How Much to Charge for Knife Sharpening
Knife sharpening is priced per blade: roughly $1–$1.50 per inch for kitchen knives (about $8–$15 for a chef's knife), $15–$25 for serrated blades, $8–$15 for household shears and $20–$35 for salon shears, $8–$15 per clipper blade, and $8–$15 per mower blade. Chip and tip repair, re-profiling, and rust removal are surcharges, and every route stop should carry a minimum.
Per-blade rates
- Kitchen knives — $1–$1.50 per inch ($8–$15 for a chef’s knife)
- Serrated — $15–$25
- Household shears — $8–$15
- Salon / grooming shears — $20–$35, convex ground
- Clipper blades — $8–$15 each
- Mower / mulching blades — $8–$15, balanced
- Chisels and plane irons — $8–$15
The surcharges
- Chip or tip repair — per blade, quoted at inspection
- Re-profiling — a badly ground edge is a rebuild, not a touch-up
- Rust and pitting removal — by time
- Handle or rivet issues — refer out or price it honestly
Set a minimum per stop
Driving to sharpen three knives costs exactly what driving to sharpen twenty costs. A stop minimum either makes the small account worthwhile or nudges them into saving up a proper batch — both good outcomes.
Commercial pricing is a stop, not a blade
Lower your per-blade rate for a restaurant and raise your expectations of the stop. Twenty blades in one kitchen at a slightly reduced rate beats twenty blades across six houses at full price, every time, because the driving is the actual cost of this business.
Say no to what you can’t do well
Convex salon shears, Japanese single-bevel knives, and carbide-tipped tooling each need their own equipment and practice. Turning away work you’d botch protects the route — and referring it to someone who can do it is how sharpeners get referred back in turn.
Frequently asked questions
Per inch or per knife?
Per inch is more defensible and prices a 10-inch chef's knife correctly against a paring knife, but a flat per-knife rate is faster at a busy counter. Most route operators use per-inch for kitchen work and flat rates for everything else.
Should I charge more for commercial accounts?
Slightly less per blade, considerably more per stop. A kitchen handing you twenty knives at once is the most efficient work you'll ever do — volume pricing earns the account, and the stop is what makes it profitable.
How do I price damage repair?
As a surcharge above the sharpening rate — chipped tips, rolled edges, and re-profiling a badly ground blade are minutes of extra work each. Quote it when you inspect, before you start, and it's never a surprise on the invoice.
Should salon shears cost more than kitchen knives?
Considerably. Convex-ground salon shears require different equipment and technique, the stylist's income depends on them, and getting them wrong is expensive for both of you. Price accordingly and don't take them on if you can't do them properly.