Discuss Detroit » Archives - July 2007 » The Bell Ringing Knife Sharpener « Previous Next »
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Soomka1
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Username: Soomka1

Post Number: 20
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 2:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In an earlier thread, someone mentioned the guy who used to walk down the street ringing a bell and pulling a wagon. He would sharpen knives and scissors. In the late 60's he was in my neighborhood (West Side, Joy Rd. & Terry) often enough to make a lasting creepy impression. When I heard that bell, I got off the street and in the house.

Since people from all over town remember him, I have two questions. #1 were there a bunch of guys doing this and everybody remembers them, or was this one guy who had a certain route? #2 if this was one guy, how long do you think it would take him to make a circuit of the city?
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Flyingj
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Username: Flyingj

Post Number: 13
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 3:25 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There was a guy who drove around Sterling Heights in the mid-70's with a Cushman ice cream truck set-up
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Ookpik
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Username: Ookpik

Post Number: 262
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 7:43 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Warren had a knife/scissor sharpening guy who drove a contraption that I can't really recall what it looked like other than it appeared to be homemade. The only distinguishing feature I can remember is a large bell that was mounted above the rear axle. The bell would clang on every revolution of the axle and thus announce that the knife sharpening man was in the area.

Ookpik
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Redvetred
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Username: Redvetred

Post Number: 26
Registered: 04-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 7:54 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There was one in Ferndale who drove a scooter with an eerie sounding bell. I believe he lived near 14 Mile Road and Campbell in Clawson.
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Mikem
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Username: Mikem

Post Number: 3359
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 8:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Eerie? I thought they used Sanctus bells. I could understand why you would hide.
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Blueidone
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Username: Blueidone

Post Number: 83
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 8:54 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Huntington Woods had a guy who did this as well, back in the late 50's-early 60's. I don't remember much about him except that it appeared to be a converted bicycle. My mother used to get all her knives and scissors sharpened by him.
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Dexterpointing
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Username: Dexterpointing

Post Number: 117
Registered: 05-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:00 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

that guy went to jail for stabbing me in my left ass cheek.
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Hpgrmln
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Username: Hpgrmln

Post Number: 21
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:18 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

He got banned in Troy. I think it was because his vehicle wasn't street legal or something. Can't remember the specifics.He does live at 14 and Campbell. I think his cart is still parked in the driveway.
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Norwalk
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Username: Norwalk

Post Number: 93
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I lived at State Fair and Gratiot in the mid 80's and there was an old guy who pushed a strange contraption around. He always did a great job and I remember he was missing some fingers. Really he was!
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Michigan
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Username: Michigan

Post Number: 409
Registered: 04-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:35 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That was a pretty universal service, even heard it here in NY. I loved that truck!
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Mikeydbn
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Username: Mikeydbn

Post Number: 345
Registered: 04-2004
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:37 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have seen the guy in Dearborn maybe 3-4 years ago.
I remember seeing him all the time in the 90's.
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Kathinozarks
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Username: Kathinozarks

Post Number: 565
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 11:33 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Could you imagine that happening today? A guy sharpening knives from a cart on the street? Could someone still do that? I bet there are laws against that now. It's a shame, my knives are always so dull.
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Detroitnerd
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Username: Detroitnerd

Post Number: 1007
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 11:47 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah, I remember. Last time I saw him was about 1979 in east Dearborn.
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Lizaanne
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Username: Lizaanne

Post Number: 42
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Eerie? I thought they used Sanctus bells. I could understand why you would hide."

That's offensive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

Anyway - I also remember the guy from Ferndale. We lived on the very edge of Oak Park/Ferndale border, on West Troy, and he would only come around once in a blue moon. But he was a bit on the creepy side.

~Liza
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Waz
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Username: Waz

Post Number: 79
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thing is, I don't ever remember seeing anyone bringing out knives for him to sharpen.
Maybe that's why they're no longer around!
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Lizaanne
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Username: Lizaanne

Post Number: 44
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I don't either, now that you mention it! Hmmmm....

~Liza
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Detroitnerd
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Username: Detroitnerd

Post Number: 1008
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My neighbor said he used to damage the knives.
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Joymac
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Username: Joymac

Post Number: 7
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 1:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

when i was a teen,living in grosse pointe park on Maryland, the knive sharpener man (60+ old) came down our street regularly ringing his bell. My mom would have him sharpen a couple of knives. If I remember correctly, he couldn't speak. Once he established us as a customer, he would walk up to our stairs (wooden) and knock on the stair with his bell. I don't remember a cart though.
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Gibran
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Username: Gibran

Post Number: 555
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 3:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I heard it was one guy ...he just craved up the competition....
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Bulletmagnet
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Username: Bulletmagnet

Post Number: 594
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 8:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Dexterpointing, you sure he stabbed your bootie with a knife? (JK) Sounds like Dommer.
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Valkyrias
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Username: Valkyrias

Post Number: 461
Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 10:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i remember seeing this guy (or at least hearing the creepy ringing bell) a few times in the late 90s/early 00s in lathrup village and southfield. he was definitely in some kind of odd motorized vehicle as many people here described. i remember the first time i heard that bell i thought, "what the hell kinda effed up ice cream truck is that?" and then i saw it and i'll admit, it was kinda scary. my mom knew immediately what it was when she heard that bell and couldn't believe *those guys* were still around doing that. my grandma apparently used to have her knives sharpened by them as well when my mom was growing up, and that was back in the 40s.
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Bulletmagnet
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Username: Bulletmagnet

Post Number: 598
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 - 8:10 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lizaanne, just a side note: We live on W. Troy. Bet we know some of the same people. Round world, I always say. (And a good thing too, otherwise the Chinese would fall off)
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Ptero
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Username: Ptero

Post Number: 127
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 - 9:23 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

We had him, or a guy like him, around the Cooley High area in the mid-60's. I remember Mom and others using his service. I can't put my finger on it but there was a strangeness about him. Won't say we were scared of him, but....
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Rokk_krinn
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Username: Rokk_krinn

Post Number: 52
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 - 11:03 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I moved to Ferndale in 1999, and remember seeing in in 1999 or 2000. I thought it was the oddest sight. Have not seen him since... my lawnmower blade does need sharpening, so I hope he comes back around!
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Bulletmagnet
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Username: Bulletmagnet

Post Number: 636
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 5:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Rokk_krinn, this dude has been around all my life, and in every neighborhood, and he looks just the same now as he did fifty years ago? Every summer one could hear the eerie peal of his bells. He is always in the corner of the eye, and gone before one can say "wait a minute..." I find it strange no one has a photo of him. Could it be that he is a Traveler? An Urban Legion? Or is he just waiting for the right moment to reveal himself? I’m going to be ready with my camera, and IF he comes around, I going to snap him! Mean while, try to enjoy the summer folks, and keep the doors locked. Cuz you never know when the ‘Bell Ringing Knife Guy’ will come around….muhahahahahahahahahah!
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Goblue
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Username: Goblue

Post Number: 99
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 1:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

He was around the 7 Mile-Gratiot area in the 40's & 50's...I still have the scissors my mother used to have him sharpen.
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Kid_dynamite
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Username: Kid_dynamite

Post Number: 55
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 1:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Redvetred,

His house on 14 mile was up for sale with no one in it. I drove by it last weekend. Maybe he croaked.
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Gdub
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Username: Gdub

Post Number: 1118
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 2:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sounds like the title to a Tom Waits song.
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Lizaanne
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Username: Lizaanne

Post Number: 92
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 6:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Quote: Lizaanne, just a side note: We live on W. Troy. Bet we know some of the same people. Round world, I always say. (And a good thing too, otherwise the Chinese would fall off)

Bullet - We lived at 8580 W Troy, my grandparents were the first family in that house, then my parents and I lived there till about the mid 70's. Have you always been on that block? It was an great place to grow up!!

~Liza

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