Service Grinding and Sharpening Inc. (SGSI)

SGSI does sharpening for a variety of industries; textile, tire, V belt, plastic, labeling, food, medical, carpentry, millwork, hose cutting, metalwork, construction, land clearing, HVAC, and many more. We are located in Blaine, Minnesota. In 1978, SGSI opened with one sharpening machine. 40 years later SGSI has grown into one of the major sharpening companies in the Midwest. SGSI provides top quality sharpening of a wide variety of specialty knives

Our trained staff has experience with working with any material along with any object ranging from medical knives and jerky meat slicers, to carbide tipped band-saws and floor scrapers. Our new automated Anca FX7 has the ability to grind and manufacture tools with more precision and at a faster speed. We pull from our experiences, our knowledge, and a drive to stay at the front of our field with state of the art techniques to accomplish any job a customer presents us with. If it has an edge, we can sharpen it; and we stand by that. Nothing makes us happier when a customer presents us with a challenge and we complete it flawlessly. With this approach towards sharpening, we have developed ways to sharpen products that before were usually replaced, saving businesses money.

Service Grinding and Sharpening Inc. (SGSI) in Blaine, MN recently changed ownership when Jon’s Uncle Rick retired. Jon and Jessica Thielen took on the shop last year and have made significant changes during the transition that will continue through 2019 with the purchase of more equipment, and a cleaner, well-organized floor layout operation. The Twin Cities market saw the exit of Eide Saw & Tool in Minneapolis, which was closed last year. This has helped SGSI pick up more business on routes around the large metropolitan and surrounding area.

UP CLOSE WITH SERVICE GRINDING

Service Grinding and Sharpening Inc. (SGSI) in Blaine, MN recently changed ownership when Jon’s Aunt (Terri) and Uncle (Rick) happily retired. Jon and Jessica Thielen took on the shop last year and have made significant changes during the transition that will continue through 2019 with the purchase of more equipment, an ultrasonic cleaner, and a well-organized floor layout operation.

In 1978, SGSI opened with one sharpening machine. Now 40 years later SGSI has grown into one of the major sharpening companies in the Midwest. SGSI provides top quality sharpening of a wide variety of specialty knives. The team of 7 includes five sharpening machine and inspection station operators and an on the road salesman who can pick/up and deliver within a 150-mile radius of their Blaine location. The shop can sharpen anything from medical knives and jerky meat slicers, to carbide tipped band-saws and floor scrapers. As their web site states: “We have the drive to stay at the front of our field with state of the art techniques to accomplish any job a customer presents us with. If it has an edge, we can sharpen it; and we stand by that. Nothing makes us happier when a customer presents us with a challenge and we complete it flawlessly. With this approach towards sharpening, we have developed ways to sharpen products that before were usually replaced, saving businesses money.” On my recent tour of SGSI, I met the six employees on full-time shifts that day, including sharpening experts Zach Burnette, Xach Starkweather, Tim Line, and salesman Brett Blesi while their fabulous black lab, Oshie, enjoys office hangouts with co-owner Jessica. On the weekends, Brandon Tervo, one of Jon’s good friends, works part-time.

SGSI can also supply you with new blades and stocks products from Leitz Tooling, Southeast Tool, Amana, Whiteside, Freeborn Tool, and now makes their own CNC tooling line, Armada Tools, on their new automated Anca. To keep visible in the community, the company reaches out to the local tours with the hobby guys, and “it builds our reputation and word of mouth marketing,” Jon said. Shop tours are impressive since the equipment is a great mix of old, recently new and the “coming soon” aisle where Jon is making room for more! He owns the ANCA FX7with Loader, a Vollmer CHP 840, 2 CX 100, and is adding a 4th Vollmer CHX 840 with Loader. Two Gockel knife grinders run over 40 hours a week. All of this gives SGSI the capacity to sharpen cold and carbide (woodcutting) blades, router bits, end mills, food knives and a variety of miscellaneous and custom items. Jon was generous to share his workflow system, managed by his employees in a visual way. 'They prioritize by color codes, so the operators know what blades need to get serviced and finished before they go out for delivery with Brett.' Blades go through an ultrasonic cleaner made by Omega Sonic Saw Pro Plus out of California. The care and cleanliness, teamwork, and great music blasting in the plant keep the team in high spirits to deliver great work to very satisfied customers.

WHY SGSI?

• Timely turnaround
• Pick up and delivery
• Top of the line automated equipment
• OEM
• 3 saw sharpeners
• Take walk-ins
• Family owned
• MN-based with region-wide delivery