From Desk Job to Sharp Blades: Bill Suter Finds His Way Home

By Valerie Cury

For Bill Suter, life has come full circle—and this time, it comes with lawn mowers, small engines, a six-year-old sidekick and even a cockatoo named Peekaboo.

The Lovettsville resident and 2008 Loudoun Valley High School graduate is the new owner of Sharp Blades, the longtime Loudoun County small-engine repair business built by Ronnie Fox. For Suter, the opportunity felt less like a career change and more like finding his way back home.

“I was tired of being a desk jockey,” Suter said. “I missed working with my hands, being outside and meeting people again. This is exactly what I wanted to do.”

Suter’s journey to Sharp Blades has been anything but ordinary.

While attending Loudoun Valley, he worked at Progressive Automotive in Hamilton, where he first developed a love for mechanical work. After college, he continued working there before heading west to Wyoming, where he spent several years maintaining ATVs and snowmobiles for a tour company in Jackson Hole.

“It was beautiful country and great experience,” Suter said. “But Loudoun has always been home.”

That path eventually brought him and his wife back to Purcellville, where he worked in the insurance restoration industry. The job later took the couple to Oklahoma and Colorado before eventually returning to Loudoun County once again. But after taking another restoration position that kept him behind a desk, Suter realized something was missing.

Then came the phone call that changed everything.

When Suter learned Ronnie Fox was considering selling Sharp Blades, he immediately knew he had found the right fit.

“I called Ronnie and the rest is history,” Suter said.

Today, Suter spends his days repairing lawn mowers, generators, snow blowers, small tractors and other equipment throughout Loudoun County—work he says never feels repetitive because every customer and every machine tells a different story.

“One day you’re fixing a mower at a farm, the next day you’re helping somebody get their generator running,” he said. “I love getting my hands dirty again.”

Ronnie Fox has spent the past month working alongside Suter, helping transition the business and introducing him to longtime customers before Fox and his wife, Kim, relocate to Florida.

“Ronnie has been an inspiration to me,” Suter said. “He built something people really trust, and I’m honored to continue it.”

The handoff has already produced plenty of memorable moments. At one homeowners association, residents began lining up lawn mowers for service before 8 a.m. 

A highlight for Suter was meeting Peekaboo, Fox’s beloved cockatoo, whose larger-than-life personality quickly made an impression. Peekaboo is now preparing to return to Florida with Ronnie and Kim — a fitting homecoming for the spirited bird who grew up there.

“No offense to anybody,” Suter joked, “but meeting Peekaboo was definitely one of the more memorable introductions.”

There have also apparently been snakes.

“Each one of us has seen a snake at our homes,” Suter laughed, referring to himself and Fox, “but not on the job yet.”

Perhaps the most meaningful moments, however, come from closer to home.

Suter’s six-year-old son has enthusiastically embraced the family’s new adventure and frequently asks, “Daddy, can I ride with you and Ronnie today?” For Suter, that excitement says everything.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for me,” he said. “I get to work outdoors, help people, fix things and be part of the community again. That’s hard to beat.”

Sharp Blades will continue operating under the same name and phone number, 540-338-3408. Customers may also reach Suter by email at sharpbladesva@gmail.com.