Malcolm Schweizer
03-01-2016, 2:54 AM
I started a side business sharpening knives and it skyrocketed. It is still "hobby money" but word of mouth has spread and I now have regular chefs that I stop by and sharpen knives for. (I am still amazed at the number of chefs that cannot sharpen a knife.) I use a Tormek followed by waterstones, and have made fine restaurants my niche market, selling on hand finishing on waterstones as my "value sell."
I have been asking around the hair salons about sharpening clipper blades and the response is always the same- "Oh wow, I would be so happy if someone on the island sharpened clippers." This is usually followed by them showing me a huge pile of blades that they were about to send out for sharpening, and excitedly saying, "Hey guys- this guy wants to sharpen clippers!," like they just won the lottery or something.
I am considering dropping $2k for the Treyco setup and other necessary tools to get started sharpening clipper blades. I worked at a kennel that did grooming when I was young and so I know how to set up a clipper and adjust spring weight.
Also so it seems most of the hair salons are using Japanese scissors sharpened on a taper rather than a hard bevel. There's is a huge market here for sharpening these types of scissors. Are there any professional sharpeners here willing to comment on sharpening Japanese scissors? I see all sorts of fancy gadgets in the $3k and up range, but can a guy with a steady hand and loads of knife sharpening experience do the taper by hand?
Any advice on what sharpeners are worth the money? I want something that can do hollows and flats with easy changeover between the two.
I have been asking around the hair salons about sharpening clipper blades and the response is always the same- "Oh wow, I would be so happy if someone on the island sharpened clippers." This is usually followed by them showing me a huge pile of blades that they were about to send out for sharpening, and excitedly saying, "Hey guys- this guy wants to sharpen clippers!," like they just won the lottery or something.
I am considering dropping $2k for the Treyco setup and other necessary tools to get started sharpening clipper blades. I worked at a kennel that did grooming when I was young and so I know how to set up a clipper and adjust spring weight.
Also so it seems most of the hair salons are using Japanese scissors sharpened on a taper rather than a hard bevel. There's is a huge market here for sharpening these types of scissors. Are there any professional sharpeners here willing to comment on sharpening Japanese scissors? I see all sorts of fancy gadgets in the $3k and up range, but can a guy with a steady hand and loads of knife sharpening experience do the taper by hand?
Any advice on what sharpeners are worth the money? I want something that can do hollows and flats with easy changeover between the two.