Green Before it was Cool

What did Great-Grandpa do when his new safety razor needed a fresh blade?  He didn't run down to Walmart and grab a pack of disposables. He may have used a gadget like this 1927 Kriss Kross blade sharpener.

Here you see it next to a single-edge blade.

Once the blade is mounted into the device, a locking lever is thrown to keep it in place and the hand crank is turned to drop the blade onto a moving grind stone.

After two circuits of the grind stone, the mechanism automatically lifts the blade and turns it over to sharpen the other side.

Welcome to Merry Cranks

Hello! Welcome to our blog.  Leon and I enjoy vintage sewing machines (particularly hand crank ones) and bicycles. That's where the Merry Cranking comes in.

When we are not demonstrating sewing machines and bicycles at living history events, you may find us lurking on vintage sewing machine pages or hanging out at my place. I sew. He restores machines.

Thanks for dropping by. We'll be sharing our adventures with cranked devices of one kind or another as this blog unfolds.