Sharpening Collection

Can Openers, Skewers Etc
Can openers, sharpening steels, cutlet bats/beaters, larding pins, trussing needles, hatchet, skewers and steak tongs

The Butchers Shop. A young girl in red dress and bonnet looks at the variety of cuts of meat available at the Butchers Shop

A London knife grinder on the street
A London knife grinder at work on the street

Expert grinder at Wilkinson Sword Works, WW1
Expert grinder at Wilkinson Sword Works, working on a new bayonet during the First World War. 1914-1918

Farming / Sharpening Tools
Sharpening tools on a grindstone - one man turns the wheel, his mate presents the blade to the stone

Interior of French Cutlery Factory, Thiers - Knife Grinders
Interior of French Cutlery Factory (Coutellerie), Thiers, France - Knife Grinders (Emouleurs). Date: circa 1920s

Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). Russian camp. Field military workshop of the 9th Corps. Engraving by Smeeton Tilly. La Guerra de Oriente (The Russo-Turkish War). Volume I. 1877

Settlers working the land, 12th century. Engraving after a miniature in a manuscript called de la Sainte-Chapelle

Butcher sharpening his knife before slaughtering a pig, 18th cen
Butcher sharpening his knife before slaughtering a pig in front of a house, 18th century. A group of peasants watch holding wheat sheafs

Knife-grinder in front of Whitehall, London, 1805
Knife-grinder sharpening a knife in front of Whitehall. In bowler hat, coat, breeches and boots, using his left leg to drive whetting and grinding wheels to polish a kitchen knife

Sharpening his scythe, early 1900s Date: early 1900s

Comic postcard, Little boy sharpening large pencil Date: 20th century

Men with grinding stones sharpening knives, Egypt
Vintage 19th century photograph: men with grinding stones sharpening knives, Egypt

Bearded Egyptian man sharpening knives on grind stone
19th century vintage photograph: Bearded Egyptian man sharpening knives on a grind stone

Silhouette - Scissor Sharpener, Street Vendor
Silhouette - Scissor Sharpener, Knife Grinder, Street Vendor. 20th century

Cries of Paris - scissor sharpener

Cupids on a romantic card by Robert Dudley
Two cupids on a romantic card by Robert Dudley, sharpening an arrow on a grindstone -- Such glee be thine as sunny smiles create! Date: circa 1880s

The village farrier (blacksmith) sharpening a pair of garden shears at his wheel, Pangbourne, Berkshire, England. Date: 1950s

SHARPENING SCYTHE
A Russian peasant sharpening his scythe Date: 1914

Tradesman sharpening scissors on a Christmas card
Travelling tradesman sharpening scissors and other items on a Christmas card. Date: circa 1890s

Tabby kitten sharpening its claws on a chair
Unusual Friends - tabby kitten sharpening its claws on a chair. 1950s

Sharpening a scythe blade, c. 1800
Man sharpening a scythe blade to mow grass, c.1800 Date: C.1800

Country people in the Middle Ages -- a woman feeds a hen and chicks, a man sharpens his scythe before continuing to cut grass, and an older man carries a basket on his back. Date: circa 13th century

Two boys sharpening knives - Medenine, Tunisia, North Africa Date: circa 1910s

The Operation of the filing of teeth in Khas-Kaseg, Laos
The Operation of the filing of teeth amongst the Kaseng people of Laos

A barber sharpens his razors - Adana, Turkey
A barber sharpens his razors on a grindstone turned by his young assistant - Adana, Turkey

Snap Playing Card - Scissors to Grind. circa 1900s

Tinker sharpening a knife for a maid 1894
A tinker sharpening a knife for a waiting maid. Date: 1894

Dutch rover scout sharpening an axe

China - A Chinese cutler, sharpening a Chinese Cleaver
Shanghai, China - A Chinese cutler, sharpening a Chinese Cleaver on a wetstone. Date: circa 1910s

Egyptian street knife grinder - Port Said. A young boy is fascinated and has popped his head out of a small window to watch the grinder grinding away. Date: circa 1902

Hones for sharpening metal edges
The longest hone here dates back to the 12th century and was discovered in Winchester however the rock type matches specimens of schist from quarries in Eidsborg in Norway

ITALY. Trento. Castle Buonconsiglio. Eagles Tower. Cycle of the Months. Detail of a farmer sharpening the scythe. International

Knives and Scissors to Grind Oh
Old Street Cries -- Knives and Scissors to Grind Oh!! 20th century

Pyrenean Man sharpening his scythe
Pyrenean Mountain Man sharpening his scythe, France Date: circa 1910s

The Zulu War
Reinforcements on board the S.S. Russia showing the officers costumes, their cabin, tubbing (or bathing) and sharpening swords

Challemel-Lacour / Demare
Paul-Armand Challemel-Lacour (1827-1896) French statesman, Republican, unsuccessful French ambassador at Bern and London, minister of foreign affairs in the Jules Ferry cabinet

Lear / Nonsense / The Nile
There was an Old Man of the Nile, who sharpened his nails with a file, Till he cut out his thumbs, and said calmly, This comes of sharpening ones nails with a file! Date: First published: 1846

The Ashanti War (1873-74) - Sharpening cutlasses at Prahsu
The British contingent at camp in Prahsu making preparations for war, sharpening cutlasses

Dutch Writing Master
The writing master sharpens his quill pen before continuing with the lesson

Social / Russia / Peasant
A Russian peasant sharpening his scythe

Sharpening a Scythe
Sam Bennett of Ilmington, Warwickshire, England, aged 74, who has used a scythe for 52 years and can still mow one and a quarter acres a day!

Back to the Grindstone
A grinder and his assistant sharpening knives or other tools on a grindstone

The Carpenter 1827
A carpenter planing the edge of a board; a Turkey stone for sharpening his tools is in his work box and a newly made door and roof rafters behind him

The God of War / 1909
The God of war tells the leaders of Europe not to make so much noise toasting Peace & to let him get on with sharpening his knives

Industry / Cutlery 1827
A cutler and his assistants sharpening knives at a grinding wheel

Knife-Grinder at Butcher
A man working away sharpening knives at the back of a butchers shop or possibly an abattoir

Knife Grinder in London
Knives and scissors to grind? : a knife grinder hard at work in a London street sharpening a cleaver for a customer

Harvesting France C1920
The Harvest: men, women & children set to at harvest time - sharpening scythes, cutting the crop, gathering into stooks & loading the cart - a child picks field poppies

C17 Knife Grinder / 44
A grinder sharpens a knife on a grindstone

All products are expertly crafted, using premium materials, tailored to your specifications and promptly shipped