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Yellow Bellies: Knife Grinders of France

Published on 09/22/2025
By: sylviefb
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In the early 1900's, craftspeople in a town in the center of France called Thier lay on their stomachs in an effort to avoid hunching and straining their backs while grinding knife blades.
1. Thier lacked iron ore for blades, and sandstone to create grinding wheels, but it had the gushing Durolle River that offered energy for running cutlery machines. More importantly, it had people willing to do hard work in terrible conditions. Which of these conditions would concern you the most?

Thier lacked iron ore for blades, and sandstone to create grinding wheels, but it had the gushing Durolle River that offered energy for running cutlery machines. More importantly, it had people willing to do hard work in terrible conditions. Which of these conditions would concern you the most?
2. The nickname, "Yellow Bellies" evolved from the cutlers getting the fine yellow dust from the grinding wheels on their clothes and skin. Have you ever had a job that always left you noticeably dirty after your work was done?

The nickname,
3. The people worked in the fields in the summer, and crafted blades in the winter. For this stage of the knife-making process, the workers who lay on there stomachs often had a loyal dog on their legs to provide warmth and emotional comfort. How do you feel about that?

The people worked in the fields in the summer, and crafted blades in the winter. For this stage of the knife-making process, the workers who lay on there stomachs often had a loyal dog on their legs to provide warmth and emotional comfort. How do you feel about that?
4. Now machines are powered by electricity, and blade-grinders work sitting. But Thier is still considered by some to be the Knife-making capital of France, and the area produces up to 80% of the blade tools in the country. They even have a Cutlery Museum (pictured). Had you ever heard of the Yellow Bellies knife grinders?

Now machines are powered by electricity, and blade-grinders work sitting. But Thier is still considered by some to be the Knife-making capital of France, and the area produces up to 80% of the blade tools in the country. They even have a Cutlery Museum (pictured). Had you ever heard of the Yellow Bellies knife grinders?
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