Charlie Robertson 'Carves' Out 40-Year Career

Those skills you learned as a youngster in the Scouts – whether it was tying a square knot or sharpening a knife? Well, you never know when you might need them. For Charlie Robertson, who, as a Cub Scout, grew so proficient in sharpening knives that other scouts paid him money to sharpen theirs, turned those skills into a 40-year professional career as a master cutler.

Today, Robertson runs a precision knife-sharpening business out of Viking Culinary Center, 835 Franklin Avenue in Garden City. Robertson specializes in traditional and Asian knives, fabric/pinking shears and professional hair cutting scissors. His customers are homeowners, professional chefs and hair stylists, as well as large-scale businesses who have used his mastery skills. Some of his clients have even stretched to the Far East.

A master cutler is someone whose skills exceed the standards of a manufacturer, Robertson said. "We don't grind unless the knife needs extensive repair," he said. "With years of experience I am accustomed to working with all kinds of knives, whether they are made today or not."

Robertson said you can teach most people the basics of sharpening but there comes a point when only a master cutler can interpret the more intricate details of repairs and shaping. For example, Asian cutlery is different from European cutlery. Japanese knives tend to be lightweight, especially compared to Western knives; and while the light feel is comfortable for people with small hands or those seeking ergonomic kitchen tools, many home and professional chefs find that they need time to get used to the distinct feel a Japanese kitchen knife offers. What makes Japanese knives sharper, more flexible and lighter to handle than their Western counterpart does? It is the hard steel and thinness of the blade.

Being a master cutler means knowing these nuances, that the blade angle for an Asian kitchen knife may be 15 degrees while the blade angle for a European knife may be 20 degrees. Another distinction master cutler's know is that scissors used by professional hair salons are made of a more brittle substance than commercial scissors and thus must be handled carefully.

At his shop in Glen Head, Robertson operates a German-made diamond-belt machine to shape and sharpen the cutlery. This extensive process includes buffing and de-burring.

Robertson is an artisan at heart and he strives for perfection on all his jobs.
At the same time, he guarantees next-day turn-around time as long as the knives are dropped off during the week.

All knives lose their edge over time, even if you use a sharpening steel on a regular basis, he said. Periodic sharpening by a professional is necessary to ensure the knives have the proper angle and to make sure the blade maintains its edge longer.

"The kitchen knife is the most important knife in your home but it is the most neglected. Don't let your knife lead a dull life," he said, pun intended.

Seriously, he loves what does because "you see immediate results."
For information on Robertson's services, contact him at 516-877-1010 or through email at crobertson@carlschaedel.com.