What to charge for sharpening

[Tooln]

What do you guys charge to sharpen knives that you did not make? I've done a few for customers who have bought a knife from me and didn't charge for it. The other day a guy dropped of 12 to get sharpened and I'm having a hard time deciding what to charge. Is $5 per blade out of the question? To high or not high enough? Thanks

 

[opaul]

I’d say that would be a minimum.
If your labor is worth $30 an hour (which probably isn’t high enough and it takes ten minutes to sharpen a blade - thats $5.00.

Personally I do not sharpen knives as a request. Takes to much time and not worth it, in my opinion.

 

[Sean Jones]

I'm surprised the guy didn't ask ahead of time how much you charge. Personally I don't think $10 per blade would be too much. Or you could charge a flat $100 for all 12. Just a thought. However I haven't had to sharpen any blades except when I make them.

 

[Heikki]

I traded a guy ammunition once for sharpening a dozen or more kitchen knives for him. That worked out in my favor.

 

[SS369]

$1.00 an inch is a reasonable charge. Of course it depends on the blade style, etc. Scissors and other items I would add more.

 

[CDHumiston]

I think $5 is fair.

 

[KenH]

Seems like I read someplace a guy got $1/inch to sharpen. By the inch seems a fair way to do it - a 4" paring knife will take much less time than a 10" chef/fillet knife