Knife Sharpening Services

Japanese Knife Imports offers in-store knife sharpening at our Beverly Hills shop. Knives are taken first come, first served. Depending on our backlog, we can sometimes sharpen the same day; at other times it will take longer. We accept a maximum of 5 knives per customer at a time, which helps us keep the sharpening service open more consistently.

Service status: Our current sharpening status is always posted in the notification bar at the top of our website. When sharpening is open, the bar will say so; if the service is suspended, it will be announced there. For the most up-to-date information, including our current backlog, please call us at 310-399-0300.

Bringing knives to the store: Please make sure your knives are securely wrapped and completely out of sight when you bring them in, as exposed knives may be mistaken for weapons. Cover each edge with an edge guard, then carry the knives in a bag, box, or similar container. If you don't have edge guards, wrap the edges securely in newspaper or a similar material, taped in place.

If you live outside the Los Angeles area, we may be able to sharpen your knives through our mail-in service. Please contact us if you're interested. Do not send anything to us without speaking with us first. We have specific instructions for shipping knives, and we will ask for photos of the front, back, and close-ups of any damage.

Our specialty is Japanese kitchen knives, which we sharpen entirely by hand on Japanese water stones. We tailor each edge to the customer's needs and preferences, using a mix of synthetic and natural stones from 60 grit to over 20,000 grit.

We also sharpen Western knives, though depending on the knife we may use a belt grinder. Please check with us ahead of time. We do not sharpen serrated knives, and our services are limited to kitchen knives.

Thinning and refinishing change the finish on the sides of the blade and will alter its appearance. On request, we do our best to recreate the original finish, but logos and markings may fade or disappear depending on how much work is needed. Damascus finishes may also look different afterward: makers use a variety of methods (sandblasting, brush wheels, specific stone powders, particular etchants, etc.) that we may not be able to replicate exactly. We'll get as close to the original look as we can.