I was going to send an email but I figured why not tell the world how awesome Mike is! My son loves knives, and Mike was so incredibly patient talking to him and explaining the different features of each of the styles. While Mike was doing that, I was able to be sneaky and purchase a good chef's knife for my son for Christmas. Everyone who works at this store is great - you can tell they are all there for the right reasons. Thank you for your kindness, your patience and willingness to answer all the questions!! read more

The knives are amazing jn quality, the staff is very friendly and the knives are one of the best for their price.

Knifewear is not the place for EDC (everyday carry). If you want that, some neat folders, and a cool shaving blade made by Knifewear, Kent of Inglewood is just across the street. Knifewear is a serious place for fixed blade Japanese knives, primarily for real and wanna be chefs. Plus there's usually a tomato or potato around to seal the deal that you really are buying the best. Yes, they're pricey, but that's the value and integrity of a quality product. Sales staff were knowledgeable, engaging, patient, and funny. And like their knives, there was never a dull moment. read more

Ollivanders is to wands as Knifewear is to knives. Walking into the narrow interior of mounted and glass-encased knives, it's not a far comparison to make: Knifewear is magical and the hand-forged knives made by master craftsmen call to you, like a personal wand from Harry Potter lore. "You don't choose the knife," says Rob, the robust moustachioed man who helped me from introduction to final sale, "The knife chooses you." Pardon me if this review seems over-the-top, but frankly, that's what an over-the-top shop deserves. Knifewear is a specialty knife shop that is proud to showcase its fanaticism and knowledgeability about knives. The wand -- er, knife -- shop is strategically organized based on performance. The farther back the shop you go, the higher performance the knife (and price) will be. That was also where I met Kevin, the owner of the shop, who shook my hand enthusiastically and despite the rush of a Saturday afternoon crowd still seemed to have time to make sure that everyone felt welcomed. Everyone there is a "knife nerd" and it shows. When Rob reached me a few moments later to talk shop, he explained in grave detail about the knives in the store from the materials it's made from and why one would be considered "more performance" (aka sharp as hell) to handle shape affecting grip. He asked me questions if I had a knife shape preference and also explained why one would prefer a specific blade shape over another. It made choosing a knife more informed and secure. I think it's smart to enter with a budget in mind, as the plethora of options can be wallet emptying as well as intimidating. Speaking of nerd, when I finally narrowed my option to a gorgeous nakiri, because of the hand-forged nature, each knife has a slightly different finish and make -- Rob was the one who made the Harry Potter reference, so I can't really take the creative credit for that. Albeit a tad cheesy, I loved that little comparison, and I finally chose a knife that "spoke to me." If you're on the hunt for an incomparable knife that's gorgeous and functional to use, I cannot recommend Knifewear more! read more

Knifewear - 165mm Nakiri Masakage Koishi AS by Kato san on my cutting board. :D - Knife Sharpening Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Knifewear on 9th Avenue SE not far from the downtown core is likely the very best knife and sharpening shop in Alberta. What can one say to lay out what this place specializes in? I bought a medium priced knife with 2 stones and lots of instructions. That knife without being at all touched except with the ceramic rod and some meat is just wonderful. Won't need sharpening for a long time as long as I treasure it. The staff there are very helpful, to the point there's an easiness among them that speaks of confidence in the product and with each other. I phoned once with a question, and visited again to ask a question, and it's all been great. What can I say more? The shop is long and lean but the display of mostly keen Japanese knives is extensive. As well they hold knife purchasing and sharpening seminars for $60. Even with discounts, on the first time around plan on dropping about $300-600 on just one knife with stones and other accessories. What else can I say? Go and learn and be pleased. read more

Edward Scissorhand's dream comes true! Expect an extremely attentive visit at this store; expect a cup of tea, an option to have your knives sharpened and plain old knife talk. I love to cook so I was enchanted by the wares in this store. There are Japanese chef knives, and Spanish cleavers to choose from. The employee/owner there is a total knife expert, he is so well informed about knife purchasing decisions and on-site knife sharpening/repairs, that he isn't shy to show his expertise on an unwilling near by tomato. The store is like entering a classy Japanese tea room that displays knifes; very sleek, clean and so balenced. So cut to the chase folks and check out this new shopping experience. read more

Knifewear - Knife Sharpening Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Great store, I love local!! And great covid protocols to keep shoppers safe!!

I am so impressed with this company! I love my Haruyuki knives that I purchased with the assistance of their manager, Kasumi. She is a wealth of knowledge and a pleasure to deal with. These knives are so sharp and hold their edge for such a long time I consider them my Ferrari's of my knife collection. Caution: they are so sharp I bought cut proof gloves which I use sometimes when I am working with my Haruyuki knives. Knifewear has a great selection and good sales. They are very good at keeping you informed about new products classes and events. They do great community work too. Check them out if you have time next time you are in Inglewood. The staff are very friendly and helpful. read more

Best. Knife. Sharpening. Ever. Took my standard kitchen knives to Knifewear to be sharpened and was so impressed! The store is fantastic - it's like a cooking lover's dream! So many beautiful and wonderful knives in stock and the friendly, knowledgeable staff that can tell you all about them! I'm definitely going to a knife skills class and a knife sharpening class - although I'm sure I will never match the skill and talent of the staff there! Kudos to Knifewear - I'll never trust my knives to anyone else... read more

Be amazed when you walk in and get to try these beautiful knives! Slicing a tomato into paper thin slices has never been so pleasurable! They have a garage sale every now and then with amazing deals! We have four of their knives and even though they were pricy don't regret the investment because the quality of these products is just so good! read more

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Walked in to get two family heirloom knives sharpened and had simply the best customer experience. The only fault in the experience was not getting the names of the two men who helped me. Friendly, knowledgable, and funny, I am so pleased with how my knives turned out, and I hope to take their Saturday morning class soon so I can add some knife skills to my repertoire. read more

Do not go here. If you have money and you put value on the possession of set money, I can not imagine a more dangerous place for you to to go. You have passionate & knowledgeable staff. You have incredible products of unfathomable craftsmanship. And you are encouraged to play with knives. Go to Knifewear at your own risk. Please note that you will also become a knife-snob after you are properly educated about what a good knife is. Then as your friends see how awesome you've become, they will ask you to take them. Then your friends will become poor. Basically Knifewear is a pyramid scheme to take everyones money through offering incredible products and corrupting you into bringing your friends with their awesomeness. read more

Okay, this place is just amazing, even if you're just a noob like me when it comes to knives. Yes, they have some wicked amazing knives imported directly from Japan. Some of these are factory-made, most are hand-made. No, they are not cheap. But this should not deter you. Rather, it should make your resolve that much stronger. But what really makes this place sing is the staff. All of the staff here are passionate about knives, and this passion oozes out when talking to them. Stop in for a quick boo and you will quickly be cutting potatos and tomatos with the super-sharp, amazing knives. Just try not to giggle too much as you slice - you don't want to slip and cut your finger(s) off. Kinfewear offers classes in knife sharpening and knife skills for $60/ea, and they will sharpen your knife starting at $5, often while you wait. They also have a (small) selection of straight razors for the discerning gentleman. Personally they just give me images of Sweeny Todd. So I recommend you stop in, look around, and talk to Kevin, Rob, or Mark. You will not be disappointed! read more

Having a great set of knives in your kitchen makes a world of a difference! And when in Calgary I cannot think of a better place to go then this place. The selection is a wide assortment of knives mostly Japanese. Ofcorse different knives are used for different purposes, so there are so many types. There is also a metal finish to think about and how one kind of metal profound versus another. All the information can get quite overwhelming. The staff at Knifewear are the absolute best! They are so friendly so knowledgable and very patient when some one like me goes in there asking one million questions. They really helped me and guided me through my selection and when I left I fet I had gotten the best set of knives for me. I expect that the next time I'm am in Calgary I will visit and hopefully add it my knife collection. I recommend this place highly. read more

Knifewear is an absolute gem in our city. It's unlike any other store I have ever seen and the service is some of the best I've ever had. Knifewear specializes in high performance Japanese knives. Not only are the knives handmade, but they are some of THE best knives in the world. When you walk in you're not only greeted and welcomed, but you are urged to cut things! How fun is that?!?! After having cut a multitude of groceries, I can ASSURE you, these are the sharpest and highest-quality knives I have EVER handled. I love the way the store is set-up because the further into the store you step, the higher the quality of knives. The fact that Knifewear can bring to our city knives that rarely leave Japan and are never seen in Canada is absolutely remarkable. I spent some time chatting with the owner, Kevin Kent, and he is a true knife enthusiast! He is SO passionate about his product and he's got good reason to be! This store is an absolute must-see in Inglewood. If you're in the area, don't deprive yourself by missing out. Happy Cutting :) read more

Driven by other wonderful reviews, I had to make my way to Knifewear and it did not disappoint! This should be an important stop for any chef, home cook or anyone that appreciates real quality in the kitchen. This store specializes in imported Japanese knives, of all kinds. I have never seen so many in one place and some were quite beautiful with intricate detail. They also carry a few kitchen gadgets, knife bags, cookbooks and men's personal shaver kits. A cool but tight space of a store with the friendliest service on the planet. You will be greeted and asked what brings you in this date! You can go in and test practically any knife you want. Even if you think you are not THE best with your knife skills, the knife you are using really makes a difference. A good knife does much of the work for you and I even surprised myself with my potato chopping. Some were so lightweight, it was ridiculous! I bought a bread knife this date but will be back again to amp up many of my kitchen tools one at a time. Not cheap here, but you get what you pay for! Thanks Knifewear! (in the heart of Inglewood) read more

When it came time to get my trusty pocket knife re-sharpened, I was at a loss to find a new place that could/would do it. I had always gone to The Knifery in Chinook Centre to get it done, but since the renovations, they are no longer there. After unsuccessfully trying some other knife stores only to find out that they only do kitchen knives, I was forced to 'trust in Google' to help me along the way. A quick search revealed that Knifewear was the place that everyone recommended. A quick browse of their website and my mind was made up. It was quite a while until I was able to actually get down there, but from the moment I walked through the door, I knew that they would continue to get my sharpening business and would likely get any new knife purchase business as well. Although it's a small shop, it's well laid out and the staff are simply fantastic. I was greeted as soon as I walked in by a guy who was sharpening a knife using stones - the only true way that a knife should be sharpened. I handed him my (at the time) very dull knife and told him that I needed it sharpened. He took a quick look and responded with a "No problem, give me 10 minutes or so" and invited me to browse the selection of knives they had on display. While the location is quite narrow, the way they have their displays set up is ideal for the location. As I walked in, they have several long display cases full of high-end and some custom-made knives that stretches right to the back of the store. In between each case, they have a small section with a cutting board where I was invited to try some of the knives they sell on a tomato to show the quality of their products. This is an excellent touch, as it allows the potential buyer a true "hands on" experience with the knife prior to buying it. All the staff were very friendly and were quite engaging. While not directly related to their business proper, I was very impressed that they had a wooden toy train set up, along with a couple other toys for kids to play with. As I had my 2-year old daughter (who happens to love trains) with me, this small, but significant addition to the store is an excellent touch and a god-send for anyone with kids who happens to wander in. As promised, my knife was finished in about 10 minutes and all I can say is "Wow." I'm fairly certain that it didn't come that sharp when I bought it new. They did an outstanding job on it and I was very impressed. In short, Knifewear is THE place to go if you're looking for sharpening and high-end and/or custom kitchen knives. The staff are all very friendly, highly knowledgeable and make the whole environment very inviting and low-pressure. I would definitely recommend them to anyone in the market. read more

Astonishing selection of high-performance, japanese chef knives. I was surprised to find a hub of activity at this knife shop today. Actively engaged couples trying out sample knives on potatoes, a sharpening demo going on at the other end of the counter, and one enthusiastic customer jumped in to answer my question about their magnetic knife racks. While mostly $75. - $300. there are some paring knives for much less. They sharpen knives and teach knife-sharpening classes. Cool website and blog; check out owner Kevin Kent on twitter, @knifenerd. Rob was nominated for a white hat award for customer service - I'd nominate him, too. read more

I heard a lot about the knives at this shop. I went in with no intention to buy anything but after trying a few, I fell in love. I'm now the proud owner of two knives. We opted for the value packed more practical knives, which cost $220 and $110. Six months later, I'm still pleased as punch with my knives. We also bought a knife display board. Excellent knives makes such a huge difference when I cook. I often have family and friends over, and the knives cut down the work in half. All that chopping and cutting has become so easy. It's like cutting through butter with a hot knife. SWEET! As for service - there is never any pressure to buy. Only lots of background information and help with our many questions. Knifewear also sells unique cookbooks and other cool kitchen gadgets. read more

This store is amazing. Full of knowledge and pride. I appreciated the integrity that was shown from the staff. The quality of products were incredible. You pay for what you buy. Quality. I couldn't be more happy with my knives. Would recommend this place to every chef. Every home cook. Every person looking for a special kitchen gift. read more

Knifewear is, hands down, the ONLY place in Calgary you should be buying a knife. They have a beautiful selection of knives that range in price. Some of the knives are hand forged with gorgeous wood grain-like folded steel blades. Others are top quality machine made knives with laser engraved cherry blossom detailing. Regardless, Knifewear only carries products that are impressive. Several years ago I bought a knife at knifewear made by Japanese swordsmith Teruyasu Fujiwara the 4th. It's made of white carbon steel and stays razor sharp for ages. Though the knife was expensive I have no regrets. When you slice something with a kick ass knife it's incredibly satisfying and enjoyable. When my knife does, eventually, require a sharpening, I take it to knifewear for some maintenance. They hand sharpen an a series of water stones, which is really cool to sit back and watch. Today, thats exactly what I did! Not only was I impressed with the beautiful store and the range of knives and other products for sale, but also with the customer service. It sounds silly, but every time I go into Knifewear and chat with an employee, I leave feeling light and happy, with a silly grin on my face. They are welcoming, inclusive, and engaging. Even if you aren't a chef (I'm not!!) and a total knife noob, Knifewear is going to make you feel like a chopping, slicing, food preping bad ass! Go there. Buy a knife. You'll be glad you did. read more

WARNING: Going to Knife Wear will likely make you an addict to spending a few hundred bucks on knives... :-) I'm an aspiring home chef that's never been quite comfortable with the traditional German/Western types of knives. Living in Inglewood, I've passed by Knife Wear almost on a daily basis so I decided to stop by and see what they can do for me. Like previously reviews have mentioned, Knife Wear is dedicated to ONE thing and that is pairing up prospective owners with an incredible piece of instrument. Most of the knives in the shop are hand made in Japan by some of the greatest masters. My journey started by narrowing down what type/size of knife I was interested in. I choose a santoku around the 6.5" mark and was shown around a dozen or so variations. You are expected to handle each one to feel how it fits in your hands so go ahead and touch them! After 15-20 minutes and giving a few knives a try on the cutting board, I picked the Masakage Kumo and thought I was done. NOPE! In front of me now were 3 of the Kumos but since these are made by hand, each one will feel slightly different. Again, you want to pick up each one, study it, and feel for the balance and fit. To make a long story short, the fine folks at Knife Wear are dedicated and passionate about what they do. They will take the time to show you around, explain the different steels, and types of knives! read more

Kevin and the whole crew at Knifewear are absolutely the best in customer service. They make anyone coming into the shop feel welcome and completely at ease. If you're looking for the best kitchen knife you've ever used you need to go into Knifewear and checkout the hand forged Masakage collections they're a delight to use. The best part is they have cutting boards and items to actually try out the knives so that you can find the best match for you. read more

I have the people who work at this shop for single handedly addicting me to Japanese knives. I cook nearly every day, for at least 1/2 the day and these knives are amazing best kitchen friends. Great staff that can handle my beserker attitude and can also answer the millions of great and crummy questions I come up with. I have 2 knives & a knife magnet rack.....and I've got my eye on a few more. Great shaving section, cutting boards and who's its..... read more

I like to play with knives, especially straight razors. This is the only place I have encountered in Alberta that specializes in nothing else and has staff that actually know their product better than you do. They carry Japanese knives and all the accessories that go with them, including sharpening stones. read more

Knifewear is one of my favorite stores in Calgary, although I don't go there often. The reason for that is, I would not be able to afford life because I would buy everything. I recently bought a gyoto which is one of the most beautiful knives I've ever seen. The quality is far higher than any other knife I own. One time a group of ninjas broke into my house while I was mincing garlic with my new gyoto, and when they saw my new knife, the cried and ran away. Any knife that can make a group of ninjas cry and run away is a special knife. I went in there wanting a beautiful, high quality, hand made knife. I am a huge knife fan and I've done a lot of research on all sorts of knives and this shop gave me the opportunity to hold and actually cut veggies with the knives. If you go in with a budget, the people in the store will totally help you out. I went in with a budget of $200, and rather than going straight to the $200 knives, they gave me a spread of knives ranging from $110 to $220. They explained the difference between each one, let me hold and use them and gave their advice on which one they would choose. In the end, I came in under budget and got a gorgeous 210mm Tadafuss Nashiji. I have zero complaints about the knife and I still love going into the store occasionally to check things out. The people there are super cool and don't pressure you at all. They're totally cool with you just coming in and looking around and they'll still spend time talking knives with you because they all love the knives too. 10/10 or 5/5 or whatever. Would recommend. read more

OK, I'm not a professional, but I like cooking and use my knives every day. I splurged a few years ago and purchased a nice hand forged japanese knife from here, and it has served me faithfully ever since. I took my fancy japanese knife as well as a very old Henckel in to get sharpened recently. The Henckel had a pretty decent knick in the blade, about 1/2 inch from the point. They were able to fix the blade without loosing too much steel, and it's slicing better than ever. The cost for this repair? wait for it.... $5 bucks! Are you kidding!? Such a good deal. Sharpening is just $10 per knife, and they are happy to show you day to day care to make the edge last longer. Great service from this place! read more

Staff: A+ Product: A+ Classes: A+ Owner: A+ And that's why I go back there when it's time for a new knife for me, for a gift, or to learn something new about knives. read more

I discovered Japanese knives about 30 years ago and they became my favorites. Imagine my delight on finding Kevin and his wonderful selection of knives. The staff are extremely helpful. You can try anything on a tomato or potato and find the knife that is perfect for you. I have a mixture of styles, one daughter has very traditional knives, the other has a preference for a French style handle. Whatever you choose it will be high quality, perfect for you, you will learn how to cut with it and they will keep it sharp for you. A good knife adds to your appreciation of the art of food preparation and this reflects in your cooking. Forget the price they last a lifetime and you will never go back to clunky mass produced knives again. read more

Aa a professional cook that deals with knives on a daily basis, I need my blades sharpened regularly. I wouldn't trust my knives with anyone else. Top-notch service, knowlegable staff and they have never let me down. I've dealt with the Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary locations and have nothing but positive things to say about them. read more

Brought in a new straight razor that I recently picked up and Mike was a great resource. Not only did he not gouge me on a "total sharpening", he provided great advice for maintenance of the razor and showed me their great selection of shaving creams and soaps. I will DEFINITELY be back. read more

I went in there to purchase a safety razor (after being referred by Madison & Page -- another brilliant "shop local" store in Calgary) and was mesmerized by the traditional shaving kit they sell. Firstly, guys, shave with a traditional safety razor (or straight if you dare). I did it once and it is a brilliant experience. Gillette has been lying to us for decades. Shave the way grandpa did. Trust me. That said, I also am now obsessed with Japanese chef's knives. What a difference. I am now trying to figure out how to update my blades. read more

I just got back from the "sharpening class" and I highly recommend you take this course if you have purchased some top quality knives and want to take care of them! I did get 2 knives here at a month long manufacturers sale. They cut beautifully and while expensive, they will last a lifetime with proper care. And I just learned how to care for them myself! I took some Henkels with me the class (as recommended to practice on) and they have never been sharp and now so useful. The service is terrific and friendly. Every knife purchased comes with one free sharpening from them and they will, for a fee, continue to sharpen your knives if you have no interest in sharpening yourself. It may bring some old dull but quality knife cluttering your drawer back to life! read more

This store may single handedly make Calgary the centre of the universe for many professional chefs, when my GF said lets go to Calgary to visit, I a knife collector not a pro cook said book it. They have the best collection of Japanese steel in one place maybe in the world, these knives would never be found in the same shop in Japan, the egos of some of the knife makers are just too big. If you enter and don't leave with a crying weeping credit card you just don't get it. read more

Knifewear is okay if you are into Japanese cutlery and yes they do have fine blades but after a while it's the same old same old. 60 different Japanese knife styles are still basically the same knife. They do sharpen - are professional - and are too expensive for my taste. It seems like all these 5 star ratings were from friends or maybe from a store contest. It does not seem like people have checked out other Calgary knife outlets fully. Also the rating system here is 2 stars - Meh. I've experienced better and 3 stars A-ok. I am in the 2.5 star range. Lovely store but more different variety needed with more reasonable prices. Thanks! read more

I am writing this review based on my son and his fellow SAIT Culinary students experience and who all have all bought knives from Knife Wear. The knife he got was recommended to him by Kevin. It is a Masekage and he uses it to primarily cut vegetables. After using it in his second year class several of his classmates purchased the same knife after seeing and using it. My son says that there is no one in the city that has better service and knowledge than Kevin and his staff . As Sapna said in her review they want you to test the knife out to see how it fits in your hand a how it does at cutting. read more

This store has the most amazing cooking knife collection I have seen. Many are hand made. Kevin, the store owners was awesome and very happy to just talk about knifes. They believe you should try one before buying it and have lots of stuff to cut. I tried to go many knife stores (I have a interest in chopping up tuna for some odd reason) and this is best knife store I have been to in US or Canada. read more

We stopped here while walking through our neighborhood one afternoon as we do sometimes. The knives are top of the line and there are thousands to choose from. They even had my favorite knives from the Japanese with the folded blades. For those that can't afford the blades they also offer a reasonably priced service to sharpen your home knives for you. This is a good service as most people have utterly dull knives. We picked up a folded blade wood carver and found out it's a one of a kind so so can also pick up some hidden gems. The staff are friendly and very knowledgable. They also offer a course in knife sharpening. An amazing knife store that definitely worth a look. read more

I was walking around Inglewood yesterday (hadn't been there n over a year) and stumbled into Knifewear. I thought I was in Tokyo--what an amazing collection of knives. The staff were intelligent and positive. They also have a great collection of cookbooks. I already own a couple of their knives, looks like I will be making another purchase in 2013. read more

Excellent quality knives that will last you a lifetime. I have several Japanese imports that I have been thrilled with. This shop also offers sharpening services - they have even sharpened my old sub par knives (that did not come from this shop) without giving me any attitude! They always do a great job and charge reasonable prices for the service. read more