Mobile Knife & Tool Sharpening Service
Van-based sharpening for kitchen knives, garden tools and workshop blades, serving homes, restaurants and trades.
None
Dull knives and tools are universal, but sharpening is a rare high-street service. Typical offers: per-knife and per-tool pricing with a minimum call-out fee. Restaurants, pubs and caterers become repeat weekly or monthly rounds. Low stock costs; the grinder and abrasives are the main direct costs. Gross margin figures are planning estimates of revenue minus direct costs (materials, consumables, fuel and per-job expenses); they exclude the owner's own labour, so treat them as a guide to job economics rather than take-home pay.
- Starting capital: 1200–3500 GBP
- Total starting capital: 2200 GBP
- Setup: 2-4 weeks
- Gross margin: 70-80%
- Business model: Per-item pricing with minimum call-out, plus regular rounds for restaurants, caterers and garden customers.
- Category: Home Services
Risks
- Skill floor: Bad technique ruins blades; proper training and practice are essential.
- Route density: Earnings depend on packing jobs into tight geographic rounds.
Costs
- Equipment — Wet-stone grinder, honing wheels and abrasives — 900 GBP
- Vehicle — Van signage and basic fit-out — 600 GBP
- Compliance — Public liability insurance and sharpening course — 300 GBP
- Marketing — Flyers, Google profile and restaurant outreach — 400 GBP