Breadknifes

[allenlondon]

Bought a nice shiny chef’s knife, Robert Dyas, and noticed their bread knives.

So bought one, too. Our last had been me mum’s from about 1940, and I thought ALL breadknives were flimsy and only just about sawed through crusts.

Not so this Robert Dyas thing - strong, hardly bendable, and you could cut through wood with it.

Mind, many of my parents tools were like that, and it took me decades to realise you could buy new things.

[Tilly2]

People made do and mended in those days. My dad was brilliant at sharpening knives and scissors.

[allenlondon]

My old man wasn't handy! Luckily, there was still a bloke on a bicycle who came round once a year and sharpened scissors etc. with a device attached to his back wheel.

Dad's tools were few, and included a couple of old files without handles (in fact it was many decades later before I realised that files SHOULD have handles!).

How I wish he had lived longer; I would have loved to have taken him for a curry (he had spent years in India before he was married), oh, and just talked to him.

A

[jno]

something like this, allen?

https://exhibits.museogalileo.it/bicycles/objects/KnifegrindersBicycle.html

The primitive people south of the river may still have them but not in north London any more.

[bednobs]

I have an electric hand mixer that my parents got in the 60s as an engagement present
I went to use it the other day and it's stopped wprking. I feel unaccountably sad about it, and wouldn't have a clue where to get it fixed

[sherrardk]

Bednobs, ask around on a local FB page - there’s bound to be someone who knows someone.

[allenlondon]

Precisely that, jno. We had all sorts of tradesmen in those days (in Romford).

The window cleaner came on his bike (with his ladders!), and there was even a French onion man, beret and all - we used to practise our abysmal French on him.

[ferlew]

To Bednobs..check around for a "Repair Cafe". There are more and more of them opening up. You take in your item, and sit whilst the 'expert' repairs it. They are all volunteers, and a lot of retired tradesman. Worth a look.

[Zacs-Master]

We’ve still got a few of my parents garden implements. Hoe / rake etc

[diddlydo]

Bednobs - much as I approve of make do and mend as opposed to the throwaway society, my electric hand mixer actually caught fire while I was using it a couple of years ago (it had been a wedding present in 1971). I bought a new one!

[bednobs]

thanks, but I really really like this one, it has sentimental value (if you can get sentimental about a mixer)
No repair café at the moment due to covid, but my town does have one apparently

[DTCwordfan]

I've had a Sabatier bread knife that is still as sharp as it was ten years ago - I'll take it with me if I am ever imprisoned.....

[New Judge]

//.. and there was even a French onion man, beret and all - we used to practise our abysmal French on him.//

We had an Onion Johnny round our way when I was young. Unfortunately we soon found out he was a French style onion seller - he hailed from Clitheroe in Lancashire.

[sanmac]

Allen, regarding your thread at 1005. Most good quality files are actually sold without handles. Tradesmen have an assortment of handles in their tool-box and simply attach one to the pointed end of the file (called the tang) if they need to:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop?query=files&resultOnPage=12&page=2&categoryId={57135C30-EBA0-4378-9FE9-F011FC16186D}&sortBy=default&includeCategories=false&dataItem={7377C931-131A-417D-A0C3-57C296237784}

[bhg481]

It's very dangerous to use a file without a handle - the tang can penetrate your hand if you're unlucky (or careless). I'd be surprised if it's still legal to sell them without nowadays, certainly any I've bought fairly recently have had handles attached.