Austin’s Source for the Finest Salon Shears
-Master Shear Sharpener-
Roger Walco
Salon Shears
Chef Knives
FULL FACTORY RESTORATION
FAR SHARPER THAN NEW!
-click here to setup your appointment-
AUSTIN’S TOP SHARPENING SERVICE
Japanese Waterstone Sharpening by Hand
-chef knives - salon shears - fine japanese cutlery - razors - strops-
-hand sharpening - handles - leather storage gear - workshops-
Hand-Sharpening + Restoration for your Finest Knives & Shears
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Chef's Knives
sharper than brand new. tips, chips, bolsters repaired
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Japanese Salon Shears
factory restoration, ride lines, razor finish, free loaner shear
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Tailor Shears
an entirely new level of smooth sharpness, 10x better than new. kai, shozaburo, gingher
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Sharpening Training
comprehensive full weekend training in japanese-style sharpening
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Handles~Repairs
as former knifemakers, we do all manner of custom work from handles to sheaths
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Fine Woodworking
chisel & plane blades, woodplane tuning & instruction
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Straight Razors
german, english, & japanese. restoration~honing~strops
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Garden Tools
pruners~loppers. tuned, upgraded, and razor sharp
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Foundation Polish for Sushi Knives
maximum performance for brand new sushi knives
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Handmade Leather Goods
our own line of handmade knife rolls in solid leather
From Our Customers
Community Pulse
reviews from our lovely customers:
on the reddit feed:
Local Whetstone Knife Sharpening Services r/austin
Sharpening Japanese Knives r/austinfood
Best Austin-area kitchen knife sharpening Service r/austinfood
writings & helpful tips:
favourite web shops:
“Roger has a team that he personally vets. His work is impeccable, and he is a true artist and perfectionist. Shear Emporium sharpened two of my stylist scissors that turned out amazing.
They also sharpen knives and hold sharpening classes which I found informative and fun.”
— Lori Lozano, Proud People Barber Botanica
“Love the work Roger does with my shears! Sam Villa shears are a special type of shear, and I need a crafted hand to get them just right. They stay so sharp, even after months of use. His sharpening price is bit up there, but it is -so- worth it. After hearing many horror stories from coworkers and friends about stop & shop sharpeners ruining their favorite shears, I’ve only trusted Roger with my shears.”
— Bethany Gatrell, stylist & barber
“I'm a dog groomer from Washington, and I usually get my shears sharpened almost every month by mobile sharpeners. NEVER AGAIN!!! After talking to Roger and hearing just how passionate and knowledgeable he is, I decided to try him out. That was 5 months ago, & my shears are still sharp! My grooms look better, I don't take as long, and I've already saved money since I haven't needed to sharpen them for 5 MONTHS. Roger is awesome, look no further.”
— Kat Rogue, dog groomer
WHO YOU GUNNA CALL?
ON JAPANESE WATERSTONES
SUSHI-GRADE SHARP, BY HAND
OUR PROCESS
Shear Emporium does a full Japanese-style waterstone polish for Fine Chef's Knives & all Salon Shears, completely by hand.
Traditionally, the method still uses high-end whetstones, a water bath, and unique techniques - the same method used to polish sushi knives, joinery chisels, and swords for the past thousand years.
This is not a quick, rough sharpening on a gadget, grinding wheel, belt sander, or buffer.
Using the same, your tools will be made truly razor-sharp, typically far sharper than brand new! On stones, in the old-school way. The factory does not have bandwidth for the effort needed to get that sharp.
But we do. Our meticulous process leaves your tools cutting like you’ve never felt them, and those sword-shiny cutting edges will stay sharp for a year or more due to the high level of polish.
Longer if you learn the art of ‘stropping’ on specially-treated leather. We love sharing - so will be happy to show you the way.
Be welcome to borrow a sharp loaner, while yours is on on the bench.
Yes, you can shave with it!
WHO THE PROS CALL
AUSTIN’S #1 ’KNIFE GUY’
KNIVES
We repair all damage done by improper sharpening and cheap gadgets.
We customize each knife’s edge geometry for your individualized cooking style, even optimizing select blades for specific right- or left-handed technique.
Chipped edges, broken points, dropped shears, misshapen bolsters: repaired-reground as needed. Any evidence of dullness, damage, and bad sharpening technique…banished.
Not just knives: We also attend to fine garden pruners, straight razors, axes, high-end tailor’s shears, and hand-woodworking tools such as Japanese chisels and plane blades.
Our team repairs damaged handles and even craft custom leather sheaths. We carry a selection of superb leather strops and knife rolls.
And, whether you are a professional- or home-Chef, we will get you sharp, and keep you sharp, for years at a time. Ask us for a demo & lesson on edge-retention!
We offer a full weekend of hands-on, traditional training in Japanese-style waterstone sharpening - and we do this several times a year. It’s just so wonderful to take each student from wherever they are at, beginner or of experience, to a new level of skill and mastery.
SHEARS
We are highly trained with Salon Shears; one of the best in the country. We do a full-on A+ factory-style restoration that meets manufacturer warranty: Shear is taken fully apart, new parts as needed, ride-lines done by hand on Japanese stones, clamshell re-shaped and honed back to new looking and cutting…on a factory flat-hone.
Hair professionals get a $900 loaner while we have your shears - and all stylists are welcome anytime to borrow the latest shears for a day, free of charge, just to be able to try out the latest dry cutters & texturizers. Just ring us to ask for a test drive!