Rusty Edges Sharpening

08/30/2026

Tuesday is Douglas Farmers Market day!

The official market hours are 10:00–2:00, although many of us vendors are usually there and ready to go a little earlier.

I’ll be set up toward the back of the market, next to the ball diamond. Bring your dull knives, household scissors, sewing scissors, garden tools, or anything else you’re wondering if I can sharpen. And if you don't have anything to sharpen, stop by anyway. I’m always happy to talk sharpening!

One of the nice things about a farmers market is that you don't have to make a special trip just for one thing. Drop your sharpening off with me, then walk around and see what the other vendors have. Pick up some fresh produce, find something you didn't know you needed, and support the local people who make this market possible.

And if I'm not too busy, I'll try to get your sharpening done while you shop.

School is back, summer vacations are winding down, and it's easy for the farmers market to slip off the weekly routine. But the Douglas Farmers Market is still going, and this is a great time of year to keep supporting our local growers, makers, and small businesses.

So come on down to Douglas Tuesday morning. Shop local, say hello, and maybe get something sharp again while you're at it!

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!

Douglas Farmers Market
The City of the Village of Douglas, MI Administration- Community Updates

08/30/2026

This past week was a little different than usual. A health concern slowed me down considerably, and I had to take things a bit easier than I would have liked. The good news is that I’m feeling much better now, and I believe I’m back to normal and ready to get back to sharpening!

Here’s where you’ll find me this week:

Tuesday — I’ll be sharpening in person at the Douglas Farmers Market, and I’ll also be making pickups throughout Allegan County.

Wednesday — I’ll be making pickups throughout Ottawa County.

Thursday — I’ll be back at the Allegan Farmers Market for in-person sharpening.

Saturday — I’ll be sharpening at the Central Park Market in Holland, at the local grocery store.

I’ll be making separate posts about each of the markets later this week with more details. For now, I’m just happy to be feeling good again and getting back to doing what I enjoy.

If you have something that needs sharpening, this is a good week to get it to me!

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!
Graafschap Hardware
Overisel Lumber Co.
Dickinson True Value Hardware Fennville
Visser ACE Hardware
Douglas Farmers Market
Taylor True Value Rental
Zeeland ACE Hardware
Rivers Ace - Holland
Rivers ACE - Grand Haven
Andy's Ace Hardware
Allegan Farmers Market
Bullet Hole Fi****ms

08/29/2026

I will be out of the shop today. We are doing an out of town event.

The Official Magazine of the Christian Reformed Church

08/26/2026

Rusty’s Sharpening Minute

Sometimes the tool you bring me has a story of its own.

This is an American Corn Cutter, and judging by the original box and the $2.95 price sticker, this one has been around for quite a while.

Here’s the interesting part: the American Corn Cutter is still being made today. The current version uses essentially the same design and original molds that have been around for decades.

The cutter was designed to make several different styles of corn cuts, including whole-kernel, creamed, and shredded corn. It uses adjustable steel blades, and this particular one has certainly seen some use.

The interesting part for me, of course, was the blades.

They were dull, but there was plenty of life left in them. I cleaned them up, sharpened them, and put this old kitchen tool back into working condition.

And there’s another reason sharpening these blades makes sense. I couldn't find replacement blades being sold separately. The complete new cutter sells for around $25.

So when these blades get dull, you don't necessarily have to replace the whole tool. Sometimes you just need to sharpen what you already have.

That’s one of the things I enjoy about sharpening. Not everything that gets dull needs to be thrown away. Sometimes an old tool just needs somebody who knows how to bring the edge back.

And when the tool comes with its original box, that's a pretty nice bonus!

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!

08/26/2026

Rusty’s Sharpening Minute

This blade looked pretty good.

At least at first glance.

This 10" Disston HHS combination blade has some history behind it. Disston has been making saws since 1840, when Henry Disston started his own sawmaking business in Philadelphia. The company eventually became one of the largest and most respected saw manufacturers in the world.

And this blade still has some life left in it.

HHS (high-speed steel) can produce an exceptionally sharp edge—sharper than carbide in many applications. The downside is that it doesn't hold that edge nearly as long.

But there was something else going on with this blade that you couldn't see just by looking at it.

When I checked it, I found that it was several thousandths of an inch out of round.

That's enough to matter.

So this wasn't simply a matter of putting a fresh edge on the teeth. The blade itself needed attention before those freshly sharpened teeth could do their job properly.

The second picture gives you a close look at the finished teeth.

That's one of the things I enjoy about sharpening. Sometimes the interesting part isn't what you can see. It's what you find when you actually measure and inspect the tool.

A blade with some history behind it doesn't necessarily need to be replaced. Sometimes it just needs someone to pay attention to what it's telling you.

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!

08/18/2026

Beautiful morning at the market! ☀️

The Rusty Edges Sharpening booth is set up and ready to go. If your knives, scissors, garden tools, or other cutting tools need some attention, bring them by today. I’ll get them cutting the way they should!

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!

08/17/2026

We missed last Tuesday! There is a cut off time for confirming the market every week. On Monday afternoon, if the forecast is foreboding, a decision needs to be made. Thank you to our market manager and the The City of the Village of Douglas, MI Administration- Community Updates for making the decision.

This week we plan to be open. Bring those knives and tools you were planning to bring last week. Stop at my booth first. I will try to have the tools back to new condition when you have completed your shopping.

Look for me near the ball diamond in the back.

Making Douglas Sharp Again
Sharp is not the goal, cutting is

08/17/2026

A late start to the week:

Tuesday will be Douglas Farmers Market from 10-2. I will also check in with:
Visser ACE Hardware, Graafschap Hardware, Overisel Lumber Co., Dickinson True Value Hardware Fennville

Wednesday includes stops at:
Zeeland ACE Hardware, Taylor True Value Rental, Bullet Hole Fi****ms, Rivers Ace - Holland

Thursday will be Allegan Farmers Market from 8 until 2. I will also check in with Andy's Ace Hardware

Bring your dull knives, scissors and tools to a market for immediate attention or drop off at one of my drop off locations.

Sharp is not the only goal, cutting is.

08/12/2026

Rusty’s Sharpening Minute

Pizza cutters don’t usually get much respect when it comes to sharpening. But if that wheel isn’t sharp, you’re pushing and dragging instead of making a clean cut.

This one came across my bench yesterday. A little sharpening brought the edge back so it can actually slice through pizza instead of squashing it.

Not every tool that needs an edge looks like a knife!

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!

08/10/2026

A Small Pricing Adjustment

I’m making a small adjustment to my sharpening prices for chainsaw chains and carbide-tipped circular saw blades.

Chainsaw chains:
• $0.25 per tooth
• Plus a $3.00 sharpening charge per chain

Carbide-tipped circular saw blades:
• $0.25 per tooth for standard alternate-bevel teeth
• Other tooth configurations are priced accordingly
• Plus $0.50 per inch of blade diameter

This new pricing better reflects the time and work involved in sharpening different sizes and types of blades. For most customers, the change will be small, and some of the larger blades will actually be a little less expensive to sharpen.

I appreciate your business and your understanding as I make this adjustment. My goal is still the same: careful, professional sharpening that gets your tools cutting properly.

Sharp is not the goal. Cutting is!