Farmers Market Vendor Sharpens Blades of All Kinds

Have a dull knife, sword or shovel?

Kris Southerland can sharpen it and polish it up for you, too.

Southerland, who offers sharpening services at six suburban farmers markets each week, is prepared to sharpen almost anything.

“Pretty much anything that’s supposed to cut, I can sharpen,” he said.

Southerland’s customers bring a wide variety of items to his farmers markets tables, where he sharpens blades on the spot. While his sign boasts of knife sharpening, he also sharpens ice skate blades, scissors and blender blades. He’s also seen some more unusual items over the years. He’s sharpened pitchforks, swords and machetes, among other tools.

“I had a sickle this morning,” he said Aug. 30 from his table at the Lake Bluff farmers market.

Southerland is at the Lake Bluff farmers market every Friday. The Palatine resident is also a mainstay at his hometown farmers market, as well as at markets in Lake Geneva, Cary, Grayslake and Lake Zurich.

Can’t make it to a market? He makes house calls, too. Visit his Facebook page for more information.