New Folding Knives at the Knife Sharpening Hut

Received some new knives today — ready to take them out with me when I sharpen knives!

Old Hickory Carbon Steel Butcher Knife

First up is a picture of an Old Hickory butcher knife. This is a 7" stamped full tang carbon steel knife with a brass riveted hardwood handle. I have the whole line of these knives: slicer, butcher, utility, and 3 1/4" and 4 1/4" paring knives.

I like carbon steel knives. I kind of kick it old school — and that is just what these knives are! Carbon steel sharpens easy, hold a sharp edge for a long time — and looks good doing it! The knives will get a steel-grey patina, that's OK. Just rinse and wipe dry after using and these knives will have a long service life.

Kershaw Scallion with Blue Anodized Handle

This is a beautiful, blue Kershaw! Blue anodized aluminum handle, assisted opening knife; it has a thumb stud and a flipper, pocket clip and lanyard hole.

SOG Blink Knife

Last is SOG. Two Blinks, gray and black. Both are assisted opening with thumb studs, re-positionable clips. These are quite compact knives — 3 1/4" closed, 5 1/4" long opened.

Solar Powered Knife Sharpening

My Solar Panels for Knife Sharpeners

About a week or so of knife sharpening using just solar panels is now under my belt. 'All systems go' as they say — or all systems 'slow green flash' as my charge controller reports. 

The charge controller has a green LED for the battery to indicate charge state. A steady on means the charge controller is sending juice from the panels to the battery, a slow blink means the charge controller thinks the battery is full and charging is suspended so as not to overcharge the battery. 

After a week of use the battery LED has pretty much been stuck on steady flash, meaning the battery is fully charged. It has been a rather busy week — so I have drawn about as much power as I estimated, and it has been a very sunny week, so I am getting 'maximum power' as they say in the movies!

When sharpening knives running the powered knife grinder is just part of the process. I need to examine the knife and determine what to actually do to it, next clamp the knife in a jig or fixture to hold it, adjust the grinder, do grinding and honing, then remove the knife, clean, examine, wrap. During all these steps except the grinding and honing the knife sharpening machine is off so no power draw. My seat-of-the-pants calculations took all this in and decided on the size of the panels. I am a mobile operation — I want everything 'right-sized' —the plan is to haul around and set-up as little as possible. 

The AGM battery stores plenty of juice — enough for an average day — so if this sun/use conditions stay about the same I will be just fine. At least from now to fall.

New Knives @ Kirkwood Plaza Knife Sharpening Stop

I just received several new knives yesterday, and today being the day I take my knife sharpening hut to Kirkwood Plaza — I will have the new knives on display.

RAT Folder, SOG Twitch II, Kershaw Antelope Hunter (and a Cleaver)

The picture above shows — starting from the bottom — a Kershaw Antelope Hunter and sheath, next (clockwise) is a RAT 1 folder with a satin steel blade, next is a RAT 1 with a black finished blade, then we come to a wooden handled cleaver, and in the middle is a SOG Twitch II.

I really like the two RAT knives. They are rather large, so they fill the hand nicely. They open with a thumb stud, and the carry clip can be relocated. Made in Taiwan.

I also like the SOG. It is smaller, easier to carry, and has an elegant (rather than a rough and tumble like the RAT knives) look and feel. It is an assisted opening knife, has a thumb stud and a flipper to open, aluminum handles. Assembled in the USA.

Antelope Hunter is a fixed blade complete with a leather sheath. Good knife for the out of doors.

And a cleaver.

I mention locations like a local. Kirkwood Plaza is located in Campbell, California, Northern California, South Bay Area, Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area for the non-local readers. Whew!

My Knife Sharpening Machines are now Solar Powered!

Today at Lunardi's San Bruno was the first day I used solar panels to operate the knife sharpening machines!

Solar Panels Powering my Knife Sharpeners

The above picture shows the panels. It took a bit longer to get this going than I thought. I am a mobile knife sharpener, so I wanted folding panels so that I can use, put away and also be able to store.

Behind the panels just visible is the inverter, the deep cycle battery is underneath the inverter. Now that I have all the components, the next step is designing the case for the battery and inverter. The battery is heavy, so I am looking at a rolling tool box type setup.

The knife sharpening equipment uses regular household AC power, the solar panels and the battery are DC power so the inverter is needed to convert the one to the other.

I had the battery and inverter already, I charged the battery at home, it ran the knife sharpener all day, then back home to recharge, rinse and repeat. I wanted the panels so that I would not have to lug the battery in and out — and also to keep the battery charged during the day. Some days I get quite busy, people lined up bringing me knives to sharpen so I was always worried that the battery would run down. Range anxiety as it were.

It took more time than expected as I ordered the solar panels, and twice there was a hitch — once the panels were returned to the seller, the second time I simply never received them. 

It was a very sunny day, and a busy day at Lunardi's — nobody brought me garden tools to sharpen today (which usually cause the knife sharpener to run longer), but plenty of kitchen knives and pocket knives. The panels did great, I started with a full battery and finished the day with a full battery!

With a few more days under my belt I will know how balanced the system is. The next test is this Saturday, I am sharpening at Kirkwood Plaza in Campbell. The weather forecast is a sunny day on Saturday, with my luck we will have either rain or fog or a heavy marine layer.  Come visit and check it out!

Solar Powered Mobile Knife Sharpening

This picture is the knife sharpening booth set up at Kirkwood Plaza. Right in front is the new solar panels. Kirkwood is day two of running on solar panels charging the agm battery. Just measuring battery voltage I think I ran down the battery a bit. 

I am not sure how accurate just measuring battery voltage is in determining state of charge — I find mention of letting the battery rest, or putting a load on it before measuring the voltage. In any case, the battery voltage seems to bounce around a bit. 

I hope the panels can keep pace...

Camp and Everyday Carry Knives for Sale

I was so impressed with my display of knives that I set out at Gene's Fine Foods in Pleasanton today that I just had to take a picture and put it up on the blog! Now, while I am being a bit 'cheeky' with my choice of words here — I do have a nice spread of knives on display!

Camp and Every Day Carry Knives On Display

Looking at the picture above, the first big knife is a Ontario RD6 sitting on it's black sheath, a SK5 Blackbird in it's sheath, also by Ontario; both of these knives are made in America.

Next row, from the left are three Arno Benard fixed blade knives. Arno Benard knives are made in South Africa, and come with Cape Buffalo leather sheaths with a belt loop. Just to the right of the Bernard knives are two RAT 3 knives by Ontario. The RAT 3 have a hard plastic sheath, the sheath has both a clip and a clamp option that can be used.

Back row from left is a purple Kershaw Scallion folding knife. This knife has assisted opening and has a pocket clip, made in America. Next is a stainless steel Kershaw Zing, assisted opening folder. The third, the little guy, is a stainless steel Spyderco. 

Last two are two S.O.G. knives, a black Aegis Mini and a Slim Jim, both made in America.

Weekly Knife Sharpening Locations

Being a mobile knife sharpener, I set up in different locations throughout the week. My web site has all the locations and information, but I thought to flesh out all the information here on the blog.



Mondays finds me at Lunardi's Bascom.

Knife Sharpening at Lunardi's Bascom San Jose

Above is a recent setup at Lunardi's Bascom. I say recent setup as I have to move occasionally — I am now more to the right towards the burgundy awning that's visible. Both this Lunardi's plus the adjacent property is being remodeled so the knife sharpening booth needs to bounce around a bit as construction demands.

I am at this Lunardi's on Mondays 10am to 5pm.

Tuesday is an off day, also Thursday and Friday. I am looking for a spot for Friday.

Wednesday I am at Lunardi's San Bruno.

Knife Sharpener at Lunardi's San Bruno

I am in the parking lot just outside of one of the entrances of Lunardi's San Bruno. The parking lot is the preferred spot in most locations because of the visibility. San Bruno's weather is often windy and foggy. I keep the popup canopy tied to the wheels of my truck and make sure everything is weighted down. Rain cancels Lunardi's San Bruno as there is no place to relocate under cover.

Rainy Lunardi's San Bruno

Here I am huddled in the cab of my truck during rain at a recent stop at Lunardi's San Bruno. Rain was forecast that day, but the morning looked good so I thought to go. As the rain started, then increased I had to pack up things that could not get wet — then finally had to call it a day, packed up and left.

I am at Lunardi's San Bruno Wednesdays 10:30am to 5pm.

Thursdays I am off.

Fridays I am off (but looking!).

Saturdays I am holding court at Kirkwood Plaza.

Kirkwood Plaza Knife Sharpening Booth

Kirkwood Plaza contains a Nob Hill Supermarket, a Big Five sports store, scads of other stores and a nice selection of restaurants. The knife booth is on the walkway near Nob Hill.

Now is a good time to actually describe my knife sharpening business. Most stops I setup a ten foot by ten foot popup canopy, drape it with signs and banners, and set up three tables — two work tables and one of knives, scissors and garden tools for sale.

If you want your knives sharpened, you bring them with you when you go shopping, you leave them with me, you go into the supermarket and shop, come back to me on your way back to the car, and I will have your knives or scissors or garden tools all sharpened and ready to take home.

I sharpen knives, including serrated knives, scissors, pruners, loppers, and hedge trimmers:

• Knives are sharpened, chips are taken out, broken points are repaired, and after sharpening the knives are wrapped in newspaper for the ride home. 
• Garden tools are dissembled, cleaned, sharpened, oiled, reassembled and adjusted.
• Scissors are sharpened, cleaned and tested.
• Folding pocket knives are cleaned, sharpened, lubricated

I am setup for the day, and you can bring the knives and wait, drop them off and shop and get them after, or even drop off the knives and go play golf or whatever (just remember to leave a phone number in case you don't remember to come back and pick them up!).

I accept cash, checks and credit cards (using Square on my smartphone).

Sharpen While You Shop Mobile Knife Sharpening Business

I am part of Sharpen While You Shop, currently there are two of us, Jeff and I. Visit Sharpen While You Shop for the complete schedule.

Sundays has me traveling up north to Gene's Fine Foods to sharpen knives.

Gene's Fine Foods Knife Sharpening

I enjoy working at Gene's on Sundays. I am located in the parking space right between the exit door and an entrance door, so that it is easy to strike up conversations with the shoppers. People often stop at my for sale knife table and 'talk knives,' and perhaps because it is Sunday, there is a lot of people with dogs and bicycles.

That's it. Please contact me if you have any questions or need more information! My cell phone and website address is located at the top of this blog.