Here’s a short film of Brian Alcock the last self employed grinder working in Sheffield. It’s a trade that dates back many centuries. The city is literally paved with worn out grindstones in places. Once every stream running through the area was dammed to power thousands of waterwheels. Brian grinds all of our axes along with work for many other Sheffield tool firms and anyone that pops by with a knife that needs sharpening. He’s such a lovely chap.
Film by Megan Crawford of wolfmother films.
A beautiful job of filming by Megan Crawford. I love the opening 18 seconds: soundtrack to black to get us to tune in our ears, then we are treated to a beautifully framed shot of our decaying industrial buildings. (There is something about that shot) Then finally the subject of the film enters. A lovely work of art. And then there’s Brian Alcock. How do you find these guys Robin? Thank you, Brian for keeping going through the lean years. I hope through films and other methods, you will feel you have passed on a little of your accumulated wisdom and knowledge. I appreciate you and other craftsmen like you. Thanks for sharpening my next axe!
Thanks you for sharing this! I am a precision grinder in the states and I love seeing true masters of the craft still doing things the old way by hand. I sure hope he has an apprentice to carry on the work and knowledge.