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Totally indispensible item

(61 Posts)
grannysue05 Wed 27-Sept-17 14:13:20

I have a very ancient small kitchen knife/peeler.
I bought it 52 years ago as part of my trouseau (do they still have these?).
I can honestly say that I have used it every single day since then except when away on holiday or in hospital having the babies.
I peel with it, slice, chop, open parcels, dig out batteries from GC's toys...the list is truly endless.
DH puts it through the sharpener once in a blue moon.
It is utterly indispensible. I could not live without it.
Does anyone else have anything they just cannot live without?

Mapleleaf Thu 28-Sept-17 14:24:36

Hi GrandtanteJE65.
No, I don't think you are, either. I suspect there are a lot of sentimental GN's out there. Both DH and I have our teddy bears from childhood, and like you, will never part with them ?

W11girl Thu 28-Sept-17 13:53:50

My mums old 1970's colander..Its was battered and dented, but I had to let go recently when the handle fell off! Not bad for nearly fifty years...they don't make 'em like they used to!

Auntieflo Thu 28-Sept-17 13:49:24

Like others here, I have a set of Prestige cooking utensils that I have had since just before we were married in 1961. Stainless steel with wooden handles, so never allowed near the dishwasher. I think I saved up coupons from something like Shredded Wheat. They sound very similar to the set that Legs55 has, although my spoon is not slotted and I have a spatula blade with mine. My set of three knives, bread, carving and one all purpose, are from same era and also by Prestige, so well made.

Direne3 Thu 28-Sept-17 13:45:43

For as long as can I remember I've owned a small, long, curved, serrated and very thin knife that is amazing at slicing tomatoes etc.. I'd love to get similar ones to give to my daughters but have never seen others.

glammanana Thu 28-Sept-17 13:39:06

A stainless steel veg peeler that I bought when first married from TJ Hughes it has travelled everywhere with me even came with me when we moved abroad and back again,it is the first thing packed in my bag when we go to DDs for xmas dinner as I am always in charge of the veg it just seems to mould to my hand when using it for veg & fruit.

SueDonim Thu 28-Sept-17 13:28:46

I still have my politically incorrect but much-loved golliwog. He's older than me, my godmother knitted him before I was born. He's got a hole in his tummy and is stuffed with unravelled knitting yarn, presumably from an old jumper. :frugal 1950's:

I still regularly use a cake slice and stainless steel tablespoons from the 1970's and also some Tupperware from the same era.

The mention of knives reminds me to pack my favourite when I visit my son next week. He has shockingly bad knives which annoy me when I want to cook at his house. grin

Legs55 Thu 28-Sept-17 13:16:30

Prestige Utensil rack, Wedding present 40 years ago. It has a ladle, potato masher, fork, slotted spoon & fish slice. DM still has her's which is 66 years old.. Mine has seen me through 3 Marriages, 2 Divorces & being Widowed & 8 house moves.

My 62 year old teddy bear goes everywhere with me, never packed to move always goes in my luggage, he's in pretty good shape.

Menopaws Thu 28-Sept-17 13:06:31

Kitchen scissors my mum bought me when got my first house and she said they would last a life time and they cut everything and have pruned with them, cut wire, cables etc etc and still good as new. Can't tell you the make as not at home

crossfitgran Thu 28-Sept-17 11:59:57

A "Diamon Deb" nail file that my Grandma gave me 55 years ago, when I stopped biting my nails. It is still in regular use, and as good as new.

Greyduster Thu 28-Sept-17 11:59:49

I have DS's first teddy bear. He is fifty years old and his straw filling is leaking out and he's lost a bit of one ear, but we hold him together with a pair of old tights and one of GS's old babygrows and he soldiers on, the old lad. Can't imagine him ever not being here. Up until recently, the only other thing I couldn't do without was my Phillips hand mixer, but the year before last, at the grand old age of 43 (I bought it the year DD was born!!) it gave up the ghost. I was devastated. I don't suppose the one I replaced it with will last half as long.

sarahellenwhitney Thu 28-Sept-17 11:51:09

Can I have two indispensables?
My Aga and internet. (still on windows 7)
Aga, keeps me warm, cooks my meals gives me hot water.
the internet looks after my finances. orders and arranges deliveries of my food and prescriptions and other items vital to my existence and 24x7 keeps me in touch with my family the other side of the world.

Arry Thu 28-Sept-17 11:49:40

My black labrador

grandtanteJE65 Thu 28-Sept-17 11:45:36

I still have my first teddy bear, Teddy Ursula and her little sister Sally. No-one will ever persuade me to part with them! I take endless precautions against clothes moths, mainly for their sake, as they are made of fur remnants. DH has a toy monkey who has shared his life since he was four.

I suspect we are not the only ones hanging on to some or other well loved toy.

adaunas Thu 28-Sept-17 11:18:31

Kindle- I read such a lot and the backlight means I can read in bed without disturbing OH. Makes insomnia nights more bearable. Still have the coffee spoons we were given when we bought my engagement ring. They are perfect for baby feeding, getting every last bit of yoghurt out and many other purposes.

annifrance Thu 28-Sept-17 11:17:44

A Prestige bread board and knife and an Old Hall stainless steel teapot, both wedding present s in 1970 and used everyday since.

My Kindle Fire, ergo the internet.

TillyWhiz Thu 28-Sept-17 11:16:34

A small Kitchen Devil knife which has a longer blade than the ones available now - indispensable - I did have two but one found its way to the garage ....

mischief Thu 28-Sept-17 11:09:08

THE INTERNET!!!!!! I live on my own and couldn't live without it. I buy most things online, socialise ?, google what I don't know about, the uses are endless.

1moleta3 Thu 28-Sept-17 11:08:13

Fiskars kitchen scissors, IPad. Mother's breadboard(again nearly 80 years old) and radio.

Twobabes Thu 28-Sept-17 11:01:42

Yes, am yet another who treasures an old knife. It belonged to my grandmother, must be about 100 years old and is steel, not stainless, with a bone handle. The size of a large dinner knife, it's all I need and it's in daily use for peeling and chopping veg, slicing bread, carving meat, spreading icing........ It is lethally sharp and I have to keep it out of reach of young visitors who are allowed to use other knives.
It used to go on camping trips to France, Spain and Italy and when I'm stranded on that Desert Island it's the luxury I'll choose!

Sheilasue Thu 28-Sept-17 10:48:03

My iPad my h bought for my 70th birthday. I can look anything up on google, keep in touch with family on fb, have a colouring in app and play angry birds too.

Mapleleaf Thu 28-Sept-17 10:29:06

I have a small silver ladle that belonged to my Grandma. It's so useful for ladling soup and sauces, so it gets a lot of use, plus it has sentimental value.
Welcome,CarolAnne - I hope your post will be the first of many.

Lindylou51 Thu 28-Sept-17 10:27:17

I also have an old kitchen knife I use every day. It belonged to my grandma who lived next door to us. She taught me how to bake and I often think of her when I use it. Wouldn't be without it.

damewithaname Thu 28-Sept-17 10:26:51

My electric can opener. Best thing ever!

annemarg Thu 28-Sept-17 10:22:45

Years ago my mother gave me a set of 3 scissors, all different sizes. I still have two of them and the smallest pair goes with me everywhere - it is always in my handbag and comes in very handy in lots of circumstances. My husband always laughs if we are at M&S and there is a packet of biscuits which needs opening but it is so difficult to do - small scissors come out and do the job straight away!

Rosina Thu 28-Sept-17 10:22:44

Hello CaroleAnne and welcome.
I have my mother's breadboard and could not imagine life without it, in sight always in my kitchen. It must be over eighty years old and is wearing away very slowly but - to use the phrase of my mother's that I always hated - it will 'see me out'.