Do you trust me with your knives?

The biggest barrier I faced by far was having folks, especially Chefs hand me their knives to sharpen for the first time.
I had to run that gauntlet many times, and I completely understand, often, a Chef would give me one knife to do, then he/she would give me the rest.  I had to take this test and pass it several times and it is a statement to the owners how important their knives are to them.

It is a little easier now though with some of that hard work and very nice testimonials from well known chefs but I still get a little push back every now and then.

Now if a individual likes to sharpen their own knife/knives, that's cool, I will always ask what the person uses and if I think I can help out in anyway I will always make the offer.

Yanagiba - Traditional Japanese Knife

The thing with me, the difference perhaps is not just the fact that I sharpen many many knives and with each knife I improve, as with all things in life. The biggest difference, what gives me the edge over a chef who sharpens their own knives is that sharpening knives is all I do, it is all I'm interested in.

Shapton Glass Water Stones

Most chefs are so freaking busy that their knife sharpening consist of a quick, erratic and completely unfocused pass over a Steel or over a whetstone of unknown brand or even grit, it's just the stone that was in the kitchen. (I hear this often)

I don't think it is a matter of money either, it is just stubbornness  sometimes which results in the individual using dull knives, in a professional kitchen which to me is absolutely absurd.

I get some folk who show me their knife and hesitate giving it to me, despite that fact that I have sharpened for some of the top chefs in Nova Scotia and perhaps beyond that, they still are reluctant yet when I see the knife, it's damage, broken tip, chipped edge, dirty and painfully dull. I wouldn't trust my knife with them to be honest.  

I don't beg for peoples knives, Im happy to do them, it really is my passion and I'm good at what I do, but if you don't want me to sharpen your knife because you think I will ruin it, that's your choice, it's the wrong choice but I understand it. Eventually, you'll find me and remember, if you don't think the job I did was up to your satisfaction, of course you won't have to pay, in fact I will give you money to get it sharpened elsewhere if that is what you want. (that has never happened by the way)

This is a Twin Cermax, one of the hardest knives in the world, it is ridiculously hard in fact and to be honest, not easy to sharpen, it will test any water stone but I beat it and as a reward for  patience and having awesome Japanese Water Stones, I get to see one of the sharpest knives I've ever had the pleasure of returning to an owner. 

So yes, you can trust me but if you don't, I still like ya :)

I appreciate you reading my blog.

Don't hesitate to ask me any questions at sharpenerpeter@gmail.com