Hand grinding

Grinding is the craft of shaping, sharpening and polishing blades on a grindstone. Grinding was a subsidiary stage in the making of cutlery and other bladed tools. Once the item had been forged to the required pattern, the blade would be passed to a grinder for shaping and sharpening, before a handle was fitted.

Sheffield was the centre of the cutlery industry in the UK, and historically grinders were self-employed and rented a work space. In the late-eighteenth century there were roughly 1800 grinders working in Sheffield, specialising in particular items depending on the size of the wheel required, which could vary in diameter from two inches to six feet. There are two types of grinding: wet grinding where the stone ran through water (saws, files, sickles, table knives, edge tools and scythes) and dry grinding (forks, needles, brace bits and spindles). Some items were both wet and dry ground (scissors and razors) (M.P. Johnson). Dry grinding was much quicker than wet grinding, but created far more dust. Grinding was a dangerous job – there was the risk that the wheel might explode, and the fine dust from the grinding would get into the lungs. In the mid-nineteenth century, wet grinders rarely reached 45 years old, and dry grinders rarely reached 35 years old (Paul Allen, 2013).

Today, there is only one self-employed/’jobbing’ hand grinder left – Brian Alcock – who rents a workshop in Sheffield and grinds for other people. However, various firms also employ in-house grinders and most knife makers need to be able to grind. Most people grind on machines where possible, but there are some things that can only be done by hand. Many companies employ hand grinders, e.g. hand grinding is necessary to give a 12-inch palette knife its malleability; e.g. pocket knives are machine ground on a swage and hand ground from then on.

• Wet grinding – traditionally used for saws, files, sickles, table knives, edge tools and scythes
• Dry grinding – traditionally used for forks, needles, brace bits and spindles

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• Spring hammer forging
• Buffing

• Possible shortage of octagon-carbon steel – only one rolling mill capable of supplying, but it needs 40-50,000kg orders to make it viable. As a result, businesses are currently importing Italian material.

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Using grinding wheels:

• Brian Alcock – the last self-employed/jobbing hand grinder, Sheffield
• Peter Gribben – part time grinder at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Sheffield
• Zak – training with Brian Alcock

Crafts businesses that employ two or more makers:

• A. Wright and Son, Sheffield, have in-house hand grinders
• Crown Hand Tools, Sheffield, have in-house hand grinders
• Ansell Handtools (Sheffield) Ltd, Sheffield, have in-house hand grinders
• Robert Sorby, Sheffield, have in-house hand grinders
• J. Adams Ltd,, Sheffield, have in-house hand grinders
• Ashley Iles (Edge Tools) Ltd, Kirkby, Lincolnshire
• Eggington Bros Ltd 

• There is a difference between grinding on a wheel and on a linisher which is what the majority of knife makers grind on. The grinding wheel requires great skill, while the llinisher or belt sander is a tool that can be bought for £1,000 (professional versions) and there is little or no maintenance, just lots and lots of replacement belts.
• Number of skilled craftspeople: Today, there is only one self-employed/’jobbing’ hand grinder. However, various firms also employ in-house grinders (perhaps 6 or 7 in Sheffield) and most knife makers need to be able to grind.
• Total number of craftspeople: A. Wright & Son of Sheffield manufactures knives, folding knives and swords and does hand grinding in-house. They have a workforce of ten people – five older people, and five younger people whom they train from scratch, and everyone does a bit of everything.

• Our Broomhall (2013) Interview with Brian Alcock: Local grinder
• Robin Wood (2010) Sheffield Grinders and Grinding Wheels
• M P Johnson, The history of grinders asthma in Sheffield
• Paul Allen (2013) Swarfhorse: A Grinder’s Tale
• Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust, Grinding Hull