Meet The Craftsman
Learn more about our services, pricing, and
how to get your knives sharpened.
Sharpening made simple.
takumi (adjective) skillful, masterful; embodying the devotion to a craft and dedication to peak performance.
Through the TAKUMI Sharpening + Care program, we offer a variety of services from edge touch ups to complete refurbishing. Every knife is carefully sharpened by hand using traditional sharpening techniques for the best edge quality and cutting feel.
Our services cover a wide array of items, including regular kitchen knives, specialty knives, and tools. For regular kitchen knives, if the blade has any chips, breaks or damage, we charge a fee on top of the sharpening cost to cover the additional time and labor. We charge single bevel and serrated knife sharpening by the inch and a flat rate for knives in need of a full refurbishment.
Local Drop-off
Local to our Portland, Oregon store? No need to make an appointment. Simply bring us your knives any day 11am - 5pm. We’ll assess them, give you an estimate, and send you a notification once they are ready to pick-up.
Mail-in
You fill out the intake form, we send you a packing box, and you ship us up to 6 knives using the included pre-paid shipping label. Our technicians inspect and sharpen each knife, then send them back to you ready to cook with.
Learn moreKnife Sharpening
For regular (double bevel) kitchen knives, we offer 3 tiers of sharpening - Kaiten, Nakato, and Shiage. The tier and fidelity are largely dependent on the quality of the blade's steel.
Generally, all knives do well with our basic Kaiten Stone Wheel service. We typically recommend our Nakato or Shiage services for high quality knives, such as Japanese kitchen knives. After assessing each knife, we give our recommendation as to which service would be best.
Kaiten Stone Wheel
Our basic sharpening service that uses a motorized horizontal stone wheel and leaves a sharp, durable edge. Recommended for most knives.
Less than 5 " .............. $ 12
Less than 9 " .............. $ 15
Less than 13 " ............. $ 18
More than 13 " ............ $ 21
Nakato Fine
We sharpen and finish by hand on 2000 - 3000 grit whetstones creating a very sharp but toothy edge, perfect for everyday use. Recommend for high quality stainless knives.
Less than 5 " .............. $ 17
Less than 9 " .............. $ 21
Less than 13 " .............. $ 26
More than 13 " .............. $ 32
Chip Removal
Small/few chips .............. +$10
Large/many chips ........... +$15
Shiage Super Fine
Finished with between 5000 and 8000 grit whetstones, the resulting edge is razor sharp, mirror polished and silky smooth. Recommended for high carbon and powdered steels.
Less than 5 " .............. $ 27
Less than 9 " .............. $ 31
Less than 13 " .............. $ 36
More than 13 " .............. $ 42
Chip Removal
Small/few chips .............. +$10
Large/many chips ........... +$15
Specialty Sharpening
Single Bevel Knives
Due to their unique geometry, single bevel knives require specialized skill and additional time to sharpen.
Less than 5 " .............. $ 40
Less than 8 " .............. $ 50
Less than 10" .............. $ 60
Less than 13" ............... $ 70
We recommend The Works for single bevel knives that are chipped or in need of reshaping.
Serrated Knives
By going in tooth by tooth on the belt grinder, we are able to bring back the bite of serrated knives.
Less than 5 " .............. $ 12
Less than 9 " .............. $ 26
Less than 13" .............. $ 35
We are also able to re-grind serrations that have been worn down from repeated sharpening.
Less than 5 " .............. $ 40
Less than 9 " .............. $ 50
Less than 13" .............. $ 60
Scissors + Tools
All tools are cleaned and sharpened. Pruners, scissors, and shears also receive realignment and oiling. Axes can be polished further for an ultra-sharp edge.
Pruners, Loppers, and Snips …………$30
Hedge Shears ………………………………... $20
Trowels and Hori Hori ……………………. $10
Lawnmower Blades …………………………$15
Axes …………………………........$15 (Polished edge, $30)
Additional Services
The Works (Full Service)
Recommended for knives in need of repair or restoration. The services performed are: Chip Removal, Bolster Adjustment, Profile Reshape, Blade Thinning, and Cleaning.
Regular Kitchen Knives
Less than 5 " .............. $ 45
Less than 9 " .............. $ 55
Less than 13 " .............. $ 65
More than 13 " .............. $ 70
Single Bevel Knives
Less than 5 " .............. $ 60
Less than 8 " .............. $ 70
Less than 10" .............. $ 80
Less than 13" ............... $ 90
Re-handling
Handle Removal .................................... $ 10
Handle Replacement ........................... $ 25
Full Service (Removal + Replacement) ...... $ 35
We carry an array of traditional handle styles made from natural woods - magnolia, walnut, and shitan rosewood to name a few.
Mail-in Sharpening
TAKUMI Sharpening + Care offers a simple mail-in knife sharpening service: you fill out the intake form, we send you a packing box, and you ship us up to 6 kitchen knives using the included pre-paid shipping label. Our sharpeners inspect and sharpen each knife, then send them back to you sharp and ready to cook with.
FAQ
No, we sharpen just about anything that's made of steel and has an edge. Whether it's a fancy Japanese knife or a knife from the grocery store, we'd be happy to sharpen it for you.
It doesn't even have to be a knife; gardening shears, scissors and even small swords are accepted. That said, we can't sharpen everything. Knives with small serrations, ones made from ceramic, and scissors that don't come apart - these are all edged tools that we are unable to accept.
We assess each knife that comes in and explain which service we'd recommend and why. The service that your knife needs is going to vary depending on certain factors, like steel quality.
Our Kaiten service is great for nearly all knives, giving a sturdy and sharp edge.
If your knife is made from a high quality steel, we recommend either our Nakato or Shiage services. Typically, we reserve the Shiage sharpening for knives made from High Carbon or Powdered Japanese steels.
Normally, we estimate about a week for your knife to be sharpened.
Our sharpening team is small and we have the dual blessing and burden of having many people wanting our services. Rather than rush our services, we want to ensure each knife is sharpened properly and well.