The knife-grinder: old artesan activity forgotten.
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 2:39 pm
Hi, friends: 
Upon was a time that we could hear in the streets a particular “music” made by a man riding a bicycle: the knife grinder. He made that characteristic music using a mouth organ (I believe) and as soon as housewives heard it they took all knifes, scissors, umbrellas and even pots to be sharpened or repared.
My husband was trying to find that particular sound of the knife grinder. He found it but I don´t know how to include it here.
The bike of the knife grinder was accordingly modified in order to use one of the wheels as the motor to move the grindstone by pedalling the bike, which was supported on a trestle.
Most of the knife grinders in Asturias came from Galicia, particularly from the provinces of Orense and Lugo.
I still remember the knife grinders going all over the streets and the “aldeas” . Even, when they abandoned the streets, I remember them in the “plaza de Avilés” (Monday, market day) and the ladies giving him the scissors and umbrellas…….I feel ancient!!!! What a pity!!!!!!
Marta
Upon was a time that we could hear in the streets a particular “music” made by a man riding a bicycle: the knife grinder. He made that characteristic music using a mouth organ (I believe) and as soon as housewives heard it they took all knifes, scissors, umbrellas and even pots to be sharpened or repared.
My husband was trying to find that particular sound of the knife grinder. He found it but I don´t know how to include it here.
The bike of the knife grinder was accordingly modified in order to use one of the wheels as the motor to move the grindstone by pedalling the bike, which was supported on a trestle.
Most of the knife grinders in Asturias came from Galicia, particularly from the provinces of Orense and Lugo.
I still remember the knife grinders going all over the streets and the “aldeas” . Even, when they abandoned the streets, I remember them in the “plaza de Avilés” (Monday, market day) and the ladies giving him the scissors and umbrellas…….I feel ancient!!!! What a pity!!!!!!
Marta