Online knife shop with postal sharpening

Home cooks, keen food lovers, gift buyers and small food businesses who want quality knives kept sharp.

Profit on each knife sold, plus a fee per knife sharpened. Sharpening brings repeat customers and often leads to new knife sales.

• Knowledge of knife types and steels
• Sharpening by hand or with a grinder
• Online selling and customer service
• Careful packing and record keeping

• Rules on selling knives online, including age checks when selling and at delivery. Check the current government guidance for sellers
• Selling to under 18s is restricted, and some types of knife are banned. Check which products you can stock
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus cover for customers' knives while in your care
• Whether you need permission to run a business from home, and secure packaging for posting blades

Estimated startup costs are typically around £2,000 to £8,000, depending on your opening stock, sharpening equipment, website and insurance. Treat this as an estimate and cost your own range and equipment before you begin.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on your product range and how many sharpening orders you take. That is revenue before costs, and you can start from around 10 hours a week.

Check the current government guidance for sellers, including age checks at sale and delivery, the restriction on selling to under 18s and which knives are banned. Also check insurance, including cover for customers' knives, and whether you need permission to work from home.