What makes YOU happy?  After years of reflection, I finally came to the realization that creating great food and meeting fellow "foodies" made me happiest inside.  I also realized that from within the culinary world there were specific things that made me happiest  - people who always wanted to better themselves and - of course -  a really sharp knife !.  Actually, as I worked my way through two culinary schools and a brief stint in the industry itself, I found that a common source of happiness was "that" sharp knife.  The ease of preparation is often the foundation of a successful meal  - hence happy people.  Once I became comfortable sharpening my knives on a tri-stone, students would ask me to sharpen their knives.  And while I loved seeing them smile at my finished work, I knew it was too much time on my end and too little effort on theirs.  I decided I needed to find a more time effective method of sharpening knives that also maintained a great edge.  

  Enter Bob Kramer.  My schools head Chef showed me his most prized knife before I left for my internship - a Bob Kramer Chefs knife.  In short - $600 to $2000 dollars apiece, a full two year waiting list (and he's not taking any more names for awhile) but OMG, what a beautiful knife.  The balance, the handle and most amazing... the BLADE!   I interned at New England Culinary in Vermont and found myself right back in my sharpening comfort zone with the students I met there.  I decided to call Bob and ask his advice about sharpening systems.  Thinking I'd get his receptionist or some complicated phone mail system, I was thrown off when he answered his own phone.  Not only that, but he let me waste at least two hours of his time.  We talked about a million things that day, but what most impressed me was his sincerity and dedication to his craft.  When I returned to Portland, I worked in a couple of restaurants and was eventually asked to come back to Oregon Culinary Institute to work as a kitchen TA.  One of my greatest culinary desires was recognized at that time.  To teach that which I loved.  Needless to say one of my favorite subjects was knife skills and sharpening.  Yet there I was, stuck once again with a time deficit!  I remembered Bob, but forgot what he had recommended in the end.  I called him up and was elated to have him ask me if I'd like to learn his technique.  In fact, he made it clear that he planned on teaching a small few people his technique (ideally in different regions) and then move on from sharpening and focus on making his knives.  He suggested I take it mobile making it more available to those who would appreciate it most and keep it cheap so more people could enjoy the edge (and education) I could provide them.  I jumped at the chance - and hundreds of knives later, here I am.