Executive Summary

Most Americans have tried knife-sharpening gadgets, but the majority have given up. A new national survey shows that while 67% of adults have owned a sharpener, only 28% still use one regularly. Frustration, confusion, and poor results have left kitchens across the country full of dull knives.

Sharpow by Vivront calls this America’s Dull Secret—a widespread issue where people have accepted that they need to cook with dull knives. The findings confirm what professional sharpeners have long observed: people aren’t lazy, they just need a solution that actually works.

Key Findings

• 67.2% of U.S. adults have owned a knife-sharpening gadget.
• 27.9% still use a gadget regularly.
• 19.0% now replace knives entirely when they get dull.
• 17.9% don’t sharpen at all.
• Common reasons for abandoning gadgets include poor performance, short-lived results, and confusion about how to use them.

America’s Dull Secret

Sharpening gadgets promise simplicity but often fail to deliver lasting sharpness. Many respondents said their knives became worse or even damaged after use. Others said they stopped because the process was confusing or time-consuming. Over time, frustration turned into quiet acceptance and dull knives became their norm. But it need not be this way.

The Human Side of Dullness

“The promise of the gadgets lets us down. Gadgets make sharpening seem simple, but they hide complexity you don’t realize until you try to use one and get poor results.”

Why It Matters

Dull knives make cooking harder, slower, and less enjoyable. When tools fail, meals suffer. Sharpow’s research shows a gap between effort and outcome. Most people want to care for their knives, but few have a method that truly works.

The Simple Reset

“Maybe one of the oldest gadgets, and Benjamin Franklin’s revolutionary vision, works best,” Rueter said. “Send your knives to Sharpow with prepaid, pre-printed labels through the postal services package program. It’s so easy, it actually works.”

Sharpow’s mail-in kits and retail partner programs eliminate the confusion of home sharpening. Professional results, no guesswork, no gadgets... just sharp knives, ready to cook.

Conclusion

The national data makes one thing clear: America isn’t short on effort, it’s short on edges that get sharp and last. By removing friction and restoring sharpness, Sharpow helps cooks focus on what really matters, making food for the people they care about.

About Sharpow

Sharpow by Vivront is the professional knife sharpening company for those who cook/ Services available by shipping kit, in select stores, and online. Headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, Sharpow exists to make dull knives, and the frustration around them, disappear.