knacker ; a buyer of worn out animals or their carcasses, especially those not fit for domestic consumption
knackler ; a person capable of mending anything with anything. Said as a compliment [this term originates in Yorkshire]
A lady came in with an item made by her grandfather, and it was fully restored - but she described Grandad as "A Knackler" Bob and I both thought it was a wonderful term. "You are a knackler" I told him.Now we are both very fond of hats, and Bob's leather one was looking very dry and battered. Susie Fletcher, the leather worker on the programme often talks about 'feeding' leather to restore it to its original glory.
Bob looked on the Internet. You can buy the leather cream quite easily. He looked a little harder. You can make your own as well. Mix 1 part turpentine, [NOT TURPS SUBSTITUTE] 1 part boiled linseed oil, and 1 part melted beeswax. Allow to cool, and wait for 24 hours - it will become creamy. Apply with soft cloth and work into the leather. There was turps and oil in the garage, and I had some beeswax pellets [and a small screwtop jar] so Bob made some cream.The hat is now restored and shiny again. Fixed using what we had in the house, and the only cost was a little time. Wonderful!
Bob is considerably better than he was ten weeks ago, and the TIA Clinic seemed very pleased with him when we visited last week [thank the Lord] The Hospital Car Park Machines were covered in notices of one sort and another. Including this one
No, no, no!!! No apostrophic abuse please!! Bad person who wrote that!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good solution for treating his leather hat! My grey leather shoes, which I recently got reheeled, could do with that. I had a jar of traditional Irish shoe polish but it seems to have vanished!
Glad Bob is on the mend.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that Bob is bobbish!
ReplyDeleteThe apostrophes are loose! Beware!
ReplyDeleteLove the phrase knackler. I'm glad to hear Bob is feeling better.
ReplyDeleteVix told me once that she used regular hair conditioner on dry leather. I use it now on our couch. Walsall ( where Vix lives, and where my parents lived) was famous for leather and she knew many people who worked with it. I heard that HM"s handbags still come from there!
ReplyDeleteI can see that would work - but it might contain synthetic petrochemicals. Bob's version is all natural stuff
DeleteI am so glad to hear that Bob is feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard the term "knackered" used here, in the US; I only know it from reading British blogs! As for the notice, I guess it is a case of 'when in doubt, add an apostrophe'?!