History

• In the early days of Singapore, knife users believed that longer a knife was used, the more effective the cutting surface became. For this reason, customers would buy a knife and have it sharpened regularly, as opposed to purchasing a new one. Professional knife sharpeners were also common in Italy and would walk down the streets with their spinning whetstone cart, ringing a bell to announce their approach. In more modern decades, with the advent of the mail system and internet technology, knife-sharpening services became more decentralized and accessible to their customers.
  
  

Modern Sharpening Methods

• Many of the larger knife-sharpening services champion themselves on machine sharpeners. These contraptions are specifically designed to achieve razor sharpness with the proper cutting angle. Other services offer more old-fashioned methods of knife sharpening and still use the spinning whetstones of old. These more traditional businesses pride themselves on the human touch and years of experience.
  
  

How to Find Service

• Performing an Internet search is an excellent start to finding a service near you. Most large cities have several options to choose from, while citizens of smaller towns may need to mail their cutlery greater distances to receive service. Most phone books contain a section for knife sharpener services and are a better source for locating private, local sharpening outfits in the area.
  
  

Clientele

• Most knife-sharpening services specialize in cuisine cutlery, as chefs are highly reliant on their sharpened tools of the trade. However, other services will sharpen any blade they receive, including pocketknives, paper-cutter blades and even sword and dagger blades. Food plant manufacturers also have their machine blades sharpened to maintain high product output.
  
  

Criticism

• Some believe that the best way to have a knife sharpened is through a knife-sharpening service. According to Chef's Choice, this is not always the case. Some sharpening services use machines that remove a significant portion of the blade during the sharpening process. Others may heat the knife too much, which detempers the blade and can weaken the cutting surface. In-home sharpeners may be a more efficient, convenient option.