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Patent Number D778705

Made in America, made to last, Block sharpener

The Block Family Story

The Block family name means great knife sharpening. Our history goes back over three generations. We are the original makers of this handy style of sharpener.

It all started in 1969 in Capac, Michigan. Grandpa Paul Block Sr. and Dad Paul Block Jr. started a small business together. They wanted to make a simple, powerful way to sharpen knives.

Soon, local butcher shops and food plants fell in love with their tool. In those early days, people called it the “butcher house sharpener.” Later on, it became famous across the country as the “Easy Sharpener” seen on Detroit TV.

Today, we still make these amazing tools for chefs, home cooks, and hunters. Real Block Sharpeners use a patented flexible handle. This handle moves with your knife to find the perfect angle every time. It fixes kitchen knives, pocket knives, and serrated blades without leaving nicks or rough edges.

Watch out for cheap copycats! that don’t say Block on the sharpener handle, Fake sharpeners do not work like ours.

more about Block Family-Knife sharpening history.

Paul R Block #3 journey started back in 2004, two years after his grandfather passed away. He and his wife, Billie Jo Walker, Took Grandpa Block’s signature sharpeners and headed down to Florida, looking to make a little extra income while visiting her family. We started selling at a few local flea markets and immediately realized we were onto something big, so we decided to stay for good. Moving to Florida gave us the perfect space to perfect our craft and connect with an amazing community of customers. By 2013, we gave our original sharpeners a fresh update, adding a soft, non-slip thumb grip that made them much safer and easier to handle. Our customers loved it! Then came 2014—our biggest year yet. We secured a new patent and were invited onto the Cutlery Corner knife show. Showing off our sharpener on TV took things to the next level, turning it into the show’s #1 top-selling item. Through all the growth, Block Sharpeners has stayed true to its roots. We are a small, family-run business, and we proudly make everything right here in America with a lifetime guarantee. No corporate outsourcing, ever—just honest, American-made quality.

Today, Paul and Billie Jo Block proudly preserve their family’s legacy of craftsmanship through Block Sharpeners. Traveling across the United States with their loyal crew of Yorkies, they sell and showcase their tools at trade shows, local markets, and outdoor events—continuing a multigenerational family tradition. This dedication honors their grandfather’s memory while connecting them directly with customers who value high-quality, traditional sharpening tools.