My Background
I started Nice and Sharp in 2007. Prior to that time, I was a part time jeweler for about 15 years while working as a full time chemist.
I have been sharpening tools and knives for most of my adult life for personal use as well as for work related projects.
For the 1st 2 years of the business, I only sharpened knives. As the business expanded so did what I was sharpening. I started sharpening scissors, garden tools and some woodworking tools. Now I sharpen just about everything except for saw blades and drill bits.
When I started the business, I set up a website informing potential customers how they could get items to me. Some of my business comes from mail order. The bulk of my customers bring their item to me either at my home shop or at one of the farmers markets that I participate in during the summer.
About the time I started expanding, I was getting requests to teach sharpening to local chefs as well as people wanting to start a sharpening business. I put together a class outline and taught my first ½ day class in 2009. The outline has now expanded into a 130+ page class book. The classes range from a ½ day for chefs and home cooks to 3 days for the person wanting to start their own business.
I teach about 20-25 classes a year, mostly one-on-one and have taught 150+ student. Most of my students are from the east coast and from just about every state from Mane to Florida. I have had a few from the mid-west and even someone from Israel.
There is something about taking a dull knife or tool and bringing it back to life that is very gratifying. I love teaching and passing my craft on to others in hope that they will do the same.