Knife Sharpener - a Maxwell Street postcard image today

Driving through a residential neighborhood in Evanston, my car to came an abrupt stop to check out this out:



Unfortunately the person working with the knife sharpener was not visible. Otherwise I would have talked to him and collected his contact information at the very least.

Maybe 10 years ago, this very knife sharpener made its way to my street in Highland Park, though I thought he had a bicycle as part of the assembly.

While I may prefer the knife store on Lake St. for sharpening my knives. You cannot beat the unique, almost Maxwell St-esque, vision of a peddler walking your neighborhood shouting out to sharpen your dull knives.

Regards,

This guy comes through our neighborhood one a year...usually around Memorial Day. While it's tough to resist the retro-charm of this knife sharpener, I still prefer Northwest Cutlery's work.

C2,

There is occasionally a similar knife sharpening setup at the Sunday Skokie Farmers Market. Same as you and Steve, I appreciate the charm, but prefer my knives be sharpened by Northwestern Cutlery.

Enjoy,
Gary

Northwestern Cutlery
810 West Lake St
Chicago, IL 60607
312-421-3666

Knife lovers beware: at a Slow Food event a while back, I met a woman who fell prey to the same charm of the old school knife sharpener. She handed over her beloved, and expensive, knives to the guy (I believe it was one of the bigger farmer's markets, but hesitate to name it b/c I'm not sure which one) and he promptly destroyed them. Scarred up the blade, chewed the edge unevenly.

I'm not saying they're all bad, but test out your beater knives with anyone you trust to sharpen them before you give up the good ones.

I recently scored a 50s electric knife sharpener in MINT condition--the cord had never even been unraveled and the box/instructions all intact--at the Maxwell Market for $3. Of course it didn't work. The motor worked, but the sharpening wheels didn't spin. I sent it off to an excellent small electric appliance repair shop in Wisconsin, and for $15, they fixed it. With shipping, I probably laid out $25 total for it. I would never sharpen my good knives with it--the repair guy even advised me not to--but it's perfect for the knives I don't mind thrashing.

grinding wheels....ouch, my knives are cringing in their little plastic sleeves...they would probably prefer being blunted on the pavement than to be "sharpened" on a wheel...abrasion is a delicate task, that millstone in the picture is probably not up to it...


Erik.

LTH,

Skokie Farmers Market* knife sharpener was doing a bang-up business this bright sunny day. Looked like he was doing a good job as well, though I will be sticking, as I said upthtread, to Northwestern Cutlery for my knife sharpening needs.

9.3.06


Enjoy,
Gary

*Skokie Farmers Market is Sunday only

Here's a sharpener man who shows up on our block about once every year; The Wife usually rushes out to have him sharpen several of ours, and he seems to do a pretty good job -- although, jeez, with a vehicle this cool, I'd probably have him sharpen our knives even if he didn't do such a good job.