An automated hand tool sharpening system for sharpening at least one cutting edge of a working surface of a hand tool, the apparatus comprising: (a) a supply of at least one hand tool having a handle at its first end and a working surface in an unsharpened state at its second end: (b) a robotic arm having a pneumatic gripper for picking up the handle of the hand tool; (c) a vision sensor camera and associated software for profiling the cutting edge of the working surface of the hand tool by means of projecting a series of parallel lines over an image taken of the working surface to define a series of points, which are the points where the parallel lines meet the cutting edge, along the length of the cutting edge of the working surface of the hand tool to define a data set comprising a series of two-dimensional coordinates that collectively characterize the cutting edge of the hand tool; (d) at least one rotating wheel (200, 202, 212, 214, 232) for grinding, sharpening, or polishing/buffing the cutting edge or working surface of the hand tool; (e) a controller system for regulating the operation of the rotating wheel and vision sensor camera; (f) a robotic controller for producing a series of machine commands for regulating the movement of the robotic arm in three-dimensional space based upon the two-dimensional data set coordinates characterizing the cutting edge of the hand tool; (g) wherein the robotic controller is configured to cause the robotic arm to pick up the hand tool and present the working surface of the hand tool in relation to the vision sensor camera, to produce in association with the software the two-dimensional data set of coordinates characterizing the cutting edge of the hand tool; and (h) wherein the robotic controller is configured to cause the robotic arm to deliver the hand tool to the rotating grinding, sharpening, or buffing wheel and pass its working surface over the rotating wheel surface along its profiled cutting edge to sharpen the cutting edge of the hand tool at a predetermined angle. (a) a supply of at least one hand tool having a handle at its first end and a working surface in an unsharpened state at its second end: (b) a robotic arm having a pneumatic gripper for picking up the handle of the hand tool; (c) a vision sensor camera and associated software for profiling the cutting edge of the working surface of the hand tool by means of projecting a series of parallel lines over an image taken of the working surface to define a series of points, which are the points where the parallel lines meet the cutting edge, along the length of the cutting edge of the working surface of the hand tool to define a data set comprising a series of two-dimensional coordinates that collectively characterize the cutting edge of the hand tool; (d) at least one rotating wheel (200, 202, 212, 214, 232) for grinding, sharpening, or polishing/buffing the cutting edge or working surface of the hand tool; (e) a controller system for regulating the operation of the rotating wheel and vision sensor camera; (f) a robotic controller for producing a series of machine commands for regulating the movement of the robotic arm in three-dimensional space based upon the two-dimensional data set coordinates characterizing the cutting edge of the hand tool; (g) wherein the robotic controller is configured to cause the robotic arm to pick up the hand tool and present the working surface of the hand tool in relation to the vision sensor camera, to produce in association with the software the two-dimensional data set of coordinates characterizing the cutting edge of the hand tool; and (h) wherein the robotic controller is configured to cause the robotic arm to deliver the hand tool to the rotating grinding, sharpening, or buffing wheel and pass its working surface over the rotating wheel surface along its profiled cutting edge to sharpen the cutting edge of the hand tool at a predetermined angle.