Keeping Loudoun running for years—Now Ronnie Fox is passing the torch

By Valerie Cury

For decades in Loudoun County, a familiar truck has made its way down winding back roads, through neighborhood streets, and across open farmland. Behind the wheel is Ronnie Fox—the steady hand and friendly face of Sharp Blades—a man whose work ethic, ingenuity, and love of community have defined a lifetime of entrepreneurship.

Now, after years of serving residents across the county and beyond, Fox is selling Sharp Blades and preparing for a new chapter. He and his wife, Kim, are moving to Florida to be closer to family. While a new adventure awaits them, Loudoun will surely feel the absence of a man whose truck has become part of the landscape.

Ronnie and Kim moved to Loudoun from Herndon in 1986. By then, Fox was already a seasoned business owner. For 30 years, he owned and operated The Tortilla Factory, a beloved Mexican restaurant in Herndon. In 2012, he sold the restaurant, closing a remarkable chapter in local dining history.

But Fox has never been one to slow down.

Back in 1989, while still running the restaurant, he launched another venture: Take Out Taxi. What began as a simple idea grew rapidly, expanding to 90 franchises across the country by 1994. “I’ve been fortunate enough to start a lot of companies,” Fox says. “I’ve always liked figuring out what people need and finding a way to make it work.”

After selling his restaurant, he spent several years considering what to do next. The answer came unexpectedly.

“A neighbor called me and asked if I could help her with a problem she was having with her mower,” he recalls. “That got me thinking. I wondered if other people were dealing with the same thing. So I started Sharp Blades—and I come to you.”

That simple but powerful concept—bringing repair services directly to customers—took off immediately. Instead of hauling heavy equipment to a shop, homeowners and farmers could rely on Fox to arrive at their homes, farms, or Homeowners Associations, ready to work. Each evening, he calls customers to confirm appointments and carefully maps out his next day’s route. Whether the homeowner is present or not, the job gets done.

Fox repairs walk-behind lawn mowers, zero-turn mowers, tractors, generators, snow blowers, and small four-cycle gas and diesel engines. He sharpens hand tools, mower blades, and clippers. If it has a small engine and needs attention, chances are Ronnie can fix it.

Over the years, his work has taken him to some unusual places. One memorable job involved repairing a deicer at Leesburg Executive Airport. On another occasion, he worked on a specialized machine used to move small planes around the airport. “That was definitely different from a lawn mower,” he says with a smile.

Homeowners associations often invite him to community gatherings, where residents line up with equipment in tow. One especially busy day brought 65 lawn mowers to his temporary workstation. “That day I had two people helping me,” Fox recalls. “But most of the time, it’s just me.”

Of course, not every surprise involves machinery. “Black snakes seem to love engines,” he says with a laugh. More than once, he has lifted a mower hood only to find a long, coiled visitor enjoying the warmth. Chipmunks, too, have made homes inside equipment left sitting too long. “You never quite know what you’re going to find,” he says. “That’s part of the adventure.”

There have been frantic calls as well. One spring day, a customer insisted it was an emergency —the mower wouldn’t start. When Fox arrived, he quickly discovered a large hole on the left side of the mower; the engine had blown completely. The owner had no idea. Other times, the solution is far simpler. “Sometimes they just need gas—without even realizing it,” Fox says. “So I carry gas in my truck.”

What he treasures most, however, isn’t the variety of engines or even the independence of setting his own schedule. It’s the people and the countryside. “It’s a job for someone who likes working outdoors, meeting great people, and seeing the beautiful landscape,” he says. “Spring, summer, and fall are especially busy, and farms need help year-round. You build relationships over time.”

As Ronnie and Kim prepare for their move, Loudoun says goodbye not just to a business owner, but to a neighbor and problem-solver who has quietly kept the county running for years.

Sharp Blades is now for sale, offering a unique opportunity for someone who values independence, hard work, and community connection. For the right person, it is more than a business—it is a trusted name and a route already well traveled.

Ronnie Fox can be reached at 540-905-9006 for more information.

He may be heading south, but the engines he revived—and the community he served—will continue humming across Loudoun County for years to come.