Mirror Polishing [Buffing] - Ethel Grayson & Edna Stone (1993)

[@steveparker8723]

Thank God that Mr Hawley and the trust saw fit to go and record what these crafts people do before they were no more.

[@NicolaStone-b3g]

That is my wonderful Nan and and aunty Ethel xxx

[@SeanT_1967]

Fantastic to see a part of Sheffield history in action…!!! They don’t make em like these ladies anymore….!!!! I bet they were both great fun and could tell a story or two…❤️

[@mrj8856]

Amazing ladies. Captured history before it ended. Fantastic footage.

[@GT380man]

I’ve done this kind of work when restoring my motorcycle projects, but in my case, it’s no more than a weeks work per bike. Fork lower legs, engine cases, wheel hubs & some controls, especially those I sent for plating. The finished quality depended upon how smooth I supplied the part. It’s very messy work. Aluminium is worse than steel, but both generate filthy black dust, a mixture of abrasives, material from the mops, sisal, stitched cotton etc, wax or whatever the matrix holding the abrasive, and of course material polished off the work. I used a mask because otherwise I felt unwell after a few hours of it. These ladies were evidently of tougher stuff! They’re ten times faster than I was. I also never knew about flatsticks, and a good job, too. I bet careless use can absolutely fling the work, hard, in the opposite direction. I was amazed at how hard & confidently they almost threw the work upon the wheel. I am always somewhat careful around those high speed wheels. They can have your fingertips off very easily. Also, on thinner work, overheating can burn you & May do the work harm, too. Thank you for sharing this! Wonderful, skilful ladies.

[@bigbasil1908]

They were hardcore those old sheffieldians back then, doing work like that in their 80's. I guess it helped give them purpose and a feeling of usefulness

[@loupuleff571]

It's sad to see all of these crafts people go away just doesn't get any better than this !!

[@firebeard]

This is amazing to see, I have been watching a few of the Ken Hawley films and have great respect for the skilled workers featured.

[@HelloKittykat21]

My goodness they are a total marvel. Octogenarians working in such a harmful environment but with such pride and dedication 💖

[@althesmith]

Working with your hands gives you a purpose, and lets you keep active and keeps your mind working while a lot of other people are rotting away in nursing homes.

[@althesmith]

@@1Soumynona The old Wilkinson sword factory had a workshop where retired Wilkinson workers could sign in and work at various jobs such as polishing, hand-filing, some engraving, etc. when they felt like getting a bit of extra cash. One of the old smiths was still forging blades on a part-time basis in his 90s.

[@TalRohan]

I wish I could have learnt from these ladies, beautiful work done at incredible speed and all eye checked, not an imperfection anywhere

[@chopsddy3]

This is marvelous. Thanks so much.

[@johngrenfell7171]

This was amzing to watch the lady's working ,most of the knife company have went over to machines to do this work , they is a few still doing it like this and it will always be known for the finnished item

[@christopherckarkson5605]

Hello, this is wonderful stuff. From a time when britain was great.👍👍

[@QUIGS102]

Amazing people

[@roeng1368]

Figures from a bygone age, when people worked with their hands.

[@jaydwy8069]

Yes, the generation right before the boomers ruined everything for everyone.

[@johngibson3837]

Super sweet to see this clip of the don't mess with me I'm a buffer girl

[@Jeffindsm]

Wonder what all the people in his videos did in their off time as far as hobbies. Was it connected to their work in any way?

[@adambased7928]

Amazing 1993 not 1893

[@ianturpin9180]

And the ladies lungs were full of dust.

[@burtonfootballer5408]

Such a shame the amount of skills lost from both Birmingham and Sheffield. A different breed of people to those around today. Would be interesting to know what they got for the finished job as obviously piecework rates. Probably about 60 pence for one of these so never going to get rich. And the people watching this will have no idea how hot these pieces get while being worked on

[@michaelharrison8036]

I'm guessing that it looks like one lady buffs with the emery, and then passes off the blade to the other one who finishes the blade down with crocus or white rouge...?

[@chapiit08]

What's a real shame is that these two ladies in very old age still had to work hard to pay their rent and put food on the table.

[@jaimz33]

"There's so much dust they'd soon get very dirty". But neither of them are wearing masks or protective eye goggles.

[@NicolaStone-b3g]

That is my wonderful Nan and and aunty Ethel xxx

[@GlenB-qo7wd]

I had the pleasure of seeing these remarkable ladies on a few occasions. I remember as a lad walking in to there place and couldn't believe what I was seeing. I still talk about now an again.