I Sharpened this Customer's Knife Collection

I received these knives to sharpen while I was set up to sharpen knives at Lunardi's Bascom. I sharpen knives (and garden tools, scissors) at Lunardi's Bascom every Monday, 10am to dusk.

Just Sharpened Knife Set

I make note of it because her knives are not a matched set. This set is about as varied as they get. There is no need to buy a matching block of knives.  Sometimes a block of knives is great, they all match and everybody is happy. But on the flip side — sometimes you might prefer a certain chef's knife, or maybe you receive a knife as a gift. Knives are knives — get and use what you prefer.

She has a large Forschner chef's knife, a Global Santoku, another Forschner (the only repeat) boning or utility knife, a german paring knife marked Soligen (I have never heard of this brand), a Wusthof paring knife, and a Kuhon Rikon paring knife.

By my count we have a Swiss, Japanese, Swiss, German, German and Swiss.

Visit my website mobile knife.BIZ by clicking here.

UPS Just Brought More Arno Bernard Knives!

I just received four more Arno Bernard knives!

I received three different knives, in two different sizes, with two different handle materials.

The Bush Baby series are the smallest of the Arno Bernard knives, the Scavenger are the next size larger.

All Arno Bernard knives have Cape Buffalo leather sheaths included.

I Have a Bush Baby Squirrel with warthog ivory handles, a Bush Baby Dassie with giraffe bone handle, a Scavenger Wasp with warthog ivory and a Scavenger Wasp with giraffe bone.

Arno Bernard Knives

This picture is of the four new Arno Bernard knives in their sheaths. The knife at the top of the picture is a Wasp with giraffe bone handle scales. The Wasp is in the Scavenger series. The next knife down is a Dassie (Bush Baby series) with giraffe bone. Then another Wasp with warthog ivory. The bottom knife is a Squirrel (Bush Baby) with warthog ivory.

Arno Bernard Knives

Pictured above is the same Arno Bernard knives outside of the sleeves. I rearranged the knives by size — which I should have done from the get go.

Arno Bernard Scavenger Wasp Knife with Warthog Ivory Handle

Here is the Wasp with warthog ivory handle.

Arno Bernard Wasp with Giraffe Bone Handle

The Wasp with giraffe bone.

Arno Bernard Squirrel with Warthog Ivory Handle

This is the Squirrel with warthog ivory.

Arno Bernard Dassie with Giraffe Bone

Last — maybe my favorite knife is the Dassie. The Dassie is a beautiful little knife! This Dassie has giraffe bone handle scales.

Tomorrow is Friday, and this Friday will be my first day showing these knifes. Come find me and check them out!

Friday mornings from 9am to 1pm I am at Zanotto's Willow Glen, then I am off to Zanotto's Rose Garden, I'm there from about 2pm to 6pm. Visit Zanotto's site by clicking here.

The Glamorous Life of a Mobile Knife Sharpener

Setting up and spending time in the parking lot of a supermarket is not as glamorous as one would think...

Today would be a good example of that statement.

I took off for Lunardi's San Bruno to set up my mobile knife sharpening business for the day. I am at Lunardi's San Bruno every Wednesday.

Fall Leaves in Campbell, California

A real rainy day will usually cancel at Lunardi's San Bruno, as the setup is in the parking lot and there is no shelter from the elements. But — leaving Campbell in the morning the day seemed like it would be at least OK. Check out the picture above that I took on the way out of Campbell. Another reason that I headed out is that we are close to Thanksgiving — one holiday when everyone wants sharp knives — and that I will miss the following Wednesday (Lunardi's wants the parking lot for customers only the day before Thanksgiving) — so off I went.

Rain Clouds on San Bruno Weather Map

Well, it didn't take long for the rain to hit. Look at the weather map I took off my phone. I was set up in the parking lot, and was busy from the git-go! Sharpening knives you literally have your nose to the grindstone — so I didn't at first notice how much rain was coming down...

Next thing I know, I see my new knives that I have offered for sale (in cardboard display boxes) turning to mush, my extension cords under water, and everything wet. I put away what I could, raised my tools and power cords off the ground and kept at it.

Then my solar setup quit. Experience told me that my battery could run the sharpening machines for a day without getting run down. Well, it didn't. Perhaps it was not fully charged, maybe the battery has aged, I don't know.

I had anticipated this (but not quite this early in the winter season) so I had already bought a second battery to have on hand to supplement the existing battery. I didn't think I would need it this early in the season as I said, so I had just the battery — no way to put it into the circuit.

So — here I am, wet, customers waiting — holding this spare battery and trying to decide what to do.

Deep Cycle Battery Jury-Rigged

I decided the un-fussed side of the one Anderson plug that I had on hand would work for one pole, and a file would be just the trick for the other pole!

I clamped the Anderson plug wire between the two black terminals, wedged the file under the red terminal and, pressing it down to make contact, clamped the file so that it bridged the two red terminals.

Success!

My View of Lunardi's San Bruno's Rainy Parking Lot

Here is my view out over the knife sharpening machine.

Knife Sharpening at Rainy Lunardi's San Bruno

So — even though it was a rainy, cold day — it was busy, and since I was bundled up I was not cold. I enjoyed the day!

Cuts and Knife Sharpening are Fast Friends

Well, I cut myself again... Being a knife sharpener it comes with the territory. In this instance I was showing a shopper how to close a folding knife that I was demonstrating, and got sloppy and cut myself. Again.

If the cut is bad enough to need a bandaid — then I get one from my tool box. I always keep them handy.

My Poor Cut Pinkie Finger

In the cut pictured above I did need a bandaid. But, after the cut healed a bit, stopped bleeding and all — it still needed help. Being right on the knuckle I kept re-injuring it and all. 

I kept a bandaid on it for a bit, but that is a bit cumbersome, and when I load and unload my knife sharpening tools and equipment (especially in this cold weather) I like to wear gloves and the bandaid just does not cut it, the bandaid makes it hard to put on and take off gloves. 

This is where the micro perforated tape comes to the rescue!

Micro perforated tape works great to protect a cut — a cut that has stopped bleeding. It sticks well, allows the skin to breathe, and does not add bulk. And is rather neat looking, at least when the tape is new. In this photograph the tape is rather worse for wear, and is due to be retired...

New Arno Bernard Knives Arriving This Week in Campbell, California!

The San Francisco Bay Area is about to be blessed with a new supply of Arno Bernard knives!

Arno Bernard Knives

Here is a picture of my last shipment of Arno Bernard knives.

I expect four more knives to be delivered my door in Campbell, California this Wednesday the 19th (or thereabouts!).

Arno Bernard Knife with Warthog Ivory Handle

My last shipment of Arno Bernard knives included this knife — a Meerkat with a warthog ivory handle.

Arno Bernard Dassie with Giraffe Bone Handle

This is a Dassie with giraffe bone handles. The giraffe bone is probably my favorite handle material.

My new shipment of Arno Bernard knives — if my notes are correct (that's a real stretch), and our friends at UPS don't put my shipment through the dreaded Boxinator — should arrive at my doorstep containing a Squirrel with warthog ivory, a Wasp with warthog ivory, a Wasp with giraffe bone, and a Dassie with giraffe bone.

I imagine — since I'm off Thursdays — that Friday will be the first knife sharpening day that I will have these Arne Bernard's on display! Fridays I'm at Zanotto's Family Markets — so come look me up and check the knives out!

Friday mornings I'm at Zanotto's Willow Glen, afternoons Zanotto's Rose Garden, here is a link to Zanotto's.

MAC Knives

I dug up these MAC knives.

Two MAC Knives

Someone hit something hard to do this damage to these MAC knives.

A knife needs to be thin and sharp to be able to cut like we like — but the thinner and sharper a knife is the more fragile the knife is. 

Everyone has seen pictures of artists sculpting marble using chisels and hammers, and everyone has seen someone shaving. 

A chisel is a strong thick instrument with a relatively blunt edge, a razor is a very thin instrument with a sharp edge. A razor — designed for cutting hair would not stand a chance used on stone, and a chisel would most likely make a fine mess of a nice, ripe tomato.

My point is to use knives properly. A fine, sharp knife can not be used to beat on hard substances such as frozen foods, bones and such.

A sharp knife is a joy to use — so protect the edge. Sharp is fragile. Use the right tool for the right job — using your knives properly will keep them sharp and cutting beautifully for a long time.

Kershaw Piston Folding Pocket Knife

Let me describe the Kershaw Piston.

Kershaw Piston Closed

Here is the Piston closed. This knife is a well made, large knife with a nice simple design. Black aluminum handles, flipper and thumb stud, and tapped holes for repositioning the clip are visible in the picture. 

Kershaw Piston Folding Knife

Back view showing the clip. There is a lanyard attachment post that is not visible. 

Kershaw Piston Opened

Here is the Kershaw Piston partially opened. The knife is assisted opening: apply pressure to either the thumb stud or the flipper and the blade snaps open. 

This knife has a solid feel, feels nice in the hand. 

Made in the USA.