One thought often crossed my mind as I sharpened my tools in my workshop: What if one day I had the luxury of being paid for all those hours spent, hunched over the whetstones? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Well, well, well… Given my current position at the Stay Sharp store in Quebec City, I’d say life has some wonderful gifts in store.

I mentioned this previously in one of my columns, but you should know that I had never tried sharpening knives before entering the world of cutlery one day in June 2026. It’s always intimidating to take on a new craft, but on the other hand, this new life comes with a wonderful array of diverse challenges. Sharpening blades is all well and good, but what exactly does it involve? To answer that question, let me explain a bit about how I approach this process, from start to finish:

When a customer comes in to have a knife sharpened, I first need to examine it to determine its condition. Regardless of the shape, length, or type of steel of the knife in question, all of that is secondary when it comes to how it has been treated. There are then two possible scenarios : either we’re dealing with a sharpening job, or a repair. It’s therefore important to weigh the pros and cons and let the customer know whether it’s worth incurring costs for a knife that is worth less than the service fee. If I see that the profile of the knife has been altered by previous sharpenings, I tell the customer to make them aware of the situation. I always keep in mind that a knife’s sentimental value can outweigh its purchase price, and we often have customers who simply want to breathe new life into their cherished utensil. Next, I quote a price based on the blade length and the type of knife I’m working on. Finally, I fill out the sharpening form and place the knife in the queue.

Now, what is my approach? My main concern is the knife’s lifespan and maintaining its geometry. The thing I keep in mind throughout the process is that every blade has a sort of “life gauge”: it’s a specific number of sharpenings that, when it reaches 0, will require refining the steel Jigane (soft) through its thickness in order to "reveal" the steel Hagane (hard) at its center. To put it simply, removing material will compromise the knife’s integrity over time. The knife’s geometry, meanwhile, was designed by the manufacturer to allow the knife to combine performance and durability. It is therefore highly inadvisable to sharpen the knife without respecting this geometry.

Unfortunately, certain repairs—such as chips on the cutting edge or the tip—leave us no choice: we have to remove some material. In some cases, this leads us to “thin” the knife to expose the cutting edge again, and its appearance will change slightly. It’s a process that takes a tremendous amount of time and expertise, but the final result is worth it. For a chef or an enthusiast, these items represent much more than just a piece of metal. Our mission at Stay Sharp is to pamper them so they can perform at their best in the hands of their owners.

Once the sharpening is done, I finish it off with a double-sided leather strop. It’s similar to the sharpening rod (or “rat’s tail”) that most people use, but I find that it’s much gentler on the blade, with optimal results. I’ll never go back, and I love the feel of using it… not to mention that it’s much safer. Finally, I care for the handle with a mixture of oil and wax: this will nourish the wood and make it impervious to moisture and dirt. For my personal database, I always take photos before and after sharpening so I can analyze my work and improve piece by piece.

Finally, I wrap the blade in glossy paper and put the knife back in its box, where it’s safe. When the customer comes to the store, we inspect it together, while demonstrating its cutting performance on a sheet of paper. I share my observations with them, such as whether thinning might be needed in the near or distant future, or any other relevant and constructive feedback. Once payment is made, we part ways with a smile, and that’s the end of the Stay Sharp experience.

Please note that from now on, we will be switching to a bimonthly schedule for publishing these columns. Take care, and thank you for following these glimpses into our lives.

Benjamin