Knife shop with sharpening counter

Home cooks, hunters and anglers, campers, tradespeople, collectors, and local restaurants or caterers that need blades sharpened.

Profit margin on knives and accessories, plus per-knife sharpening fees. Sharpening brings repeat visits and often leads to a new knife sale.

• Good knowledge of steels, blade shapes and uses
• Hand sharpening or belt grinding
• Friendly, honest customer advice
• Basic stock buying and bookkeeping

• Knife laws differ by state and city, including limits on certain blade types such as automatic knives. Check what you can legally stock and sell
• Check minimum age rules for selling knives to customers and how you will verify age
• General liability insurance, plus coverage for stock theft and damage
• Lease costs and foot traffic, since retail rent can eat most of the margin
• Sharpening is a safety risk, so use guards and protective gear and check with your insurer

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $25,000 to $100,000, depending on your premises, stock and setup. Lease costs and foot traffic matter a lot, since retail rent can take most of the margin.

Knife laws differ by state and city, including limits on certain blade types such as automatic knives. Check what you can legally stock and sell, minimum age rules and how you will verify age, plus insurance for liability, theft and damage.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on location, stock range and how many customers use the sharpening counter. Expect to work at least about 35 hours a week.