This weeks preps check-in

Doomsday Prepper Forums

Help Support Doomsday Prepper Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I have started a small sharpening business. I hope to build it up enough to clear about $500 per week. I want to bring in more income to speed up my prepping. I sharpen knives, scissors, garden tools and some wood working tools. Nothing to brag about but every little bit helps.
Maybe take a flyer into your local sewing groups. JoAnn Fabric used to sharpen Ginghers, but ours doesn't do it anymore. I'm not sure if that's all or not.

...Of course, a lot of seamstresses might not let you touch their beloved shears.
 
I have started a small sharpening business. I hope to build it up enough to clear about $500 per week. I want to bring in more income to speed up my prepping. I sharpen knives, scissors, garden tools and some wood working tools. Nothing to brag about but every little bit helps.
A suggestion for sharpening businesses- vet clinics for their clippers. Especially if you are mobile
 
Maybe take a flyer into your local sewing groups. JoAnn Fabric used to sharpen Ginghers, but ours doesn't do it anymore. I'm not sure if that's all or not.

...Of course, a lot of seamstresses might not let you touch their beloved shears.
I like the idea of a flyer at a fabric store. Thanks for the idea. In the past my wife took her expensive pinking shears to a "Professional" and he damaged / dulled them down to the point they would not cut fabric. So with nothing to lose, I took them and tried to sharpen them. Bottom line, they now cut very well and leave very clean cuts in the fabric. I do all my procedural / process testing on my own items, before I would touch a customers items. I am very particular about anything I do, some would describe me as a bit anal.
 
A suggestion for sharpening businesses- vet clinics for their clippers. Especially if you are mobile
Right now I am not mobile. I require an electric outlet. I think it will take about a year before I can go the mobile / off grid route. The electric sharpening system makes too much noise to do inside a shop, as it would distract the shop's customers. I hope to find a couple of local stores that will let me set up outside their store, on a regular basis. My manual / hand process is okay for the sales events the wife goes to, as those have very limited sharpening opportunities. My manual system take between 15 and 30 minutes per knife, depending on the dullness of the knife. My prices are very low ($5.00 per item), so I need to be able to sharpen an item quickly. I may approach the shooting range I volunteer at, to see if I can't offer to sharpen items at the range. They have the space and a nice bit of daily foot traffic. Just one of many idea's.
 
Right now I am not mobile. I require an electric outlet. I think it will take about a year before I can go the mobile / off grid route. The electric sharpening system makes too much noise to do inside a shop, as it would distract the shop's customers. I hope to find a couple of local stores that will let me set up outside their store, on a regular basis. My manual / hand process is okay for the sales events the wife goes to, as those have very limited sharpening opportunities. My manual system take between 15 and 30 minutes per knife, depending on the dullness of the knife. My prices are very low ($5.00 per item), so I need to be able to sharpen an item quickly. I may approach the shooting range I volunteer at, to see if I can't offer to sharpen items at the range. They have the space and a nice bit of daily foot traffic. Just one of many idea's.
I looked into it a few years ago. Van, equipment, 90 miles to my wifes clinic and the many in between were a consideration.
Just trying to give you ideas- barbers hairdressers etc.
 
Right now I am not mobile. I require an electric outlet. I think it will take about a year before I can go the mobile / off grid route. The electric sharpening system makes too much noise to do inside a shop, as it would distract the shop's customers. I hope to find a couple of local stores that will let me set up outside their store, on a regular basis. My manual / hand process is okay for the sales events the wife goes to, as those have very limited sharpening opportunities. My manual system take between 15 and 30 minutes per knife, depending on the dullness of the knife. My prices are very low ($5.00 per item), so I need to be able to sharpen an item quickly. I may approach the shooting range I volunteer at, to see if I can't offer to sharpen items at the range. They have the space and a nice bit of daily foot traffic. Just one of many idea's.
Our local knife maker charges $20 per knife. I thought that was a little expensive. I had them sharpen one of my beaver skinners and a couple hatchets.
 
We went and bought a corn shredder from 1974 today. The corn we collected last month was dry and still on the cob and we tried to shred it by HAND. After a while, I took a piece of wood and put about 30 screws in it so we could get the corn off the cobs. Too much work. The shredder works so: you turn a large flywheel by hand, put the corn into the top loader, the corn gets shreded off the cob, the corn falls into a box and the cob falls into another box. What falls around the whole workplace gets swept up later.
We got another 40 kilos of wheat and mixed the corn, wheat, rapeseed and oats together for the chicken food. I have to estimate the whole chicken food reserves at about 275 kilos (600 lbs.) if they get around the yard and can eat some grass and insects...we will do fine for half a year.
Got more sunflower oil and yeast. Gave a bit away to the sons family which was getting towards the date to be used. Flour, baking powder, yeast, sugar and paprica powder. His wife was happy.
 
@GaRp58 you inspired me to look around in my to restore pile. A sheller a little older than yours from the 1889 patent date I know there was a 1903 design from the company
97602CE0-27B4-4F97-BB15-F29528A32500.jpeg
 
OMG!! I was looking to buy one of those in the next town for about thirty bucks, till I found the big one that we bought on the other side of the Donau. Here is a video in you tube which is like the one I bought for only $12.00!!
Mine if from 1974 and the flywheel is built so that I can attach an electric motor to it with a fanbelt and not have to turn by hand...another advantage if the electricity ever goes out...HAND POWER.
Helena fed the sheller and I turned (donkey) and we shelled about 4 bushel baskets in just under an hour.
 
OMG!! I was looking to buy one of those in the next town for about thirty bucks, till I found the big one that we bought on the other side of the Donau. Here is a video in you tube which is like the one I bought for only $12.00!!
Mine if from 1974 and the flywheel is built so that I can attach an electric motor to it with a fanbelt and not have to turn by hand...another advantage if the electricity ever goes out...HAND POWER.
Helena fed the sheller and I turned (donkey) and we shelled about 4 bushel baskets in just under an hour.

I do believe I got my rust incrusted one for 10-15.
Found a restoration video that made it look easy enough.
My question to you- is yours painted or seasoned?
 
I have been spending the day printing off PDF's that I have downloaded from the net over time. Also, scouring this site for pdf's that have been shared and posted, for the ones I don't already have. I am printing them off to have paper copies for binders. Pretty sure I will need to get a replacement laser cartridge for my printer to finish some manuals which are hundreds of pages. I also have books that I have bought, so hoping to get all this stuff together with those.

Anyway, I have been meaning to get to this and today's the day. I have found a lot of good information from medical, tactical, security, heirloom seeds, gardening, baking, water, and on and on! Thanks to everyone who posts helpful information here to share!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top