The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-11
SCISSORS GRINDERS.
Some From the Austrian Tyrol. Some From
Italy-HOw to Distinguish Them.

V8ly-hOW 10 Dist Buibu Hue"s
Speaking generally. the scissors grinders
with machines which they trundle ahead OF
them like q wheelbarrow. come from the
Austrian Tyrol. while those with machines
carried on their back come from Italy,
and it may be from as far south as Naples.
But there are some Italian scissors grinders
from the far northern province OF Venice,
bordering on the. Tyrol who. like the men
from Austria, use trundle machines, and
may themselves more Enearly resemble
the men Of the German races to the north
than they DO those Of the Latin race to the
south.
The back machine men have been here
the longer. The trundle machine men
did not begin coming In numbers until
twenty years ago or lees. But there are
now here many Of each, and they are scat
tered all over the country.
The back machines are all substantially
alike; of the trundle machines, while they
do have some general resemblance. there
are scarcely two just alike. In Austria
there are places where these machines are
made. They cost there el2 or SIS. and. made
OF hard wood. they last for many years.
But many OF the gIindt rs ina Ike their
own machines, embodying their own ideas
OF what would he most convenient or de-
sirable in Use, or what might suit their
fancy.
Unde this last head might be classed the
cranks sen on some Of the machines, CON-
Meeting the tradle with the shaft OF the
driving wheel Some OF these, instead OF
Being straight, like an ordinary crank,
are curved, crescent-sheped, or 80 much
curv. d that they maxi all but circle, which
plays round and round curiously when the
ma chine In worked.
In this country when a man wants one Of
these trundle machines he makes It himself
or he draws his plans and takes them TO
carpenter. The grindstones wear out
Of course and have to be renewed. and the
grinders buy stones here. American grind
stone men say that they give the grinders
better grindstones than those they bring
Most Of the scissors grinders confine
their work to the sharpening OF scissors
and knives and tools; there are some, these
mostly back machine men, who add TO that
work the mending OF umbrellas Inc
Brought here or adopted the buglc instead
of the time -honored bell, are, OF course
back ma chine men. The tr,ndle man needs
both hands with which to wheel his machine;
90 H i aid whsn scissors grinders were fewer
The grinders were all drawn here, OF course /;
as 50 many millions OF other Old World
people have been, by the attraction OF the
New Worlds prosperity, and wealth.
The earlier corners did WELL ana ,neir sue
cess attracted many more, until now,
eyerdone. Of the earlier days a grinder
some years ago he made little scissors
grinding tour through New England. ne
was a trundle machine man b'mseh, nut
on this trip he carried a back machine. Inc
tr,ndle machine In heavy and adapted
10 sidewalks and city pavements. not 10
country dirt roads.
His trip was prosperous. for In many
narts the scissors grinder had remained
mite unknown. He was tilling fresh
Ground, and his returns were correspond
mo Even in one small city that he struck,
| a nlace Of 10. 900 inhabitants. they had never
seen travelling scissors grinder, ana mere
he TOOK i'm six or seven dollars a!day, some
thing more than $50 in three DAYS, WINE
his daily expenses had been about u.
gold mine'- said his interiocutor.,
sBetter than some gold mines, SAID the
.brewd and good humored scissors grinder.
Rut there are no such New England cities
, now The scissors grinder Is everywhere
md the business has found its Level.
But il is uncertain and variable even al
'" Here in New York. one scissors grinder
said. a man might 20 all day-and make
netting. and then he might take u or sS
from one house, one customer bringing
another