Venting I've spent years learning a trade only to be in the worst geographic market for it

[Tobacco]

So yes, to clarify, I'm autistic. Only that way things make sense.

I love the feeling of having a freshly sharpened knife and slice nicely a tomato or chop an onion. So yeah, 7 years ago I began to learn how to do freehand sharpening. I was obsessed. It was my new special interest. Slowly, I began to grasp what makes a knife sharp and what keeps it that way.

My business went through two phases. At this point I was living with a cousin who managed a second hand furniture store. I helped him move things around and I decided to put a sign outside. "Get your knives sharpened here." Had only two customers. After a few days, I was having a lot of trouble with my medication because it was making me feel very weak. Having to move the pieces of furniture was torture. I decided to return to my mom's house and face life there instead. Thankfully, the weakness went away after a couple of weeks.

After that, I left a few years pass and, unemployed, decided to put a sign for knife sharpening at the front of my mom's grocery store. Two clients arrived after a few days. I charged a small amount. A week passed. According to my experience, the knives sharpened weren't out of this world so, after a week, they should be dull again. The customers never returned. I remember it and feel personally offended, like my work wasn't of enough quality.

My conclusion is, people around here just don't care about having their knives sharp. You can't cut with it? Just press harder!! This last christmas I gifted my dad a sharpening stone and left it at work (we work together). Then he could bring the knives in his house so I can sharpen them for him and also the tiny knife he left to prepare food at work. He hasn't asked me to sharpen anything since I brought him the stone. I'm the only one who cares about it because I have a brain condition that makes me be super focused on it.

People who actually make a living from this, have to walk the city up and down looking for customers. I just wanted to avoid that. It seems, if I really want a side hustle I should spend on publicity and maybe that way I could reach enough people in the neighborhood I live in. It's frustrating because I hoped to make a minimum wage from this at least.

 

[LastNite]

Have you considered doing social media with it? I see a guy from time to time sharpening knives on my fyp page. I have no clue how much he makes from it, but you could use that to your advantage and advertise your things or you could open an online shop. People like watching videos of a guy trying to make a knife sharpness close to 0 and cut things with it.

If that all seems too difficult or risky to try for you then maybe consider a different line of work that might interest you?
I myself havent had any job yet, but I am thinking of getting an apprenticeship to become an electrician.

 

[EmptyBottle]

So yes, to clarify, I'm autistic. Only that way things make sense.

I love the feeling of having a freshly sharpened knife and slice nicely a tomato or chop an onion. So yeah, 7 years ago I began to learn how to do freehand sharpening. I was obsessed. It was my new special interest. Slowly, I began to grasp what makes a knife sharp and what keeps it that way.

My business went through two phases. At this point I was living with a cousin who managed a second hand furniture store. I helped him move things around and I decided to put a sign outside. "Get your knives sharpened here." Had only two customers. After a few days, I was having a lot of trouble with my medication because it was making me feel very weak. Having to move the pieces of furniture was torture. I decided to return to my mom's house and face life there instead. Thankfully, the weakness went away after a couple of weeks.

After that, I left a few years pass and, unemployed, decided to put a sign for knife sharpening at the front of my mom's grocery store. Two clients arrived after a few days. I charged a small amount. A week passed. According to my experience, the knives sharpened weren't out of this world so, after a week, they should be dull again. The customers never returned. I remember it and feel personally offended, like my work wasn't of enough quality.

My conclusion is, people around here just don't care about having their knives sharp. You can't cut with it? Just press harder!! This last christmas I gifted my dad a sharpening stone and left it at work (we work together). Then he could bring the knives in his house so I can sharpen them for him and also the tiny knife he left to prepare food at work. He hasn't asked me to sharpen anything since I brought him the stone. I'm the only one who cares about it because I have a brain condition that makes me be super focused on it.

People who actually make a living from this, have to walk the city up and down looking for customers. I just wanted to avoid that. It seems, if I really want a side hustle I should spend on publicity and maybe that way I could reach enough people in the neighborhood I live in. It's frustrating because I hoped to make a minimum wage from this at least.

Restaurants want sharpened knives, for both safety (reducing slips from dull knives) and performance (cooks can cut stuff faster and meals get made faster)... so maybe consider pivoting to restaurants?

 

[SASU-KE]

I can understand this situation. I had the same feeling before going into computer science related education . I went into it just because it provided a better living than what I actually wanted to do. The result?

I don't enjoy my job but I earn a decent living. If I went into what I actually enjoyed, I would have been paid much less.

Some people are blessed to love what they do and still get paid for it. Most people, unfortunately, don't get both.

I'm sorry you're struggling.

 

[Tobacco]

Have you considered doing social media with it? I see a guy from time to time sharpening knives on my fyp page. I have no clue how much he makes from it, but you could use that to your advantage and advertise your things or you could open an online shop. People like watching videos of a guy trying to make a knife sharpness close to 0 and cut things with it.

If that all seems too difficult or risky to try for you then maybe consider a different line of work that might interest you?
I myself havent had any job yet, but I am thinking of getting an apprenticeship to become an electrician.

What a coincidence. Once I asked in a discord chat about what trade I could learn where I don't need to lift more than 55 lbs and someone suggested electrician to me. I've just had a little trouble with my motivation since I'm already working a part time job.

Restaurants want sharpened knives, for both safety (reducing slips from dull knives) and performance (cooks can cut stuff faster and meals get made faster)... so maybe consider pivoting to restaurants?

Thank you for reminding me that idea. Thankfully I live in a busy neighborhood regarding that. Lots of food places. Maybe I could look into some farther away places and get some regular customers that way.

 

[LastNite]

I can understand this situation. I had the same feeling before going into computer science related education . I went into it just because it provided a better living than what I actually wanted to do. The result?

I don't enjoy my job but I earn a decent living. If I went into what I actually enjoyed, I would have been paid much less.

Some people are blessed to love what they do and still get paid for it. Most people, unfortunately, don't get both.

I'm sorry you're struggling.

Computer science is such a fun thing to learn. I personally wanted to get into it but problems got in the way and I couldnt make it work. Im glad youre making a good living off of it though despite not enjoying it much.

What a coincidence. Once I asked in a discord chat about what trade I could learn where I don't need to lift more than 55 lbs and someone suggested electrician to me. I've just had a little trouble with my motivation since I'm already working a part time job.

Thank you for reminding me that idea. Thankfully I live in a busy neighborhood regarding that. Lots of food places. Maybe I could look into some farther away places and get some regular customers that way.

Yeh, I only became interested after I got zapped and when I had to replace an outlet that lived through 2 world wars with a GFCI outlet which is basically way safer.