A very pleasant surprise.

[The Tourist]

I was formerly a member of a forum that attracted professional and semi-professional sharpeners and tinkers. Each morning we would get together like a bunch of old washerwomen and gossip and kibbitz. We might also have the "topic of the day."

One morning someone asked what our "dream job" might be in the world of cutlery. I opined that I might want to work for a professional Hollywood chef as their personal sharpener. I outlined what it might be like to work for someone like Cat Cora, and fly around the world in a private Lear jet. Perhaps work a few hours per day polishing beautiful knives for a six figure salary. Ahhhh, swimming pools, movie stars...

Yesterday, My wife finds a UPS package by the door. I ask her who it's from and she informs me it's from "Josh." I couldn't think of anything I had coming from PVK, but I assumed it was some type of back-order. Yikes, was I surprised! Wrong 'Josh.'

As I sliced open the box, I found a beautiful custom Graham SS3 Razel. It was the older style, finely crafted, with mammoth ivory and black 'gator sheath. I cannot begin to guess how much this one-of-a-kind puppy was worth!

Inside was a small note. It simply read, "Chico, please sharpen my personal knife." It was signed by Josh Graham...

Over the next +four hours I polished, sharpened, fawned, finagled and coaxed every degree of "spooky" I could get out of this blade. Under a bright lighted loupe I even found a small chip on the front chisel bevel I needed to repair. I removed metal by the nano-gram.

I might never even meet Cat Cora. Now granted, she once sent me a single sentence e-mail, but I doubt I'll ever get to touch her Globals--even if I did them for free.

But for a brief period last night I was "the sharpener to the stars," and it felt really good. Now let's see if Josh actually likes the work...

[Springmesser]

I did not even know you could even get a job as a knife sharpener?

[The Tourist]

I did not even know you could even get a job as a knife sharpener?

Oh, yes. Many even make quite a nice living "taking the curse."

I'm retired. So every dollar I make with a wet rock is simply more gas money. I used to set up at a local Gander Mountain, but that was too much like real work. I work at home now most of the time. I'd much rather work on a few high-end kitchen knives for restaurants than the usual bucketful of smarmy, broken deer knives and manure packed hoof tools.

I make 20 dollars per inch of blade steel. Usually this means I only get a chef's favorite knife. I do have a client in Tennessee who drives up to Wisconsin and has me sharpen his whole roll. That's pretty rare, however.

BTW, working for these types of chefs is exciting, albeit a real experience. They throw things, have tantrums, utter death threats and behave like the worst spoiled two-year olds. They do pay the rent most times, and provide a lot of chrome!

[Springmesser]

I got my grandpas old butcher knife....I bet you could make that sucker so sharp it would butcher a pig by itself...
I found lots of old wet stones in old barns...I still have a few of them....I can put a decent edge on a knife then run them over a strop...make em about as sharp as I want em.

[tr4252]

Great story! Hope you get more celebrity gigs.

Tom

[The Tourist]

I don't think Josh would mind if I showed the forum his personal knife. In fact, I sent this very pic to him showing the process of the sharpening. Here is his knife, taped before I begin the initial work.