Business: Sharpening Services
Address: 5 S. Mill St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-605-4897, www.sharpeningservicesdupage.com
Owner: Bill Storm, 70, of Naperville
Years in business: Five
What does your business do? “Sharpening Services takes knives, garden tools, scissors and gives them the edge they had at the beginning. They are restored to full-service capabilities,” Storm said.
How did you get started? “I started because of our son, Will. He was about 15. He had a friend who was sharpening knives at the Wheaton Farmers Market. … (His friend) was at the point where he was going to move on. He put the word out. My wife and I thought it would be a good opportunity for Will. … This was 2013, 2014. We’d put up a table in the driveway. By the end of the summer, it paid for all the equipment. … Then he goes to college, I’m ready for retirement. I said, ‘Why don’t you teach me how to do this?’ He teaches me what he’s been doing.”
How’s business? “Last year was probably my best year. Part of it was getting exposure to these ‘repair cafés’ that seem to be taking on some traction in the area.”
How do you find clients? “I have a sign out in front and by word of mouth. … I have a lot of repeat customers. Most of my customers are in Naperville and a good chunk are neighborhood people.”
How do you know a knife needs sharpening? “I do the reflection test. … You take you knife and look at the sharp edge from the top. What you’re looking for is any reflection coming off the edge. If there is — guess what? — it’s flat enough to reflect light. … Any time you get into scissors or garden tools, there’s the edge but also the adjustment (of the blades).”
What did you do before this? I worked in the steel industry for 43 years. I worked 20 years for Inland Steel in East Chicago, Indiana. Then I transferred to Ryerson for the next 23 years. I was in information technology, computers. My last job I was the director of security and compliance for Ryerson.”
What do you charge? “Basically, kitchen knives — the most popular thing I sharpen — are going to be $4 to $6 apiece based on the length of the blade. … Garden tools are in the $5 to $7 range. … Two edges would be $10. … I’ll not only sharpen the blade but clean it up with some steel wool.”
Do you enjoy your work? “I’m like a ‘Mister Fix-it’ around the house. … I enjoy doing this. … This is nice, flexible, part time. The work comes to you generally. Then you get social interaction with customers. It’s half the fun. You meet new people. That’s the plus to the whole thing.”
What about competition? “Farmers market or your local neighborhood pushcart guy. Some hardware stores sharpen knives. … In Westmont there’s a sharpening guy.”
What sets you apart? “I have a drop-off box on the porch. Put your name and phone number on and put (the package) in the box. I tell people to text me if they did.”
What else is involved? “After you sharpen the blade, you have burrs on the edge of the steel. You have to remove those. … The little burrs, they have to be taken off or straightened.”
How often do you cut yourself? “Often enough that I wear gloves. When I’m using the high-speed grinder, your hands are much closer to the (sharpening) stone, so I usually wear gloves doing that.”
Anything you dislike? “No. I enjoy what I do or else I wouldn’t do it.”
Any favorite stories? “One woman brought in a pocketknife for her son. A few months later she called and said she was giving knife sharpening as Christmas presents for her family. … So, from that one contact, I had maybe more than $100 of knives to sharpen.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Read Sam Walton’s biography. … He has 10 rules for business that he followed.”
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at metschmsfl@yahoo.com.
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
