Many years ago, in late 2008, I started a small company on my own called Fonseca Sharpening. It was a combination of sharpening, restoration and custom saya work for Japanese kitchen knives. It started from the constant repairs and sharpening I did for the kitchen staff of the restaurant I worked in at the time. I had the skill of sharpening and woodworking passed down through my family along with my own studies of Japanese sword polishing.

At the time, I did the work of repairing and sharpening kitchen knives for my own skill development and interest in mixing sword polishing techniques with kitchen knives. Over time, I began to realize, the need for quality Japanese knife sharpening in Toronto was great, and it was not limited to my immediate circle of chefs and cooks. So with a lot of encouragement I started Fonseca Sharpening. 

As time passed, the need for the services Fonseca Sharpening provided became even more in demand than I had originally anticipated. I got busier and busier and it became harder to keep up with this demand. It was right around this time that I received a rather interesting email from someone named Olivia. 

She was reaching out to me ask if she could refer people to me for knife sharpening. After a handful of emails back and forth, we arranged to meet for coffee before my shift started in the restaurant I worked in at the time. We ended up talking about all things Japanese kitchen knives and sharpening, and I showed her the current knives I was using daily. 

That was the spark, the very beginning of Tosho Knife Arts. 

To Be Continued...