Soomka1 Member Username: Soomka1
Post Number: 20 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 2:42 am: | |
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? |
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj
Post Number: 13 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 3:25 am: | |
There was a guy who drove around Sterling Heights in the mid-70's with a Cushman ice cream truck set-up |
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik
Post Number: 262 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 7:43 am: | |
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 |
Redvetred Member Username: Redvetred
Post Number: 26 Registered: 04-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 7:54 am: | |
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. |
Mikem Member Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3359 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 8:09 am: | |
Eerie? I thought they used Sanctus bells. I could understand why you would hide. |
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone
Post Number: 83 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 8:54 am: | |
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. |
Dexterpointing Member Username: Dexterpointing
Post Number: 117 Registered: 05-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:00 am: | |
that guy went to jail for stabbing me in my left ass cheek. |
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln
Post Number: 21 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:18 am: | |
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. |
Norwalk Member Username: Norwalk
Post Number: 93 Registered: 11-2006
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:33 am: | |
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! |
Michigan Member Username: Michigan
Post Number: 409 Registered: 04-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:35 am: | |
That was a pretty universal service, even heard it here in NY. I loved that truck! |
Mikeydbn Member Username: Mikeydbn
Post Number: 345 Registered: 04-2004
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 9:37 am: | |
I have seen the guy in Dearborn maybe 3-4 years ago. I remember seeing him all the time in the 90's. |
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 565 Registered: 11-2006
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 11:33 am: | |
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. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1007 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 11:47 am: | |
Yeah, I remember. Last time I saw him was about 1979 in east Dearborn. |
Lizaanne Member Username: Lizaanne
Post Number: 42 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:15 pm: | |
"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 |
Waz Member Username: Waz
Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2006
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:17 pm: | |
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! |
Lizaanne Member Username: Lizaanne
Post Number: 44 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:19 pm: | |
I don't either, now that you mention it! Hmmmm.... ~Liza |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1008 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 12:26 pm: | |
My neighbor said he used to damage the knives. |
Joymac Member Username: Joymac
Post Number: 7 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 1:43 pm: | |
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. |
Gibran Member Username: Gibran
Post Number: 555 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 3:48 pm: | |
I heard it was one guy ...he just craved up the competition.... |
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet
Post Number: 594 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 8:21 pm: | |
Dexterpointing, you sure he stabbed your bootie with a knife? (JK) Sounds like Dommer. |
Valkyrias Member Username: Valkyrias
Post Number: 461 Registered: 02-2005
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 10:11 pm: | |
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. |
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet
Post Number: 598 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 - 8:10 am: | |
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) |
Ptero Member Username: Ptero
Post Number: 127 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 - 9:23 am: | |
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.... |
Rokk_krinn Member Username: Rokk_krinn
Post Number: 52 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2007 - 11:03 am: | |
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! |
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet
Post Number: 636 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Friday, June 15, 2007 - 5:46 pm: | |
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! |
Goblue Member Username: Goblue
Post Number: 99 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 1:21 pm: | |
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. |
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite
Post Number: 55 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 1:40 pm: | |
Redvetred, His house on 14 mile was up for sale with no one in it. I drove by it last weekend. Maybe he croaked. |
Gdub Member Username: Gdub
Post Number: 1118 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 2:21 pm: | |
Sounds like the title to a Tom Waits song. |
Lizaanne Member Username: Lizaanne
Post Number: 92 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 6:07 pm: | |
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 |