The Knife and Tool Sharpening Podcast

Send us Fan Mail What does military service have to do with building a successful sharpening business? In this episode of the Knife and Tool Sharpening Podcast, I sit down with fellow veteran and sharpener Jason Meredith of Veteran's Edge Sharpening to discuss why the sharpening trade can be an excellent fit for veterans transitioning into civilian life. Jason shares his journey from the Unit...

Send us Fan Mail What tools do you REALLY need to start a sharpening business? In this episode of Tool Talk, Matt sits down with Grant Lauinger of Custom Edge Sharpening to discuss sharpening systems, tool philosophy, guided vs freehand sharpening, business growth, and the reality of building a sharpening business part-time. Grant shares how he started with a simple 1x30 setup and gradually expand...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Knife and Tool Sharpening Podcast , Matt sits down with Ken Lunders of Maritime Sharpening in Halifax to talk about his lifelong journey with knives and sharpening. Ken’s story starts the way many sharpeners do — fascinated with his father’s Swiss Army knife as a kid. From sharpening on oil stones and concrete as a teenager, to learning metallurgy as a diese...

Send us Fan Mail What’s actually working in a sharpening business right now? In this update, I’m sharing what we’re seeing inside the Guild of Professional Sharpeners—from charging premium rates and adding high-value services, to building real connections that help you grow faster (without doing it alone). We cover:  How sharpeners are increasing their rates   A “spa treatment” upsell that custome...

Send us Fan Mail James and I go way back—he was one of the early guys I taught in-person, and his story is a big part of why the Guild exists today. In this episode, James shares how he built (and rebuilt) his sharpening business in a way that supports his life instead of consuming it. We talk about the early days, learning the fundamentals (yes— the burr ), why Google Business can be the differen...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Steve Harris of Breckenridge Knife & Tool Sharpening , recorded live from his shop in Breckenridge, Colorado. Steve shares how his retail store, Off the Slopes , naturally led him into professional knife and tool sharpening after customers kept asking a simple question: “Can you sharpen my knife?” What started as a value-add quickly turned into a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Knife and Tool Sharpening Podcast , I sit down with Phil Van Lanen , owner of Van Lanen Sharpening , for a thoughtful, honest conversation about craft, service, and building a sharpening business the right way. Phil shares how his approach to sharpening has always been grounded in serving people first — focusing on doing good work, treating customers well, a...

Send us Fan Mail In this session I focus the conversation on reasons to consider sharpening in retirement.  I also look back on what we covered in the Guild in January and forecast some things to expect in February.  Hopefully you found some points worthy of consideration.  Learn more at: www. GuildOfSharpeners.org  or reach me at Matt@AmericanEdgeSharpening.com

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the first Knife and Tool Sharpening Podcast episode! As a launch to this project I'm including some background on the evolution of The American Edge and The Guild of Professional Sharpeners.  Following that is an attempt to set expectations for what to expect in 2025 from this podcast and for members or those interested in becoming members to the Guild. I hope this...