itinerant knife grinders

[miss marple]

Having seen a great photograph of an itinerant knife grinder, who wheels his gear around the streets, it made me think how easy it was for Jack to keep his knives sharp. Knieves were made of mild steel and needed constant sharpening. Butchers, and others in the meat trades constantly needed sharp knives so an itinerant grinder would have had a good domestic and professional trade and probably would not remember their casual customers.
Miss Marple
PS Cant download photos.

[AdamWalsh]

being as fascinated with this crime as I am - I have collected a couple Liston knives, I have a new stainless steel version (great for the carrots ) but am also in possesion of an antique version presumably similar to Jacks - ebay regularly has sales of antique surgeons kits which include such amputation knives and other such devices, fascinating stuff!

[perrymason]

Hi Adam,

What you may have is a Listor knife, named after the surgeon who essentially introduced sanitation to some surgical procedures in the mid 1800's. I have a knife collection myself....Bowies, penknives, flick blades, and quite a few Bayonets from both World Wars and the Boer War.

We dont know what kind of knife Jack used,...but as Mrs Marple points out, keeping it sharp wasnt a huge challenge. But...as you sharpen the softer metals that these knives were constructed with, you remove a lot of the blade metal...and a broad knife like a Bowie sharpened often, might end up long and thin as a Listor knife, only with a curved tip, and both sides, upper and lower, sharpened.

Hope that helps, cheers.

[sdreid]

I remember when an itinerant knife grinder used to come through our neighborhood when I was a kid. He had the grinding wheel mounted to the front bumper of his old wreck of a car. Most people viewed him as only a notch above a hobo. I think he lived in his car.

[Sam Flynn]

What you may have is a Listor knife, named after the surgeon who essentially introduced sanitation to some surgical procedures in the mid 1800's.

You're thinking of Sir Joseph Lister (father of antisepsis), Mike - after whom Listerine is named.

The Liston knife (for so it is properly called, I believe) is named after Robert Liston, a surgeon of the early/mid 19th century.

[AdamWalsh]

You're thinking of Sir Joseph Lister (father of antisepsis), Mike - after whom Listerine is named.

The Liston knife (for so it is properly called, I believe) is named after Robert Liston, a surgeon of the early/mid 19th century.

I was thinking that - Im sure its "Liston".

[Robert]

Jack may have had his knife in a sheath - although I've never yet seen, in any film fight scene, a man pull out a sheaf and pull a knife from it. The knife always comes out ready for use.

[miss marple]

Jack could have used many different knives, as said,when sharpened they changed shape. Knives were easily available and easily sharpened, so we may be too fixated on the wounds of 'canonical five'. If Jack became more skillful with the knife, he may have developed a pride in his knives and chosen them very carefully.
I think Tabrum was a victim of Jack, there is a lot of signature there. After that perhaps he realised cutting the throat was the most effective way of killing the victims and got the right tools for the job.
Miss Marple

[Mike Covell]

I am 30 this year and remember the knife grinders showing up in the street as a young boy. His stone wheel was attached to his bike, he would peddle and hold the knife to his wheel!

I remember watching as my Nan's knives were held to the stone and gave off wonderful sparks as they conected!

[AdamWalsh]

the problem with Liston knives is that there is no hand guard, they are designed for amputations/autopsies, not for attack, so maybe while slicing someones throat from side to side will be do-able attacking someone (i.e stabbing) would most likely result in the knife pushing backwards against your hand and cutting your own fingers, therefore making it plausible that he maybe used 2 knives, one for inital attack and one for afterwards (mutilations etc once victim has stopped struggling).

[Steve S]

Don't need a grinder....I carry a small sharpening stone as part of my Re-enactment kit...couple of minutes after use is enough to keep razor-sharp.
Steve

[perrymason]

You're thinking of Sir Joseph Lister (father of antisepsis), Mike - after whom Listerine is named.

The Liston knife (for so it is properly called, I believe) is named after Robert Liston, a surgeon of the early/mid 19th century.

My apologies Adam, gents,... as I was thinking of the man who introduced things like the sterilization of instruments to prevent infections in the mid 1800's...which were the cause of death more than the surgeries themselves often.

Kind of an awkward instrument for incisions and excisions I would think.

Best regards.

[joelhall]

My apologies Adam, gents,... as I was thinking of the man who introduced things like the sterilization of instruments to prevent infections in the mid 1800's...which were the cause of death more than the surgeries themselves often.

Kind of an awkward instrument for incisions and excisions I would think.

Best regards.

a liston would be ideal, its an amputation knife. im studying to (hopefully) become a surgeon by the way there that looks smug enough

[perrymason]

a liston would be ideal, its an amputation knife. im studying to (hopefully) become a surgeon by the way there that looks smug enough

Hi Joel,

Best of luck with that, we need more good surgeons. The length would be awkward when extracting a kidney through the front, it also I believe would exceed the length of knife that was considered. I believe the use of that knife was as you say, for amputations, cutting through bone as well as tissues...making smaller snips, or nicks, or slicing an organ free might require a more manageable length.

Plus, can you imagine him pulling out that if they were conscious before he cut the throat? No screams. I think it was a blade that was a little easier to manage overall...for all the actions. Be much easier to slice an apron with a curved tip Bowie I think.

Cheers.

[Sam Flynn]

The length would be awkward when extracting a kidney through the front

I'm at a loss to work out why it be any easier to do so with a long knife from behind, or from the side, Mike.