At the age of 54, Gary Toler started a small business called “Never Dull” with his wife, Kathy. Now, in the sixth year of Never Dull, Gary and Kathy have established their business in markets around Michigan. Known by many as “the knife guy”, he spends five days a week sharpening tools for anyone willing to pay the small price.

Toler learned about sharpening tools from hunting and woodworking when he was growing up in Illinois. He describes his own childhood as a combination of “Happy Days” and “That ‘70s Show”, because of the time period and his group of friends.

Thirty-five years ago, after visiting a friend in Michigan, Gary decided to leave Illinois.

“I just liked it and decided to stay. Seemed to work out for me,” he said, “I’ve been here so long I consider this my home.” Gary worked in maintenance up until six years ago when his job was outsourced.

“I started this sharpening service out of necessity, because I needed a job,” he said.

Gary and Kathy visit markets in Howell, Northville, Royal Oak, Okemos and Ann Arbor five days a week to sharpen tools for chefs, restaurants, gardeners and other marketgoers. On an average day, he sharpens between 100 and 200 knives with his electric machine. He also does special requests for swords, hatchets, axes and sickles. The angle to which he sharpens the blade is important, because it affects its usefulness and reliability.

“The 25 degree angle won’t get as sharp but its a more durable edge,” he said, “with the 20 degree edge on a work knife, you’re more prone to chip it.” Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice effectiveness for reliability.

Gary knows the tricks to sharpening, but that is not what makes the business successful. He and Kathy attribute Never Dull’s success to their management skills.

“There’s a lot of things you can do to really mess up a business,” Toler said “You just gotta stay with it. Even in the winter when it’s cold stay with it.” His best advice to small business owners is to provide good service to customers and work until the business is prominent in the community.

Gary and Kathy are happy where they are. They used their unique skills to start their own business where they have little competition, and Gary would recommend that others do the same.

“I’m 59,” he said, “so it’s never too late to start something new.”