The idea for Knife Aid was born in Sweden during a backyard barbecue. Neighbors Mikael Soderlindh and Marc Lickfett had an “AHA!” moment: a superior knife-sharpening service available to everyone, regardless of where they live, by tapping into the burgeoning system of online ordering and home delivery.
Mikael and Marc are the perfect team to implement their innovative idea. Mikael has a long and very successful history in branding, Marc in e-commerce. Then they searched out Magnus Petersson with 30 years experience in knife sharpening, coincidentally originally from Sweden, who had achieved celebrity status among chefs in the high-end restaurants in the Los Angeles area. Mikael and Marc and their families moved to California, and Knife Aid was established in Malibu with Mikael as CEO, Marc as COO, and Magnus as Master Knifesmith, training and overseeing a team of 14 expert knife sharpeners.
Knife Aid combines the time-honored craft of knife sharpening with the most advanced techniques and technology and the highest-quality materials. The knives are sharpened on the platen instead of the slack belt to maintain a straight bevel on the knife and to avoid the heel and tip of the knife being rounded off. Knives are guaranteed to be sharper when they arrive back at your home than when you mailed them off. Knife Aid also repairs broken tips and removes chips. It’s like getting a brand-new knife for a fraction of the cost.
Preparing food is easier and more enjoyable when done with sharp knives. And safer—it’s the dull knives that are most dangerous. Also, food is tastier and healthier. Sharp knives conserve the oils, flavors and nutrients in the food and reduce the waste that harms our environment.
The goal of Mikael, Marc and Magnus is for Knife Aid to be a sustainable business that does not contribute to more consumption. They believe in maintaining and restoring the value of what we have and increasing the joy of preparation that goes into our favorite dishes.
Once upon a time, there were knife-grinders (“moletas” from the Italian Alps) on the street corners of the larger US cities. Later, they traveled through neighborhoods by horse and buggy, and, still later, in their trucks. It was never a problem to have knives sharpened. Now, it is all but impossible to find the service in many areas of this country.
Knife Aid is even more convenient than waiting for the day the moleta’s truck comes by:
- Go to the Knife Aid website and place an order.
- In a day or so, you will receive a secure shipping envelope in the mail.
- Put your knives (no longer than 16 inches) into the protective sleeves included, then into the envelope and mail it off. Postage is paid, knives are fully insured, and you are given a tracking number.
- Knife Aid sharpens your knives in one day and sends them right back.
It’s that simple.
