Back to basics
I was happily retired once, but my wife got sick, so I went back to work. Blade sharpening is something I’ve always done as a hobby, and I jumped into it head-first. An old friend helped me learn and set up my equipment.
When I was in junior high, I started framing houses with my brother. If I hit a nail with a saw, I had to sharpen the blade. I started going to Dick’s Saw Shop in Arvada and sharpening blades with him.
I worked out of a minivan for a long time. We’d do farmers markets and so forth. Before long we really grew, and now I drive a much bigger van. It’s like a mobile garage. I use all the space.
Staying sharp
People don’t know that sharpening is still being done, and you don’t have to throw your cutlery or tools away. The old stuff is the good stuff — if people have that old Chicago cutlery with the riveted wood handles, it’s great metal. People throw it away in favor of something from Bed Bath & Beyond.
Surgical clipper blades for veterinarians are tough. The blades are really small, and it’s vital to get them perfectly smooth — god forbid any blade I sharpen ever hurt an animal. Hairstylists’ scissors are tricky. Carpenters might like their joiner-planers a certain way. You have to apply yourself every day. It’s not just a matter of grinding metal.
Like new
Anybody could theoretically go buy a grinder and start sharpening, but you’d probably make more enemies than friends. You need to know what kind of metal you’re working with so you don’t burn it up. Metal can disappear and you can’t put it back.
When I can take somebody’s old pair of scissors and make them their go-to, it delights me. I love taking something from someone’s hands that they think is worthless, and bring it back to life. I love the feeling when someone tells me they’re going to go home and cook with the knife I just repaired.
My wife is so important to me. I’m working to keep her healthy so she survives me. I wouldn’t do well without her.
If you have suggestions for My Name Is, please contact David Gilbert at dgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com.