How old are you and have you always had these things in your house growing up?

[PaperDoIIs]

Things like can opener, knife sharpener, potato peeler.

I'm late 30's but grew up in a different country and we didn't have these in my house until I was late teens. My grandparents in the countryside never had them. I learned at a very early age to just use a knife for all these things and I can do it well , so bar the potato peeler (and even that one took me a while) I just stick to what I know.

OH is early 50's and English so he always buys /uses these things . It's a thing in our house because he moans I make the knives blunt, but then sometimes sheepishly asks me to open a can for him if there's no pull ring and the can opener broke again.

We were talking today and he said he always had these things growing up , so it made me wonder.

Riveting conversation... I know.

We had a hoover, and washing machine as far as I remember. My parents had good jobs and lived in the city so we had most amenities. I guess mum was like me and just stuck to what she knew aka using knives.

Grandma had neither, and only a very small fridge with an even smaller freezer compartment. Outside toilet too and bringing water in from a well.

It's weird because I'm quite young(ish) but due to spending so much time with them I've experienced all that stuff.

No idea. I think we went through at least 5 in the past 13 years. I don't really keep track of them.

I'm 63. Growing up there was a can opener and potato peeler in the house but no knife sharpener.
I have all 3 in my own home now.

@DumboHimalayan Is that what they are called? I remember my mum punching out the star shapes super fast!

We never had a knife sharpener (I still don’t) but as a child in the 50s I certainly remember a potato peeler and a can opener. No fridge until I was 11 though!

DM had a Lancashire peeler with a string handle until the late 70s, then she was a convert to the swivel peeler.
Kitchen knives were sharpened on a whetstone by DF in the garage, then she got Kitchen Devil knives that had their own sharpener case.
Hand cranked tin opener on the wall for as long as I can remember.
I’m 56.

We always had a can opener and a peeler. However, using the peeler would have been a sign of incompetence and would have been tutted at. It was a major character flaw not to be skilled at peeling a potato thinly, even if it was your first attempt. I think I only ever tried once and got called out for being useless. Incidentally my mother uses a peeler now.

Early 30s, yes except a knife sharpener. Never noticed I needed one.

I'm 51.My best friend bought me a potato peeler for Christmas when I was 11 after visiting my house and seeing me peeling potatoes (skillfully) with a knife.Tin openers yes.My Dad had some sort of stone to sharpen knives.

I’m mid-50s. We only had a can opener. We used a knife for peeling potatoes. In fact, when I was school and we had domestic science lessons, it was also something we had to practise.

I'm 34. We had a tin opener, never had a peeler though, my mum just used to peel veg with a knife. Never had a knife sharpener.

I don't own any of those things, honestly I buy ready peeled veg as I can't be arsed to peel it myself. Most tins have rings now to open.

We had a wall mounted can opener and spud peelers. The only knife 'sharpener ' we had was my dad's whet stone and one of those things that you use on the carving knife, just before you carve the roast. I'm 50.
I don't use spud peelers anymore because my thumbs are fucked

68 and always had all of those.
Dad used a steel to sharpen the carving knife, others were sharpended by the grinder that came around once a month or so.

We had a potato peeler, we also had a 'rumbler' a miniature version of the ones the chip shop use - it had a hose that was attached to the cold tap, which turned a central disc. The disc and sides had a very rough surface and the potato skins were tumbled against these and so cleaned. (I was one of 7 kids and we used a lot of potatoes)

Very similar to this

We had electric can openers when I was a kid in 1970s.
I used to be good at peeling spuds or carrots with a knife but have mostly lost that skill.

Had to google this. Had never heard of such a thing before.

I’m 55, and did not grow up in the UK. We had all of these things, although the knife sharpener was a steel, which only my father used.

I can peel potatoes with a knife, but a peeler is much easier.

We had something very similar too! There were 8 of us including Mum and Dad.

I have to say, it wasn't terribly efficient and often needed the eyes gouged out after tumbling.

Yes to can opener - needed for cat food.

Yes to sharpening steel. My mum always used to sharpen the carving knife before carving the roast on Sundays.

No potato peeler. My mum just used a sharp vegetable knife.

I'm mid-40s. Had all three growing up and have all three in my house now.

The “using a knife as a can opener” is by far the most unusual of your list. To the extent that I’d never even known that was an option. And it must absolutely destroy knives. I’d be really annoyed at someone doing that to knives!! I’m cross if the kitchen scissors get used for paper!

I’m mid 40s, we had can opener, potato peeler and a steel for sharpening knives. Though I knew (and still know) plenty of people who peel veg with a knife. That’s not particularly unusual - but it won’t blunt your knives horribly, which opening cans is pretty likely to do! I can also use the can openers on Swiss Army knives fine. They’re quite satisfying.

Also baffled at the high turnover of can openers in your house! We’ve had the same one for about 15 years. The one my parents had was certainly from the early 70s. Try watching a few YouTube videos on how to do it cos it’s totally possible to make a hash of it if you’re holding the opener wrong. And there are various different types. But don’t use the nice knives! Argh!

40. We had a tin opener growing up and a veg knife.

Since i was about 25 ive had all 3.

I never had a peeler as we never peeled anything.

Knife sharpener, yes, a big stick and a leather thing.

Can opener yes, and I remember my friends house had one attached to the wall (glamorous)

I never use the nice knives and it's not that bad really, especially once in a blue moon. The knife (normally an old one, same one -shorter ones work the best) is fine afterwards.

As for the can openers, like i said, I have no idea. Must've used them two or three times in my whole life? OH is the one that uses them, he's the expert... he's also the one breaking them. Can't say I'm particularly bothered since I don't actually need them. He's fussing mostly because he doesn't understand. That's his problem. We have replaced a lot less knives than can openers though, so that should say something.

We only got a knife sharpener in the last few years and all the knives in our house growing up were as blunt as fuck. We've always had the others though we never use a potato peeler.

Haha you make a good point. Keep a tally up on the fridge! I expect your short sacrificial knife boasts about its exploits to all its friends, who are only used for tomatoes and potatoes.