Sharpening at Events (Knife Shows, Markets, etc.)
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- This topic has 29 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 06/10/2013 at 12:01 pm by tuffy braithwaite.
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06/02/2013 at 11:09 pm #11921
Thanks for the posts from everyone… keep ’em coming!
Cool to see the Tormek jig in use.
tuffybraithwaite, like your videos…. “a wicked edge kinda day”. :cheer: (You should film some sharpening action!… course hard to do holding your own camera….)
Looks fun!
06/06/2013 at 7:20 am #12037some how this got posted in the wrong spot.
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http://wickededgeusa.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=6&id=11543&Itemid=63#1154406/10/2013 at 1:56 am #12169here is a video for your viewing pleasure of saturday’s farmers fare and hell of a day on thur.
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sat – vid is like: 6 mins.
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thur. – vid is like: 10 mins.
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see ya
good luck to everyone06/10/2013 at 9:37 am #12191Thanks for the videos!
With more time on the machine, you get faster, plus doing knives for customers is different than doing them for yourself or your friends. You don’t need to agonize over every last scratch. You can often just find the existing angle, match it and start with the 600# stones. From there, it’s easy to work through the 600#, 800# and 1000# diamonds and then finish with 20 or so strokes with the strops. The knife you’ll give back to your customer will be screaming sharp (depending on the angle of course) and far better than anything they’ve ever seen before. If you work the same venue often, you’ll get the knives back after a while and it’s really easy to touch them up, just a matter of a minute or two. At shows, I usually do 5-10 knives per hour if they’re not too badly damaged or wanting a major reprofile. I spend more time on knives sent in to the shop, often 20 minutes or more making sure they’re perfect.
This is one area I was hoping would crop up a bit more in this thread (so I copied it over here)… time spent on a knife… especially when under a time constraint. I’ve been doing some sharpening lately similar to what is done with other methods… mark the edge with a sharpie, match or come close to the bevel on the knife, use one coarse stone (100 or 200) to set or cleanup a bevel, (and this will remove minor damages – chips, etc. that a lot of knives have) one fine (600 or 800) to clean it up, dozen or so strokes with a 5m (or any) leather, and done. You can hand a knife back to someone in 5 min. or less… it’ll be sharper than most anything they’ve ever seen, and will pass all the standard tests that most people want to try: cut paper, shave arm hair, etc. no problem. Similar but not quite like what Clay mentioned, if it has a decent edge… one fine stone, strop and done.
I think this is one “feature” of the WE that is often overlooked. There are many posts/videos/etc. on creating polished edges (often with a large time expenditure), but little on the fact that you can sharpen an edge, both sides simultaneously, quickly and precisely, with great results.
Of course the procedure used is based on the goal you’re setting… in this case it’s a “get it done quickly” goal… and still turn out a quality edge.
06/10/2013 at 10:05 am #12196If you sharpen at an event/show, do you keep a log book with the customer’s name and specific details for their knife (Top/Bottom depth key holes, measurement from alignment guide, angle of edge, etc) for returning customers?
06/10/2013 at 10:23 am #12198If you sharpen at an event/show, do you keep a log book with the customer’s name and specific details for their knife (Top/Bottom depth key holes, measurement from alignment guide, angle of edge, etc) for returning customers?
I haven’t done shows… but knives I sharpen for others I don’t keep track for a few reasons….. one, I suck at keeping records :), but I can usually just mark and check a blade probably as quick as I could look it up. (I also noticed that most returning blades need more than a touch-up anyways.)
I did notice when I saw Bob Nash sharpening at a knife show… he handed them a business card where he had boxes printed for the settings he used, that he wrote them in. Would be interesting to know the “return rate” of knives, and if they still had the card.
Interesting to see what others do.
06/10/2013 at 10:29 am #12199If you sharpen at an event/show, do you keep a log book with the customer’s name and specific details for their knife (Top/Bottom depth key holes, measurement from alignment guide, angle of edge, etc) for returning customers?
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i have not at the fare, but i do on all that i bring home…..i am going to start maybe, but most just drop off and leave their knives – most do not even ask price – it is like…OH BOY a knife sharpener again…….last year they had another fellow and he only came every other sat, so now they are as happy as i am…. 🙂 🙂i downloaded two from here and ended up using the one that says – wicked edge log – i changed it some to match the way i like to do excel.
it is a nice log whomever set it up by the way.
06/10/2013 at 10:51 am #12202If you sharpen at an event/show, do you keep a log book with the customer’s name and specific details for their knife (Top/Bottom depth key holes, measurement from alignment guide, angle of edge, etc) for returning customers?
I haven’t done shows… but knives I sharpen for others I don’t keep track for a few reasons….. one, I suck at keeping records :), but I can usually just mark and check a blade probably as quick as I could look it up. (I also noticed that most returning blades need more than a touch-up anyways.)
I did notice when I saw Bob Nash sharpening at a knife show… he handed them a business card where he had boxes printed for the settings he used, that he wrote them in. Would be interesting to know the “return rate” of knives, and if they still had the card.
Interesting to see what others do.[/quote]
Lol! I hear you on the record keeping!That’s a great idea Bob Nash had using the backs of business cards. Maybe Bob will see this an let us know what his experience is with returning customers and if they still had the business card with the specific settings. Thanks!
06/10/2013 at 10:52 am #12203People either bring me their knives or in very special circumstances I will pick them up.
No shows or events yet… I have no time to do that.I have a three ring binder that I keep… for my knives, those of friends… or ones that I think I will see again.
Obviously, the bulk of the knives are done on the belt grinder… nothing on them.. That method is pretty much seat of the pants anyway!!
:woohoo:Like Curtis, I kind of suck at “good” record keeping. When I remember I write down the basics.
Height gauge settings, length, angle, progression start and finish, type of knife and steel type when I know or can find it…Doing that has saved my butt a few times and I am trying to get better at recording things consistently.
It is much quicker to know where to start and not have to mess with sharpies and angle finding exercises.🙂
BTW, if I did shows, I think I might do something like Bob does… even if you never see the people again, it shows that attention to detail that many folks like!!
06/10/2013 at 11:01 am #12204I have a three ring binder that I keep… for my knives, those of friends… or ones that I think I will see again.
Obviously, the bulk of the knives are done on the belt grinder… nothing on them.. That method is pretty much seat of the pants anyway!!
:woohoo:Like Curtis, I kind of suck at “good” record keeping. When I remember I write down the basics.
Height gauge settings, length, angle, progression start and finish, type of knife and steel type when I know or can find it…Doing that has saved my butt a few times and I am trying to get better at recording things consistently.
It is much quicker to know where to start and not have to mess with sharpies and angle finding exercises.🙂
Thanks Phil. I completely agree. I like to keep a record of each knife’s settings so I know where to begin with it. I’ve only sharpened knives for friends and family so far. I have a little notebook on my bench next to the WEPS and write down just a few notes on each one. I think I will try the Wicked Edge Log, that Tuffy mentioned, or something like it.
And I’ve never tried to sharpen a knife on a belt grinder. I’m sure it takes lots of practice and many years of experience to become proficient with a belt grinder. Thanks again!
06/10/2013 at 11:03 am #12205If you sharpen at an event/show, do you keep a log book with the customer’s name and specific details for their knife (Top/Bottom depth key holes, measurement from alignment guide, angle of edge, etc) for returning customers?
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i have not at the fare, but i do on all that i bring home…..i am going to start maybe, but most just drop off and leave their knives – most do not even ask price – it is like…OH BOY a knife sharpener again…….last year they had another fellow and he only came every other sat, so now they are as happy as i am…. 🙂 🙂i downloaded two from here and ended up using the one that says – wicked edge log – i changed it some to match the way i like to do excel.
it is a nice log whomever set it up by the way.[/quote]
Thanks Tuffy. Good info and nice videos. “It’s a Wicked Edge Kind of Day.” Love it!06/10/2013 at 11:23 am #12207This fare last thru two weeks into dec, but only two sats each….nov & dec.
As sharp s these knives are when they leave, I may never see repeaters until may 2014…..no joke
06/10/2013 at 11:29 am #12208i have not at the fare, but i do on all that i bring home…..i am going to start maybe, but most just drop off and leave their knives – most do not even ask price –
Tuffy..
Just curious, what are you charging per (standard sharpening) blade..?
If you would rather PM me on that.. please do.BTW, don’t worry… they can dull them faster than you can sharpen them..
:ohmy:06/10/2013 at 11:45 am #12209Tuffy..
Just curious, what are you charging per (standard sharpening) blade..?
If you would rather PM me on that.. please do.BTW, don’t worry… they can dull them faster than you can sharpen them..
:ohmy:That would be great info to know. Please PM me as well if you don’t mind. Thanks Tuffy!
06/10/2013 at 12:01 pm #12211i have not at the fare, but i do on all that i bring home…..i am going to start maybe, but most just drop off and leave their knives – most do not even ask price –
Tuffy..
Just curious, what are you charging per (standard sharpening) blade..?
If you would rather PM me on that.. please do.BTW, don’t worry… they can dull them faster than you can sharpen them..
:ohmy:[/quote]
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Most serrated……8 bucks
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