Where are you located?

Kneighborhood Knives is a mobile service based in Inner SE Portland that accepts drop-offs by appointment, makes house calls, and hosts walk-up sharpening events around Portland.

See my booking page to easily book your sharpening service!

What is your sharpening process?

For my Standard sharpening service, I use a progression of low speed, water-cooled ceramic belts, rotary whetstones, and traditional whetstones. Each knife receives a treatment that is custom-tailored to the geometry and grind of the knife, condition of the blade, and appropriate bevels. All knives are finished on stones and leather.

For my Traditional Whetstone service, which I recommend for traditional Japanese knives, I sharpen entirely by hand using a progression of natural & synthetic Japanese whetstones and diamond plates. All Japanese knives are treated with natural whetstones and finished on a leather strop to remove any remaining micro-materials on the apex of the edge. Lastly, tsubaki oil is applied to the blade for corrosion resistance and to the handle for wood conditioning and moisture resistance.

What does it cost?

Most items are $12.

Other services (whetstone sharpening for traditional Japanese knives, wide bevel knives, specialty tools, etc) have varying costs.

Can you sharpen Japanese knives?

Yes, I sharpen both Western and Japanese knives including single bevels, wide bevels, and custom angles.

Do you sharpen items other than kitchen knives?

Yes, I sharpen household scissors & shears, pocket knives, small garden tools, and other items.

I do not sharpen salon shears, sewing or pinking shears, or large items (swords, katanas, large garden tools like hedge trimmers or lawn mower blades, or paper cutter blades).

What forms of payment do you accept?

I accept all forms of payment - cash, card, and Venmo.

If you’re a taco truck, I also accept tacos.

How long does it take?

If you come see me I am often able to sharpen while you wait. Sharpening usually takes several minutes per item.

Can you do repairs?

Yes, I do chip and tip repair - see Services for details.

Do you use an angle guide?

No; all my sharpening is done freehand without guides. I match the 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?

Typically yes with the exception of some proprietary serrations (looking at you, Cutco) and microserrations.

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 folks 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, breweries, and markets. Contact me for more details and to schedule a sharpening event.

Do you do house calls?

Yes! Visit my booking page to book a 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?

You can always bring your knives to me in Southeast Portland (near Ladd’s Addition), and you can find my up-to-date list of scheduled sharpening pop-up events here.

You can easily book a Drop-Off Appointment or House Call on my Booking Page, or by texting 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 email updates on my local pop-up events.

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

Aliens, followed closely by The Thing.