Their Life's Work: Knife sharpener tries to keep his edge during pandemic

Nearly everyone was wearing masks, including Dave Nells, who runs Sharpening by Dave from a van with his wife, Amanda.

As one of just a few vendors spaced a safe distance apart in the Palatine Metra parking lot, he set up shop during the final Saturday of the town's winter farmers market.

The business thrives in the spring from farmers markets, gardening center/club events, Easter and Passover events.

But most of them have been canceled.

Sharpening by Dave started 20 years ago and has quite a reach. From their two vans, they serve customers from Brookfield north to Racine, Wisconsin, and from Huntley east to Lake Michigan.

Since the stay-at-home order was issued, Nells is banking on all of the home cooks and gardeners will need their implements given a good edge.

The Lindenhurst residents dropped the 10-item requirement for house calls in Lake County. Other customers need 10 items per visit, but they encourage neighbors to bundle their items.

All safety features are in place: masks, distancing, sanitizing items.

At house calls, customers leave their items outside and get a call or a text when the job is done.

Nells says he plans to be at Palatine's summer market, which begins May 2.

"I know we are not in this alone. We will continue to adapt to our new normal. I hope that people can see that we are still open for their sharpening needs," he said.

• Do you know of a suburban small business with a compelling story to tell about working through the pandemic? Send photo director Jeff Knox a detailed email with LIFE'S WORK in the subject line at jknox@dailyherald.com, and we'll consider it.