Where are you located?

Kneighborhood Knives is a mobile sharpening studio that hosts sharpening events all over Portland! These events provide walk-up, same day sharpening. To see a list of upcoming events, check my Calendar.

I also offer a Drop-Off service at my home in the Inner SE area of Portland, although I am minimizing this service in favor of my mobile sharpening events around town.

How do your sharpening events work?

Simply bring in your knives - wrapped in a dish towel works best - and we’ll handle the rest.

Turnaround time varies depending on the backup, but all sharpening is done same day. You’ll receive a text as soon as your knives are ready for pickup. Feel free to bring up any questions or concerns - I’m happy to discuss any repairs, custom angles, or anything else that you would like me to know about your knives.

How long does it take?

My sharpening events provide same-day sharpening so you are able to get right back to cooking. If you need your items done asap, or if you need to pick up your knives on a later day, let me know; I try to be accomodating of peoples’ particular schedules and timeframes.

What is your sharpening process?

Every knife receives a treatment that is custom-tailored to the geometry and grind of the knife, condition of the blade, and appropriate bevels.

My entire approach is based on removing as little material as possible from the blade. If repairs are needed, I use custom-built low-speed, water-cooled ceramic belts and/or Japanese rotary stones to delicately remove chips and create new bevels. From here, each knife is treated to a custom progression of stones and leather.

What does it cost?

Standard Sharpening is $12 per knife regardless of size.

Traditional Whetstone Sharpening is available for $15 per blade. This service is available by request and is done by default for traditional Japanese knives.

See Services for a breakdown of sharpening services.

Can you sharpen Japanese knives?

Yes, I specialize in Japanese knives and traditional whetstone sharpening including single bevel, wide bevel, and custom angles. I also offer restoration services and custom Japanese wa handles.

Do you sharpen items other than kitchen knives?

Kneighborhood Knives is a specialty sharpening service that focuses on kitchen knives almost exclusively. See my Services page for a complete breakdown of available services.

Do you sell knives?

Yes - you can expect to find a curated inventory of new Japanese knives (including santoku, gyuto, kiritsuke, bunka, petty, and utility knives) as well as a selection of hand-restored Japanese knives that are meticulously and lovingly refurbished from blade to handle. These can include yanagiba, sujihiki, deba, honesuki, nakiri, and santoku knives.

What forms of payment do you accept?

I accept all forms of payment - cash, card, Apple/Google Pay, and Venmo.

Can you do repairs?

Yes, I do chip repair, tip repair, re-profiling, heel/bolster alignment, and general repairs to ensure that your knife’s profile, edge, heel, tip, and finish are in good form. Small repairs are free and included in my standard sharpening service.

See Services for more details.

Do you use an angle guide?

No; all my sharpening is done freehand without guides. I match your knife’s existing angles whether it has 50/50 bevels, right- or left-hand justified bevels, or single bevel. In general, I rely on knowledge of knife form and function to treat and restore your knife’s edges according to its particular condition, style, and grind.

Can you sharpen serrated knives?

Yes with the exception of some proprietary serrations (looking at you, Cutco) and microserrations. If I can’t sharpen the serrations, I will at least give you a free touchup that will improve the performance of the knife.

My knives are cheap and/or old! Can you still sharpen them?

Yes! Although sometimes if a knife has been sharpened many times in its lifetime, the edge migrates farther and farther up towards the spine of the knife as material is removed during sharpening. In this case, the knife becomes thicker behind the edge and may not cut or slice well even if I sharpen it. I do my best to let you know if this is the case. If so, it is either time to thin the knife, replace it, or simply to know that its performance may not be as good as it was when it was new.

Can I book you to do a sharpening pop-up at my business?

Absolutely. Sharpening events are a great way to draw traffic to your business. I regularly host pop-up events at stores, cafes, taprooms, and markets. Contact me for more details and to schedule a sharpening event.

Do you do house calls?

Yes! Visit my booking page for call/text me at (425) 449-6144 to book your house call. My van is fully outfitted for sharpening and I can park outside your home or business. As long as you’re in the Portland area and have a level, flat space for me to park my van, I can come to you.

Where can I find you?

The best way to find me is to visit one of my many regular popup events, which can be found on my Calendar.

I also accept knife drop-offs at my home, but my availability is limited for this service.

To book a Drop-Off Appointment or House Call, visit my Booking Page or text me at (425) 449-6144.

How do I know when your next pop-up event will be?

Check out my Calendar, and sign up for my Mailing List to get a monthly email on my upcoming pop-up events.

What’s your favorite 80s sci-fi horror film?

Aliens, followed closely by The Thing.