There are a variety of services that were offered on Liverpool streets decades ago that we wouldn't see today, and one of them was a contraption that was a “regular visitor” between the 1940s and 1960s.
Known as “knife sharpeners”, men would travel around Liverpool areas and knock on doors offering to sharpen a variety of household objects. This included knives, scissors, shears and more.
In today's society, many of us would just throw away these items once they became blunt and buy new ones. In the 20th century, however, people were more conscious of making the most of what they had in order to save money.
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For a price, the men would sharpen the objects using a contraption which consisted of a grindstone attached to a bicycle which was powered by pedalling. Despite their popularity back in the day, some knife sharpeners were known for ruining items by grinding them down too much.
It’s safe to say the dangerous-looking machine wouldn’t be allowed on our streets nowadays, as they pose a health and safety hazard to the user and those nearby. The ECHO recently posted a photo of a knife sharpener in our Liverpool history Facebook page and asked readers to share their memories of the service.
Frank said: “I remember he ruined one of my gran’s knives by grinding half of it away!” Shirley commented: “They were a regular visitor in Seaforth in Liverpool.”
Roy wrote: “I remember mam getting her knives etc done. Possibly late 50s.” Lynda added: “Saw them in Liverpool in the early 60s.”
Roger commented on the appearance of the knife sharpening bike. He said: “Great to see a bike with a bell and lights. You would be fined if you didn't have lights on in the dark and of course you didn't ride on the pavement.”
What are your memories of knife sharpeners? Let us know in the comments section below.
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