ReSharp Knife Sharpening: How the Ace Hardware Machine Works and What It Costs

ReSharp knife sharpening is the robotic in store service found at Ace Hardware and similar retailers. A machine scans your knife. It grinds a fresh V bevel with rotating wheels, then polishes off the burr.

The whole pass takes about 90 seconds per blade. Most Ace locations price it at a suggested $6.99 per knife for standard non serrated blades. Individual stores can set their own rate.

It works well on ordinary kitchen and pocket knives. It will not touch serrated edges, and it can be rough on delicate or specialty steel.

This page breaks down what the resharp knife sharpening machine actually does. It covers what it costs, what it will not take, and when owning an electric sharpener beats a store visit.

How the ReSharp machine works

The manufacturer describes a three step process. First the machine scans the blade to measure its size and existing sharpness. Then grinding wheels make controlled passes along the edge to restore a V shaped bevel.

A final polishing stage removes the microscopic burr left behind by grinding. The company markets this as recreating a factory edge while removing a minimal amount of steel.

ReSharp does not publish an exact bevel angle in degrees on its own site. An independent sharpening shop that reviewed the machine estimated the resulting edge lands around 20 to 22 degrees per side.

That fits a standard Western style kitchen knife. It is far wider than the thin edges on many Japanese blades.

What resharp knife sharpening can and cannot handle

The machine is built for smooth, straight or curved edges. It handles stainless, carbon, or painted steel, including forged and stamped blades from major kitchen, hunting, and pocket knife brands. That covers the bulk of what shows up in a home kitchen drawer.

It will not sharpen serrated blades, scalloped edges, or wavy edges. It also has size limits, so oversized or undersized blades outside its parameters get turned away.

Whether the machine accepts ceramic blades is not clearly stated by the manufacturer. Treat that as an open question until a store confirms it for your specific blade.

What it costs

The manufacturer lists a suggested price of $6.99 per knife for standard blades. Some Ace Hardware locations advertise that exact number. Others set their own price, so treat it as a starting band, not a guaranteed rate everywhere.

Compared to a professional hand sharpening service, that price is low. For a look at what a dedicated sharpening shop offers instead, the tradeoffs between speed and control become clearer.

What owners actually report

The recurring complaint pattern centers on consistency. Reviewers note the machine removes more material than a skilled hand sharpening would. It cannot adjust its pass to a blade’s existing geometry the way a person can.

Bolstered knives, where the handle guard sits close to the blade, reportedly cause the machine to click or catch. For a knife with any of those traits, a machine built around one preset program is a mismatch.

For the base case, an ordinary stamped stainless chef’s knife, the reported results are serviceable. A working edge comes back fast, at a low price, with no waiting.

Owning an electric sharpener instead

If you sharpen knives often enough that a store trip becomes a habit, owning a home electric sharpener starts to make sense. Two options worth knowing:

For the broader field beyond these two, see the wider electric sharpener category we cover.

Mistakes to skip

Do not run a chipped or damaged blade through the ReSharp machine expecting a repair. It grinds a preset pass, it does not diagnose damage.

Do not bring single bevel Japanese knives or bolstered blades expecting a clean result. And do not assume every Ace Hardware location charges the same rate, since store owners can set their own price.

The bottom line

FAQ

How much does resharp knife sharpening cost?

The manufacturer lists a suggested price of $6.99 per knife for standard non serrated blades. Individual stores can price it differently, so confirm with your local Ace before you go.

Can the ReSharp machine sharpen serrated knives?

No. Serrated blades, scalloped edges, and wavy edges are outside what the machine is built to handle.

Is resharp knife sharpening safe for expensive knives?

For an ordinary stamped stainless chef’s knife, reported results are fine. For single bevel Japanese knives, bolstered blades, or very high hardness steels, the recurring pattern is a rougher result than a specialist would produce, so those are better sent to a local shop that handles specialty blades.

What angle does the ReSharp machine use?

The manufacturer does not publish an exact figure. An independent review estimated the result lands around 20 to 22 degrees per side on a typical Western knife.

Is it better to own an electric sharpener instead?

If you sharpen often, or your knives include serrated edges the store machine will not take, yes. Our top picks for a home kitchen sharpener cover the leading options.

How does the store machine compare to other sharpener types?

It is a single preset automated pass, closer in spirit to an electric machine than a stone or guided rig. For the wider sharpener category we cover, see how it stacks up against manual options.