Last Updated: February 18, 2026
Business Name: Blades Sharpening Services
Owner: Rick Wilkes
Location: Arlington, Texas
1. Our Promise to You
Hey there, we’re Blades Sharpening Services, a small family-run shop in Arlington, Texas. We sharpen scissors, clipper blades, and grooming tools for barbers, beauticians, groomers, and quilters across North Texas and beyond. Unlike big corporations that treat your data like a product to sell, we see you as neighbors and fellow small business owners. This Privacy Policy explains exactly what information we collect when you use our services, why we need it, and how we protect it. No hidden agendas here, just straight talk from one craftsman to another.
2. Information We Collect
We keep data collection to the absolute minimum necessary to serve you well. Here’s what we might gather:
When You Submit Tools for Sharpening (Mail-In, Mobile, or Drop-Off):
- Your full name and business name (if applicable)
- Phone number and email address
- Physical address (for mail-in returns or mobile service location)
- Description of tools being sharpened (type, brand, condition notes)
- Special instructions or preferences for sharpening
- Payment information (processed securely through our payment terminal—see Section 5)
When You Visit Our Website:
- Basic browsing data (IP address, browser type, pages visited) collected automatically through standard website hosting
- Cookies to remember your preferences and improve site functionality (see Section 6)
- Information you voluntarily provide through contact forms (name, email, message details)
When You Communicate with Us:
- Email content, text messages, or voicemails you send us
- Notes we take during phone conversations to serve you better next time
We do not collect sensitive information like Social Security numbers, health data, or financial account details beyond what’s needed for payment processing. We also don’t track your browsing activity across other websites or build detailed profiles about your habits.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for one simple purpose: to sharpen your tools and run our business smoothly. Specifically:
- To Complete Your Sharpening Order:We need your contact details to confirm receipt of tools, update you on progress, and arrange return delivery.
- To Process Payments:Your payment information goes directly to our secure payment processor; we never store full credit card numbers on our own devices or systems.
- To Provide Customer Support:When you call back six months later, we want to remember that you’re the groomer who prefers a specific shear tension, not treat you like a stranger.
- To Improve Our Services:We might notice patterns (e.g., “lots of groomers in Fort Worth need clipper drive repairs in summer”) to better schedule our mobile routes, but we analyze trends, not individuals.
- To Comply With Legal Obligations:Rarely, we might need to share information if required by law (e.g., a valid subpoena), but we’ll notify you first whenever legally permitted.
We never sell your information. We never rent your customer list. We never share your details with marketing companies or data brokers. Your trust is our most valuable asset; we won’t trade it for a few dollars.
4. How We Share (or Don’t Share) Your Information
We’re extremely selective about sharing your data:
Service Providers Who Help Us Operate:
- Shipping Carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx):When returning mail-in orders, we provide your name and address to the carrier, just like you would when shipping a package yourself.
- Payment Processors:Companies like Square or PayPal handle payment transactions. They receive only what’s necessary to process your payment and are bound by their own strict privacy policies.
- Website Hosting Provider:Our hosting company may access basic server logs for technical maintenance, but they don’t receive your customer information.
Legal Requirements: If a valid legal request (subpoena, court order) requires us to disclose information, we’ll comply, but we’ll notify you first unless prohibited by law. We’ve never received such a request in our history, but we believe in transparency.
Business Transfers: If Blades Sharpening Services were ever sold (unlikely, we’re building a legacy here), customer information would transfer to the new owner under the same privacy commitments. We’d notify you beforehand.
What We Absolutely Don’t Do:
- Share your client list with competitors or “partner” businesses
- Send your information to third-party marketers
- Use your data for targeted advertising across the web
- Sell aggregated data about our customers
5. Payment Security
When you pay for sharpening services:
- In-person/mobile payments are processed through encrypted card readers (PCI-DSS compliant)
- We never write down or photograph your full credit card number
- Payment receipts include only the last four digits of your card
- We do not store payment information on paper or digital files after transaction completion
- For recurring clients, we may keep a general note like “prefers card on file,” but without storing actual card details, you’ll provide payment each visit
Cash and check payments leave no digital footprint beyond our basic accounting records.
6. Website Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses minimal, practical technology:
- Essential Cookies:Small files that help our site remember your preferences (like language settings) and function properly. These expire when you close your browser.
- Analytics:We use basic Google Analytics to understand how many people visit our site and which pages are most helpful, but this data is anonymized and aggregated. We can’t see who visited, only how many.
- No Third-Party Advertising Cookies:We don’t run ads on our site and don’t allow ad networks to track you here.
You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though some site features (like contact forms) may not work properly without them. We don’t use “dark patterns” or tricky consent banners; we keep it simple because our site is a tool to share information, not harvest data.
7. Data Retention: How Long We Keep Your Information
We don’t hoard data, we keep it only as long as necessary:
- Active Customer Records:We maintain contact details and service history for approximately 3 years after your last sharpening order. This helps us serve returning clients efficiently (“Ah yes, Sarah, the mobile groomer with the Andis clippers!”).
- Payment Records:Financial records are kept for 7 years as required by IRS tax regulations, but these contain minimal personal details beyond transaction amounts and dates.
- Mail-In Shipping Labels:Physical return labels are shredded within 30 days of delivery confirmation.
- Website Inquiry Forms:Messages submitted through our contact form are kept in our email system until resolved, then archived for 1 year before deletion.
If you’d like us to delete your information sooner, just ask (see Section 9). We’ll honor reasonable requests while maintaining records required by law.
8. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have specific rights regarding your personal information. We honor these requests gladly, no legal department required:
- Right to Access:Ask us what information we have about you. We’ll provide a simple summary within 14 days.
- Right to Correction:Noticed a typo in your phone number? Tell us, we’ll update it immediately.
- Right to Deletion:Want us to remove your information? We’ll delete it from our active systems within 30 days (excluding records we must legally retain).
- Right to Opt-Out:Don’t want occasional service reminders or seasonal specials via email? Reply “unsubscribe” to any email, or tell us when we see you, and we’ll remove you instantly with no hard feelings.
- Right to Data Portability:Need your service history for your own records? We’ll provide it in a simple, readable format.
To exercise these rights, just call or email us directly (contact info in Section 11). No forms to fill out, no verification hoops, we know our customers by name and voice.
9. Children’s Privacy
Our services are designed for adults and businesses, specifically licensed professionals like barbers, groomers, and salon owners. We don’t knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has accidentally submitted information through our website, contact us immediately, and we’ll remove it.
10. How We Protect Your Information
As a small shop, we can’t afford enterprise security teams, but we take practical, common-sense precautions:
- Physical Security:Paper records (like mail-in order slips) are kept in a locked cabinet at our Arlington workshop. We shred documents containing personal information when no longer needed.
- Digital Security:Customer contact lists are stored in password-protected spreadsheets on a single business laptop (not cloud-synced). We use strong, unique passwords and enable device encryption.
- Employee Access:Only Rick Wilkes (owner) and one part-time family member have access to customer information, and both understand this trust is non-negotiable.
- No Data Selling:Our business model is sharpening tools, not monetizing data. This is our strongest security measure; we have zero incentive to mishandle your information.
We cannot guarantee absolute security (no business can), but we implement reasonable safeguards appropriate for a small service business. If a data breach ever occurred despite our precautions, we’d notify affected customers within 72 hours and take immediate corrective action.
11. Changes to This Policy
As our business grows or privacy laws evolve, we may update this policy. When we do:
- We’ll update the “Last Updated” date at the top
- For significant changes, we’ll post a notice on our website homepage for 30 days
- We won’t apply material changes retroactively without your consent
Your continued use of our services after updates means you accept the revised policy. But again, we’re not lawyers looking for loopholes. If a change affects you directly, we’ll likely just call and explain it personally.
12. Questions or Concerns?
Privacy isn’t a legal checkbox for us; it’s part of how we do business. If anything in this policy is unclear, or if you have concerns about your information:
Blades Sharpening Services
Owner: Rick Wilkes
Arlington, Texas
Call or text anytime during business hours. No automated phone trees, no ticketing systems, just a real person who cares about your tools and your trust. We’re proud to carry on Ken Thornton’s legacy of quality craftsmanship and honest dealing. Thank you for letting us sharpen the tools you depend on every day.
