Send knives to a professional sharpening service

Take your knives to a professional sharpening service or mail them to a reputable sharpener. Professional sharpening produces the best possible edge using equipment and expertise that would be impractical for home use, and it is the safest option for expensive or specialty knives.

What a Professional Does

Professional sharpeners typically use a combination of belt grinders (for initial reprofiling), water-cooled slow-speed grinders (to avoid overheating the steel), high-grit water stones (for refining), and leather strops with compound (for final polishing). They assess each knife individually, identify the correct bevel angle, repair chips or damage, and restore the original geometry.

Types of Professional Sharpening

Local mobile sharpeners -- Operate out of vans equipped with sharpening equipment. They come to your home or set up at farmers markets. Convenient and typically $5-10 per knife.

Kitchen supply stores -- Many cookware shops (Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, local kitchen stores) offer sharpening services. $3-8 per knife.

Mail-in services -- Companies like Knife Aid, Seattle Edge, or Burrfection accept knives by mail. Ship your knives in padded packaging, receive them back sharpened in 1-2 weeks. $8-20 per knife plus shipping.

Butcher shops -- Many butcher shops sharpen knives for customers, often for a few dollars per knife.

When to Choose Professional Sharpening

You have expensive knives (Shun, Wusthof, Miyabi, custom) and want them done right
The knife has chips, a bent tip, or needs significant reprofiling
You do not want to invest in sharpening equipment or develop the skill
You have a large set that needs sharpening (10+ knives)

Tips

Ask what sharpening method they use; avoid anyone who uses only a high-speed bench grinder (it overheats and can ruin temper)
Look for sharpeners who ask about your knife type and preferred bevel angle
Professional sharpening 2-4 times per year, combined with regular honing at home, is an excellent maintenance strategy
Save money by sharpening your everyday knives yourself and sending only premium knives to a professional
A good professional will tell you if a knife is not worth sharpening (e.g., thin stamped knives that cost less than the sharpening fee)

Cost Expectations

Standard chef's knife: $5-15
Specialty or Japanese knife: $10-25
Serrated knife: $5-10 (not all sharpeners handle serrated)
Mail-in service: $8-20 per knife plus $10-15 shipping