Announcing the 14th Annual Sharpeners Jam

July 23-25, 2011, Atlanta

Largest International Convention and Meeting of Scissor Sharpeners in the USA. Free event for sharpeners from all over the world to share their ideas. There is no charge to attend our two day meetings. However, there are charges for additional classes and entertainment. (see below)Location: Country Inn and Suites, Duluth, GA (just northeast of Atlanta)

FREE EVENTS

Saturday Night Meet and Greet in the Vendors Rooms Sunday Sharpeners Jam Session All sharpeners will share at least one idea that has helped their business. Caregories include sales, marketing, sharpening innovations, organization, increased efficiencies and more. Be prepared to share with the others. Vote for the best ideas. Prizes and awards for the top ideas! This is an all day event proceeded by a short Sunday Morning time of Praise and Worship. Read the ideas from last year's Jam

Monday Topical Speakers

Casper Kiser - T.E.A. Time with Casper (How to keep yourself out of hot water in sharpening by understanding the tension, edge and alignment of scissors) Casper Kiser is the floor plant manager of Oster Products, Jarden Industries in McMinnville, TN.

Harrelson Stanley – Modern Abrasive Technology Modern Japanese alloys present many challenges to today’s sharpener. Learn about hone line and edge creation on shears using Shapton’s technical approach and demonstrating live with a digital microscope. Harrelson is the president of HBS Enterprise, the master importer of Shapton for North America.

Jim O’Donnell – Making Money with Industrial Shears. Enlarge your income base by expanding your sharpening. Jim is the publisher at On The Edge Newsletter and is VP Marketing at Wolff Industries.

Workshops

• TLC Sharpening: How to Sharpen Texturizers, Leftys and Curves Learn from Casper Kiser
  
• Clipper Blade Sharpening Bob Schiessl from Nebraska Blades
  
• Clipper Repair Jason Sturm from EdgePro
  
• Knife Sharpening on a FlatHone Jason Sturm
  
• Equipment Tune-up with Frank Davis of Davis Sharpening
  
• Flathone Shear Sharpening Classes taught by Bonnie Megowan

Food and Entertainment



• Qzar Laser Tag
  
• Light lunch on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday
  
• Group Dinner at a Local Restaurant Vendors The vendors will be available for your shopping pleasure during break times and before and after sessions throughout the week-end. Bonika bargain room will be set up and complete sharpening supplies and equipment from Bonika along with Bonika Shears. Other vendors include Nebraska Blades, EdgePro, Kenchii Shears, Kretzer Scissors, Hanako Shears, Lucky Hare Shears, Kudzu, Belson, Conair, Shapton Stones and more. See the website for the most updated list. There are some super JAM ONLY deals, so come prepared to shop.

First 30 who register get a their chocie of one of 5 Marketing DVD's

• Ron Ellis
  
• Ed Wozniak
  
• Doug Clark
  
• Gene Megowan or
  
• Chuck Bigelow

Certificates of completion included in all paid events.

Register and see details at http://www.sharpenersjam.com/

DVD's from the Sharpeners Jam

We now have available 3 new DVD's, 3 new audio CD's and two more coming soon.
Available now is: 2009 Jam Best Ideas in DVD and audio, Dollars for Decades with Bob Schiessl in DVD and audio and Secrets to a 6 Figure Income with Ron Ellis in DVD and Cd.
Here is a link to a clip to a 6 figure Income:

The next DVD I am editing now is Scary Scissors. I think you will like the first couple of minutes. Here is a link

Knife Sharpening DVD

The knife sharpening DVD shot at the 2008 sharpeners Jam is being duplicated and should be ready in a day or two. This was one of our most anticipated DVD's from this year's Jam. It features Bob Schiessl showing how the Tru-Hone works and the opportunity in knife sharpening. This DVD would be good investment for anyone considering purchase of the Tru Hone. I don't think this 35 minute DVD would be sufficient to make someone proficient in knife sharpening, but it will acquaint you with what this knife sharpening is all about and will help you determine if this is for you. I think most views will especially lie the details Bob gives on their rental knife business and the logistics and details how they put this together. Watch a short clip below of the knife sharpening DVD:

Knife Sharpening at the Sharpeners Jam

Bob Schiessl of Nebraska blades presented a demonstration on how to sharpen knives on a Tru-Hone. This was on Monday afternoon of the 2008 Sharpeners Jam. I took notes during his presentation and these are the notes that might help you in sharpening knives.

Charge by the inch. Bob could train a new employee on a Tru-Hone can train in 15 minutes. He does a rental knife business by buying up discontinued line of knives.

Tru-hone too slow if you use only tru-hone. Need to have a belt sander as well.

Chefs want a different angle on different knives. Tru-hone allows you to do both sides and keep a constant angle. The angle degrees may vary from knife to knife, but the angle must be consistent on an individual knife.

Bob charges on rental knifes $2.10 per knife.
On-site sharpening of their knives he charges about $.45 / inch

After a while wheels on the Tru-Hone become egg shape. Reverse wheels and this will prolong it. You will know wheels are out of round when the knives bounce. Number of knives before truing the wheels will be 100+ knives. Set of wheels is about $32.00.

Bob was awarded a Docotrate of Clipperology through Bonika University. His wife Linda said there would be no living with him now.

Kuda Sharpening Workshop - Friday Night

Friday night at the Kuda Sharpening Workshop.

I didn't know Wilkes-Barre and Scranton were such small places. We flew in a puddle jumper jet from Atlanta to the Kuda Sharpening Workshop here in Wilkes-Barre. I met some new sharpeners and became reacquainted with old friends. I took a few snap shots of Len Pietrzak's van and sharpening set up. Also got some snaps of sharpeners. I look forward to the week-end with these sharpeners and talking shop. Bob Schiessl is here from Nebraska Blades and Bob Tanner of Be Sharp. More about the workshop later.