...to feel that a man wielding a large knife at the door....

[Punkatheart]

...is not going to encourage me to pay for his services?

That is just what I have encountered: a man in a pinny (and clothes!) with a huge scissor sharpener and a knife to 'show me how he could sharpen my utensils.' He wanted to COME INTO MY HOUSE and show me just what he could do. We have had a spate of people offering various things - from windowcleaning to roofing - but this made my mouth drop open.

[FilthyDirtyHeathen]

Is your name Joss Stone?

[AuntieMonica]

door to door knife sharpening has been going on for years!

very common round here

[Punkatheart]

Really? I have never seen it before AuntieM. Just seen the news story on Joss Stone - very shocking. But I can't see him doing any business - people just don't invite people into their homes, do they?

My postie doesn't whistle. Stubbed his toe this morning and I heard him say 'bollocks.' Not so charming!

[FilthyDirtyHeathen]

It's been a while (25 years!) since I've seen a door to door knife grinder. Thinking about it I could do with one right now - I have recently had to retire my DIY knife sharpener.

[Punkatheart]

Now you have mentioned the word grinder, this could get dirty!

[AuntieMonica]

i wouldn't let anyone into my home to do it, they usually have some sort of grinder in the back of the transit

am fearful of putting this next bit in the same post...but here goes.

be careful though, we have also had a large increase in distraction burgularies also.

[AuntieMonica]

at a good old grind in the back of a van

[mummyplonk]

Blimey I would have cacked myself, especially after watching "Luther" last night.

[Punkatheart]

Well he wasn't wearing a mask but sadly, I am suspicious of callers like this. It can often simply be a way of checking if people are in....

[EldritchCleavage]

We had one, but he never asked to come in. You handed over knifes and he went off, came back with them a bit later. Expecting to come in is a bit odd.

[Punkatheart]

..but you are Verity the Brave!

I have just looked at our CCTV and he looked at the camera - then backed away from it. I wondered why he stood back a little bit.

[heleninahandcart]

at idea of opening door and actually seeing grinder with knife and clown mask after Luther

[heleninahandcart]

Luther slasher also likes his CCTV

[Punkatheart]

Yes it would be brown trousers time.

[worraliberty]

Very common to have knife sharpeners knock, but none of them have ever wanted to come in.

For a start he'd have to leave his barrow and wheel outide?

[FilthyDirtyHeathen]

He as to be legit though. If he really wanted to gain entry to people's houses to well 'stab them up', disguising himself as a knife grinder and waving a big knife around is probably a bit obvious. Unless he was playing the double bluff/hide in plain sight strategy.

[Punkatheart]

The only thing I have heard locally is that some scam artists quote a price, take away the goods and then charge much more. I don't think that stabbing every householder would be a good strategy, as well as being awfully tiring...

[Glitterknickaz]

FilthyDirtyHeathen just made me snort.

[GooGooGadget]

punka he wouldn't get much repeat business

This sounds a bit league of gentlemen....

[AuntieMonica]

it's my knife now

[Punkatheart]

Good pun, AuntieM!

[ZXEightyMum]

Where I live if a stranger approaches you at a bus stop and shows your their machete sharp implement you and everyone around gives freely and unobtrusively. I'd be fucking terrified if someone came to my door wielding shit like that for any reason.