machetes, some garden tools and even axes! If you need something sharp, I'll help you out!

We also service lawn mower blades, for sharpness and balance.

For a look at the services we currently offer, take a look here!

In the future, we'll also add services for fabric scissors, beauty shears, and grooming shears.

We have a service menu here that goes into more detail, but for blades 12 inches and under, the Standard Machine Sharpening is $10, and Standard Whetstone Sharpening is $15. For larger knives we charge $2 per inch. For higher level finishes, there is an additional fee.

Not yet, but soon! Reach out with any questions.

Not yet, but soon!