The 6 Best Knife Sharpening Services

Founded by a family of knife grinders and now run by the fourth generation, Carisolo Grinding is based in Wisconsin. It provides both regional delivery and a mail-in sharpening service nationwide.

All knives are hand-edged on a water-cooled grindstone by a master grinder and then buffed and honed. Any necessary repairs such as broken tips or chips can also be repaired. In addition to both double- and single-beveled knives, Carisolo can also repair machine blades (i.e. food processor blades).

Pricing is tiered based on the number of knives, starting at $72 for up to five knives and going up to $180 for 17 to 20 knives. All shipping costs are included in the pricing.

Customers are asked to select a box size corresponding to the number of knives they plan to send in; Carisolo Grinding will then ship out the box with a return label. Then, customers will send in their knives for sharpening via the U.S. Postal Service.

Carisolo Grinding goes beyond sharpening services; the company also offers a cutlery rental program for professional kitchens and maintains a sister company, Post Knife, a sharp knife subscription service.

National kitchenware chain Sur La Table offers in-store knife sharpening services at its retail locations across the country.

Sur La Table was founded during the 1970s, with its first store opening at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. Besides kitchen tools, cooking equipment, and serving ware, retail stores typically offer a full calendar of cooking classes.

At just $5 per knife, Sur La Table will sharpen any standard kitchen knife, including Western and Japanese styles. Note: Ceramic serrated knives and scissors are not accepted.

Many of us are familiar with home subscriptions for food products, but what about kitchen tools? Founded in 2018, Togu Knives has introduced a fresh new subscription concept for home cooks, guaranteeing they will never find themselves without a sharp knife.

For $24 per month, you will receive a freshly sharpened pair of knives—a 7-inch Santoku-style, all-purpose, double-beveled knife and a small, 3.5-inch paring knife. A new shipment (containing a Santoku and paring knife) will arrive in eight weeks, and you will return the used set. You could also choose to pay $16 per month to keep the knives for 12 weeks or $12 per month to keep the knives for 16 weeks, which will be replaced after that duration.

This cycle continues throughout your subscription period. Note: Knives can be returned earlier if they seem dull before the next scheduled shipment, but this scenario is unlikely.

Once an order is placed, Togu will ship the first pair of knives to arrive within three to five days. All shipping is free, and each replacement pair comes with a prepaid shipping label and packaging for easy returns. Togu’s knives are made from durable VG-10 steel (the gold standard when it comes to kitchen knives), making it easy to get a fine edge that lasts longer.

After each used knife set is returned, it is refinished, sharpened, cleaned, and sanitized before being sent off to another customer. All sharpening is done by hand on ceramic whetstones, a labor-intensive but precise process.

A favorite go-to retailer among professional chefs, Korin Japanese Trading, specializes in Japanese knives, kitchen products, and tableware. Located in the heart of Manhattan at its showroom, Korin has expert knife sharpeners in-house who sharpen knives by hand on a stone and sharpening wheel.

Korin is the first company in the world given authorization and certification to re-sharpen and repair several premier brands of Japanese knives.

The company offers mail-in sharpening and repair services. Forms for sharpening services are available online, along with detailed instructions for mailing in knives.

Sharpening fees are $25 per knife plus shipping. The knives are usually sharpened within one week and then shipped back to the customer. In addition to sharpening and repairs, Korin can clean rusted blades and discoloration in most cases.

National Sharpening is based in North Andover, Massachusetts, but services customers all over the country. Founded by Thomas Panniello in 1993, National Sharpening Co. offers sharpening and repair services for various knives, clippers and shears, and kitchen cutlery of any kind, including both Japanese and Western-style knives.

National Sharpening is able to sharpen everything from a paring knife and chef's knife to a steak knife, serrated knife, and a mezzaluna. Sharpening is done using a combination of a water-cooled machine and stone to create the sharpest edge possible.

Its mobile service is available for customers living in the region, but mail-in services are available to customers nationwide. Pricing starts at $8 for a paring knife, $12 for a standard chef's knife, and $15 for Japanese knives such as Global or Shun brands.

Turnaround time is approximately one week. Mobile services are made by appointment only, and customers are encouraged to contact the company directly by email to receive instructions for mailing in knives.

KnifeFlight is a mail-in knife sharpening service that sends your knives back within three business days. Simply place an order for the number of knives you need sharpened, then KnifeFlight ships you a safe shipping box with sleeves to protect each knife.

If you still want high-quality knives to use while yours are being sharpened, KnifeFlight also offers a loaner program. The company will ship high-quality knives in the box for you to cook with until your favorites return.

KnifeFlight can sharpen between four and 15 knives for various prices. Sharpening for four or fewer knives costs $57, and the company can sharpen up to 15 knives for $157. If you need loaner knives in the meantime, the service costs between $64 and $164.