Home / Knife Business / Work Sharp Discusses New Direction after Sale of Darex

Work Sharp Discusses New Direction after Sale of Darex

February 15, 2021

At the end of last year, some big changes were quietly made at Darex LLC., former parent company of Work Sharp. “Former,” because the Darex name and business were sold off; Work Sharp and Drill Doctor, the two consumer-oriented brands under Darex LLC., now comprise a newly-formed parent company on their own, simply called Work Sharp.

Knife users will be most familiar with the Work Sharp side of things, of course, but Drill Doctor is a steady presence in the realm of bit sharpeners. Darex, focused on industrial-grade sharpeners, no longer ‘fit’ as well with the other brands. “The decision to sell Darex Industrial was to increase focus on our consumer goods lines of knife and tool sharpeners known as Work Sharp and Drill Doctor,” says Work Sharp’s Kyle Owens. With less labels to manage, and more synchronicity between the two brands generally, users should reap the benefits. “The increased focus and bandwidth will lead to many more exciting products and resources for Work Sharp fans and knife users for years to come,” Owens continues.

The sale is part of a new, ongoing project at Work Sharp to widen its offerings – both in terms of products and in terms of service. On the product side, we should see more releases that cater to the particular needs of knife enthusiasts. The Precision Adjust Sharpener, which released in late 2020 and almost immediately sold out (it only recently became widely available again) emblematizes the shift in emphasis. It caters to the non-hobbyist knife user with its intuitive, foolproof setup, but provides enough flexibility and control to please more hardcore users. And Owens tells us there is more to come. “We have a few highly anticipated tools and accessories coming out this year. Keep your eyes peeled and follow Work Sharp on social media and YouTube for the latest details and sneak peeks.”

As for Darex, it will continue apace under its new owner. “[The decision to sell Darex Industrial] was not an easy decision to make, the industrial line of Darex drill sharpeners is what got this 4th generation family-owned business started,” Owens says. “Fortunately, the new owner, Gary Varney, is a longtime partner and friend of the [Darex founding family] Bernard’s.” He believes this familiarity with Darex means it will maintain its position in the industrial sharpener world. “In short, it was a win for everyone involved and we are excited to see what comes next for Darex.”

Featured Image: Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener

Related Items