Sharpening More Than Tools
How a West Sacramento Teacher Found Joy at the Repair Café

At the West Sacramento Repair Café, the whir of a rotary tool cuts through the buzz of conversation. Standing at a small workbench, with a steady hand and a keen eye, is retired science teacher Stan Logan. His specialty? Giving dull blades a new lease on life.

“I sharpen knives and garden tools—just about anything with a cutting edge,” Logan explained with a smile. “And if someone brings in a container they’d like turned into a planter, I’ll drill drainage holes too. It’s my favorite hobby.”

For Logan, this pastime has deep roots. Growing up with a father who worked as a contractor, he was always surrounded by tools. “It was a natural transition,” he said. “Over the years I developed some techniques that work really well for sharpening. It’s something I enjoy and, with the right equipment, it’s easy for me to do.”

That sense of ease is what keeps him coming back. “The results are immediate. A dull tool becomes sharp again, and people are always amazed at the difference. I love seeing them put those tools back to good use.”

Logan has sharpened just about everything, from kitchen scissors to pruning loppers. The oddest request? A heavy lawn edger that had to be lifted onto the table so he could reach its stubborn blades. For most jobs, his go-to tool is a Dremel with a rotary stone, though he keeps diamond files handy for finer work.

“The way you can tell whether a knife needs sharpening,” he explained, picking up a blade, “is to look straight down at the edge. If you see a reflection, that means there’s a flat spot and it’s dull. If there’s no reflection, it’s sharp. Simple as that.”

Logan’s path to the Repair Café wasn’t direct. After earning a degree at UC Davis, he spent 37 years teaching science at West Sacramento schools, including the original Golden State Junior High and later River City High School. His love of fixing things carried over from the classroom to his retirement hobbies.

It was a former student, Terry Young, who nudged him toward volunteering at the Repair Café. “Terry saw me sharpening tools at a plant club event and said, ‘You should come do this with us.’ She’s a real go-getter, and I’m glad she convinced me. I’ve been doing this for about six months now, and I look forward to it all month long.”

The Repair Café, held monthly, is part of a growing international movement where community members bring broken or worn items to be repaired rather than thrown away. Volunteers like Logan donate their skills, whether it’s fixing electronics, mending clothing, or, in his case, restoring cutting edges. The atmosphere is equal parts practical and social—a place where sustainability meets neighborly goodwill.

Outside of the Café, Logan often sets up shop during plant sales at his home, sharpening tools while visitors browse his wife’s plants. “My main hobby now,” he said with a chuckle, “is keeping my wife happy. She’s a very busy plant propagator with the Perennial Plant Club, so I water, weed, and do whatever I can to help.”

From would-be doctor to longtime science teacher, from plant club volunteer to Repair Café sharpener, Logan has worn many hats. But the common thread is clear: he likes helping people.

“It’s so easy for me, and it makes such a difference for others,” he said, pausing to hold a freshly honed blade to the light. “That’s what keeps me coming back. I get to fix things, meet people, and give tools a second life. What could be better than that?”

At the end of the day, Logan isn’t just sharpening blades—he’s sharpening community spirit, one tool at a time.

The West Sac Repair Cafe meets on the last Saturday of the month from 9 am until noon at the Holy Cross Parish, 1321 Anna St, West Sacramento.

~ Al Zagofsky