How to Start a Blade Sharpening Business
If you're familiar with how to use a blade sharpener, you'll find it easy to start a blade sharpening business. It takes just a small start-up investment and you could be well on your way to making money, being your own boss and setting your own hours.
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Instructions
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Decide what blades you will sharpen. The possibilities are huge: restaurant knives, salon shears and all kinds of lawn tools need to be sharpened.
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Buy a sharpener. There are all shapes and sizes available, so take your time and find a quality sharpener that will last. The kind you select will be based on what types of blades you plan to sharpen in your business.
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Pick a location. Run your blade sharpening business from your house or take it on the road. If you prefer to travel, get a sharpener that's portable.
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Set your prices. You'll likely charge a per-blade rate which will depend on the type of blades you're planning to sharpen.
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Pick a turn around time frame. Decide how quickly you'll work and when you plan to return the blades. Decide if you can you complete the job in an hour or a few days.
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Find customers. Pass out business cards, start a website and go door to door. If you're looking to sharpen beautician's shears, for example, visit the salons in your area and see if they could use your services.
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Tips & Warnings
How quickly you can complete a job will be determined by the amount of work you have at a given time. Give your customers realistic time frames to keep them happy.
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Comments
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genehoffpauir
Feb 17, 2009
Well written article. I am a professional sharpener. After visiting the Edgemaster website, I am glad I made the choice I did when purchasing my sharpener. I use a Sharp Shop Machine. It runs at 900 rpm, and uses 3 standard belts. 1st belt is a 100 grit ceramic belt. 2nd belt is a 600 grit silicon carbide belt. Final belt is a felt belt with compound. For heavy sharpening I use a 60 or 80 grit ceramic belt. I also use a knife vise for a precision angle every time. The slower speed of the Sharp Shop Machine helps to prevent heat build-up, which will damage the blade. Also, the website said that a belt would last up to a month with commercial use. What type of belt does the Edgemaster use? The website did not say. The Edgemaster is cheaper. A Sharp Shop Machine sells for $350, but I think it is well worth the extra money. Check out my articles; How to Sharpen Knives With a Sharp Shop Belt
