Affilatore

Affilatore is an Italian term that designates a person who sharpens blades or a device used to sharpen cutting tools. In common usage, it most often refers to a tradesman who carves and restores the edges of knives, scissors, razors, chisels, and other implements, sometimes operating as an itinerant worker or running a small sharpening shop.

Etymology and scope: The word derives from affilare, meaning to sharpen, with the agentive suffix -atore, yielding “one who sharpens.” The role can be performed by a skilled craftsman or by machines designed for sharpening.

Practice and techniques: An affilatore may work with a variety of tools and methods. Manual sharpening relies on whetstones or oil/water stones to reage the edge, supported by honing steels for alignment and strops to polish. Different tools require specific edge geometries and angles. For example, kitchen knives are typically sharpened with consistent bevels, while razors may demand hollow grinding or very fine honing.

Equipment and variants: Manual affilatori use stones, slips, and guides, while industrial or workshop settings employ affilatrici (sharpening machines) such as grinding wheels, belt grinders, or CNC sharpeners to restore edges on drill bits, end mills, saw blades, and other cutting tools. Some devices are handheld; others are mounted or integrated into grinding lines.

Context and relevance: Sharpening remains an essential service in households, professional kitchens, woodworking, metalworking, and maintenance. Although mass production reduces reliance on traditional itinerant sharpeners in some regions, skilled affilatori and sharpening machines continue to play a crucial role in preserving tool performance and safety.