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Enjoy this month's issue, Sharpening Price National Avg. Report, and Archives HERE.

Creative Lakes Media, LLC publishes Sharpeners Report, a newsletter on knife sharpening, scissor and beauty shear sharpening, industrial blades and woodworking tool and saw blade sharpening, pet groomer scissor and clipper blade sharpening, equipment news, industry training events. See our Testimonials! Sign up for a free sample issue. Free: View the Sharpeners' Supplier Directory .

Sharpening Educational Event May 2018

March 19, 2018 By Anderson Skog Leave a Comment

The Sharpeners’ Rodeo Presented by the Scissors Magic Company and National Beauty Tool Sharpeners Guild will be held May 12-13 The event will be conducted in the meeting room of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Greenville-Spartanburg (Duncan), 275 Frontage Rd, Duncan, SC 29334. Room block rate is $129 a night + tax. Hotel number (864) 486-9191. Event registration link: https://sharpenersrodeo2018.eventbrite.com

The NBTSG is honored to partner with the Scissors Magic Company to co-host the Sharpeners’ Rodeo event being held in Duncan, SC on May 12-13, 2018. Registration fee of $99 includes Saturday and Sunday activities and snacks. NBTSG certifications are a separate registration and fee. Certification registration link: https://nbtsgsharpenersrodeocertifications.eventbrite.com

AGENDA [Read More…]

Knife Sharpening Class Recap from SharpFest

January 25, 2018 By Anderson Skog Leave a Comment

The October issue features an article about the Perfect Edge Tower, a knife sharpening system for high volume sharpening, At the Sharp Fest 2017 Workshop, Mike Solaegui offered these fun facts we offer as an addedum to the article. Need the article original? Subscribe to the newsletter on our Store. See our book on “Knife Sharpeners as a Business” or the DVD on the Perfect Edge Tower demo. This is a trade publication web site. We report all equipment product news, and have no affliation with the products mentioned in editorial coverage other than fact-checking information is accurately provided by our expert sources in the sharpening industry.

DID YOU KNOW?

China has over 1500 companies that make knives, using German steel.
Columbia cutlery does not have hollowed round edges.
A tooth knife, used by butchers and fishmongers, is different to sharpen than other knives.
Japanese serrated knives are not scalloped but are waves.
Knives made before 1960s were much softer and easier to sharpen—and faster to dull.

VIDEO REFERENCES:

If you like to view videos on YouTube, here are some to consider on this topic:

http://dl.hertzmann.com/Philosophy_and_Practice_UHD.mp4

Perfect Edge Knife Sharpening at Toque Blanche – YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se3kF-6uDuM

DVD Preview 30 minute demonstration from Sharp Fest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpNEuzRxjXA

Sharpening Price Survey Time

December 1, 2017 By Anderson Skog Leave a Comment

Our Price Survey is now closed, and the results are published in the Feb. 2018 newsletter, Sharpeners Report.

Saw & Tool Sharpening Price Survey (Cir. Carbide and Cold saws, Chipper knives, Woodworking Tools)

Cutlery, Shears, Clipper Blades and L&G ( Restaurant/Household Knives, Scissors, Hedge Trimmers, Chains, mower blades, etc.

Please note that the results are available to subscribers only, with a $26 digital subscription annual fee. Or, order $19 the National Sharpening Price Report separately.

CAST OR FORGED? DON’T BREAK THE BRITTLE CAST SCISSOR WHEN IT WON’T BEND

See more on this topic in our April 2018 newsletter issue

Let’s start with some definitions:

Casting: Basically, It is the process where one Heats up metal until it turns into a liquid soup and pour it into a mold. Let it cool off, remove it from the mold (or break the mold), and you’ve got a casting.

Forging: Here, a manufacturer heats up metal until it can be shaped with force. It is forced into shape by hammering or pressing it into something, cooled, and you got your forged piece.

Now, how to tell the difference? First, let’s remember WHY you need to know the difference. If a shear is sharp but not cutting, the triangle factor of Tension, Edge & Alignment comes into play. The weakest part of the triangle will determine the cut of the shear. But if you attempt to bend a shear that has been cast, it is likely to break. Particularly if the metal has been made to a Rockwell hardness of about 60.

At manufacturers, cast shears are made by machines, whereas, forged pieces typically require more hand work. The Best bet is to ask the manufacturer how it was made. When unknown, there are some techniques you can try. Hammering to fix alignment may be necessary when a shear is too brittle and resists light pressure in a scissor bender. Read more in our April 2018 issue. To learn more about scissor and handle processes, reference these documents by JP PLAN with their permission for sharpening eduation informational purposes.

making scissors at factory-examples of processes

MAKING HANDLES OF SCISSORS EXAMPLES

Saw and Tool Sharpening Book – The best of Sharpeners Report series

See these articles inside the The Best of Sharpeners Report on Saw & Tool Sharpening Order this book on our Book Store link.

INDEX

Abrasive Wheel Care

Business for the Next Generation

Cane’s Sharpening Up Close

Centrifuge Coolant Filtration

CNC Bit Sharpening

Coolant Management

Diamond Wheel Geometry

Diamond Wheel Life

Eide Saw & Tool Up Close

Fine Tooth Saw Sharpening

Flux / Brazing Process

Grinding Vs. Filing a Saw

Grinding Wheels Unbreakable? Not!

Hammering

Industrial Knife Grinder Maintenance

Intooligence software for Tool Shops

Ophaven Saw / Hancock Tool Up Close

Paper Tube Saw Sharpening

PCD Tool Trends

Shapers & Moulders Sharpening

Stop Rest Finger on Foley

Storm Water Advice

Swarf Recycling Get Paid!

Tungsten Carbide Pricing

W.D. Quinn Saw Up Close

The Best Of Sharpeners Report: A Select Collection Of Saw and Tool Sharpening Articles. Compiled and Edited by Judith F Brenner. Articles appeared in issues of the Sharpeners Report monthly newsletter

Burton Saw Merges with Simonds International

The Sharpening industry consolidated once again with the announced merger this week of Burton Saw and Supply with Simonds International. The merged companies create a leading producer and marketer of cutting tools and related equipment for the primary wood fiber industry. The combined entity will continue to operate in the US and Canada with 12 facilities. On top of this news, distributors are receiving notices of about 5 percent price increases on saw sharpening machinery, particularly the Wright brand. Moon’s Saw Shop Supply in Fl, and Colonial Saw in MA are US-Based distributors. [Read More…]

Clip Lap Grit Stick

The October issue of Sharpeners Report Newsletter has a great feature article on the Clip-Lap Grit Stick. As an addendum to the article, here are some comments from readers: Need the issue? Visit our Subscribe page in the Store.

TRIED IT! PRODUCT REVIEWS

Matt Yoo, Groomers’ Best Friend, WA, purchased 20 sticks, which with his volume, will last him for 18 months. He found, similar to Ward Collins conclusion, in Ridgecrest, CA, that the application with a wood block will rub grit it, but not spread it well. Ward Collins in CA agrees about the wood block applicator, and said it takes practice [Read More…]