At Stoddard’s, all knives are sharpened entirely by hand using up to 8 different stones. Due to the fact that various knife manufacturers grind their blades at different angles, we begin the process by first identifying the appropriate sharpening angle as no one single stone, or machine suits all knives. Our goal is to replicate the factory’s original angle of the edge.
Have Stoddard’s Sharpen Your Knives (and men’s straight-edge shaving razors)
Option 1 – Drop them off at our retail location
You may stop by at any time with your knives and we will advise you on the best approach to refinishing your knives. We will also let you know how long it will take. On rare occasions we can sharpen them on site but generally the time is 2-3 days (7-10 days for straight-edge razors). Please keep in mind that we do hand sharpen your knives and so this takes time to so well!
Option 2 – Send your knives (and straight-edge razors) to us by mail
We are happy to accept and sharpen your knives by mail. We will give your knives the same attention and care as those dropped off at our retail location. Our turnaround time is 2-3 days once we receive them (7-10 days for straight-edge razors). Please use our contact form to request this service and we will respond promptly.
Instructions for sending in your knives (via USPS, UPS or FedEx):
We suggest you individually wrap each knife (both straight edge and serrated) and place them in a secure box with enough packing material to prevent the knives from banging into one another during shipment. You might also want to consider insuring your package just in case something gets lost or damaged in transit.
Enclose a note with all of your contact information (address, phone & email), as well as method of payment, and upon receipt of your package you will be notified as to the exact cost and anticipated turn-around time.
More About Stoddard’s Knife Sharpening
To further explain how edges may be different, a chef’s knife, which is used primarily for dicing and chopping on a hard cutting board, will generally have a stronger, “broader” edge, than lets say, a paring knife.
The parer is used for more delicate tasks such as fine peeling, and would work best with a thinner edge. Asian knives, cleavers, santoku, Granton style, and single beveled sushi knives also require different sharpening techniques. And yes, we can sharpen most serrated and scalloped edged knives.
For over 200 years, the most demanding chefs have entrusted Stoddard’s with their knives, both personal and professional, to be expertly sharpened. While numerous hardware stores and kitchen shops may offer a sharpening service, the work is generally done on commercial machines, with little or no differentiation among all the various knives and their unique requirements.
At Stoddard’s, each and every knife is looked at individually to determine just what is required to give it its original edge, and sometimes even better.
Besides our expert sharpening, Stoddard’s can fix most knives that have been improperly sharpened elsewhere. We also can fix most blades that are chipped, bent, or have broken tips.
All of the knife sharpening is done on the premises at very affordable prices. We also are happy to receive knives for sharpening from all across the United States. They will be handled with respect, sharpened, and then promptly shipped back to you (insured) for a reasonable shipping fee.
Quality sharpening is as much of an art, as it is skill. At Stoddard’s, we take pride in the work we do and never take for granted the trust you have placed in us to perform up to your expectations.
If we feel that your knife can’t be sharpened up to our standards, you will not be charged. Furthermore, if you bring your old knife into the store, we would gladly suggest that it may be well worth sharpening, rather than recommend that you purchase a new knife.