Seattle Queer & BIPOC Knife Sharpening Alliance

04/04/2026

PSA...look out for these scam knives being sold at local farmers markets.

03/31/2026

Got a lot of messages these last few months asking if we're still sharpening because I (Tai) hadn't posted anything for awhile. Yes...the sharpening and disbursement of funds has been happening and won't ever stop because this is a lifetime project for me. Sharpening is how I relax...so you're doing me a favor by bringing me knives to play with.

That said, I did take the winter off from making "content". I usually take the winter off for doing garage sales and this year also decided not to do the monthly posts. It's the slow time of year for sharpening and I spent the last few months focusing on my practice (my "real" job is being a mental health provider) and doing some advocacy work during the WA state legislative session.

Spring has sprung and it's time to talk about CLEANING...your knives! A lot of people are afraid to clean their knives thoroughly because they're worried about cutting themselves or damaging the knife. Here's a video I made awhile back about how to REALLY clean your knives. Please do so before you send them in for sharpening.

Funny story about knives that aren't clean...I can smell them when I'm sharpening. For example, I sharpen knives for my neighbor who owns a fish and chips restaurant. Machine sharpening generally warms up the metal and any oils not thoroughly cleaned off the knife. I can DEFINITELY smell the cod when I sharpen those knives from the fish and chips shop. I think it's my neighbor's way of getting me hungry so I'll stop in the restaurant. Apparently Good Friday is the busiest day of the year for fish and chips restaurants.

For December 2025 through March 2026, we were able to disburse $3,057. Here's where the money went:

- $1,490 for mental health mutual aid: Paying for services for people who can't afford them and providing financial support for intern clinicians who work typically work unpaid internships. Priority to BIPOC and People with disabilities.
- $1,380 mutual aid: Providing grocery store gift cards and financial support. Priority to BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.
- $100 to Immigrant Defense Network in Minneapolis.
- $87 for training and equipment for our alliance members. Priority to BIPOC and people with disabilities.

Garage Sale & Sharpening-While-You-Wait is back too. This Sunday from 10 am - 2 pm. All funds generated from sharpening support mutual aid and social justice. Used and new knives available for all price ranges, including free knives as mutual aid if you can't afford one. Just ask me for a mutual aid knife.

12/12/2025

Happy Holidays for whatever holidays you celebrate in December! Still plenty of time to get your knives sharpened before the next feast.

I've been thinking about making this video for awhile. It's not the usual knife sharpening video, but I hope this message will offer you hope and motivation to keep on doing the work that makes the world a happier and safer place for everyone.

Thanks to the generous support of our patrons, we were able to disburse $900 in November:

- $500 for mental health mutual aid, paying for sessions for people who cannot afford services and cost of living support for intern clinicians that work unpaid. Prioritizing BIPOC and people with disabilities.
- $400 for food security mutual aid. Prioritizing BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.

11/17/2025

We were able to disburse $1,050 in October of 2025 thanks to the generous support of our patrons. Here's where the funds went:

- $550 for mental health mutual aid. This goes to clients who cannot afford sessions and intern clinicians who work unpaid internships. Prioritizing BIPOC and people with disabilities.
- $300 for food security mutual aid. Priority to BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.
- $100 to Chief Seattle Club in honor of Indigenous People's Day.
- $100 for equipment and training for our alliance members.

Another sharpening video...this time we're talking about serrated knives and our way of sharpening them.

Thanks for your support! Feasting holidays are quickly approaching so make sure to get your knives sharpened!

10/08/2025

Here's a video about repairing bent tips, one of our most common repairs. With softer steel, like on this German steel paring knife, we have a better chance of bending the tip straight. Harder steels tend to snap and requires grinding a new tip.

We were able to disburse $1,060 in September of 2025 that to the generous support of our patrons. Here's where the funds went:

- $460 for mental health mutual aid. This goes to clients who can't afford sessions and intern clinicians who typically work unpaid internships.
- $300 for food security mutual aid. Priority to BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.
- $100 to Tubman Center for Health and Freedom.
- $100 to Black Farmer's Collective.
- $100 to Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.

09/15/2025

What is HRC? Is a harder steel tougher? What is the difference between stainless and carbon steel?

This is a knife steel 101 video. It's a pretty huge and technical topic, but I do think that anyone spending more than $50 on a knife should know the basics. Feel free to comment with questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

Thanks to our generous patrons, we were able to disburse $1,150 in August of 2025. Here's where the funds went:

- $650 for mental health mutual aid. This goes to clients who can't afford sessions and intern clinicians who are typically working unpaid internships. Priority to BIPOC, people with disabilities and/or neurodivergence.

- $400 for food security mutual aid. Priority to BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.

- $100 to Hawaiian Council, formerly the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, on the anniversary of the Maui wildfires.

08/07/2025

Thanks to the generous support of our patrons, we were able to disburse $1,330 in July of 2025. Here's where the funds went:

- $500 for mental health mutual aid. This goes to clients who can't afford sessions and intern clinicians who typically work unpaid internships. Priority to BIPOC, people with disabilities and neurodivergence.
- $300 for food security mutual aid, prioritizing BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.
- $130 for equipment and training for our alliance members.
- $100 to StrongHearts Native Helpline for BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month.
- $100 to National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) - Seattle for Disability Pride Month.
- $100 to Seafair Indian Days Powwow, celebrating Native Joy.
- $50 to Bailey-Boushay House.
- $50 to American Civil Liberties Union.

Been awhile since I've done a sharpening video. Here's one of my favorite classic French carbon steel knives getting sharpened. It's available at our Loyal Heights garage sales, which happen most weekends even though I only post them once a month.

07/26/2025

Image description: A 12" chef knife and a round slice of watermelon.

07/06/2025

We were able to disburse $1,225 in June 2025 thanks to the generous support of our patrons. Here's where the money went:

- $300 for mutual aid grocery store gift cards, prioritizing BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.
- $250 for mental health mutual aid, supporting clients and early-career clinicians with marginalized identity factors.
- $200 in honor of the anniversary of the Dobbs decision. $100 each to Northwest and Midwest abortion access funds.
- $200 for mutual aid kitchen cutlery given to customers of Ballard Food Bank.
- $100 to Africatown Community Land Trust in honor of Juneteenth.
- $100 to Lavender Rights Project in honor of Pride Month.
- $75 for equipment and training for our alliance members.

I love taking old knives and turning them in high-performance tools. One of my favorite knives to modify are Forgecraft Hi-Carbon 10" chef knives. These were manufactured in the 1950's and 60's out of recycled lumber mill band saws blades for excellent edge retention. They use 1095 carbon steel, which is heat-treated to 59-60 HRC and has a similar composition to Japanese Shirogami #2 steel. They were made in a French/Sabatier profile. The hickory handles are very tough and less prone to warping and splitting.

Modifying the knives involves grinding the primary bevel very thin, much like a Japanese gyuto. Thinner knives moves through food faster and are less prone to wedging in dense foods like sweet potatoes. The tips are ground especially thin, ideal for brunoise and julienne. I also round the spine and choil for comfort in a pinch grip.

The end result is a knife that is comparable to a Masamoto KS gyuto, which sell for about $500. I currently have three of these available for $120 each. DM or stop by our garage sales in Loyal Heights if you'd like to pick one up. Scroll through the pics for more details.

Thanks for supporting your local q***r and BIPOC cutler!

06/03/2025

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

We disbursed $980 in May of 2025 thanks to the generous support of our patrons. Here's where the funds went.

- $300 of grocery store gift cards, prioritizing BIPOC, people with disabilities, and households with children.
- $230 for mental health support, including mutual aid for intern clinicians and clients.
- $200 for AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. $100 each to API Chaya and Asian Counseling and Referral Services.
- $100 to Seattle Indian Health Board for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Day.
- $100 to Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands, supporting food security in marginalized communities.
- $50 for equipment and training for our alliance members.

RESTOCK ALERT! Just got another batch of used Japanese single-bevel knives. These are knives typically used by sushi chefs, but I've been surprised by how many home chefs use them as well. When I first started bringing them in, it was mostly for practicing Japanese traditional sharpening. I keep selling them and getting requests for them when I don't have any on hand. Scroll through the pics for more details. Stop by the garage sales or DM the page if you're interested.

05/21/2025

Check out this sharpening fundraiser hosted by our Central District Workshop. Your knives + our skills = financial support for people fleeing oppression! This coming Sunday from 10 am - 2 pm.

Order a drink (coffee/tea/hot chocolate) and sip it through your drinking valve at the Clean Air Cafe! Optionally bring your knives (or other sharps such as…