I am often asked how we sharpen or dress our millstones. It is a logical question and one which illuminates a whole ancient craft discipline of its own.
In many ways, we have lost much of the learning and understanding which our forebears posessed. Up until the 20th Century, Stone Dressers were a craft profession in their own right, good Master Stone Dressers were highly sought after by millers and they knew precisely how to cut millstones to suit the kinds of grain being grown and milled in particular regions / areas of the country. It was a hard, exacting physical job using basic tools which did not change for centuries.
Our language is littered with phrases which arise from stone dressing – for example “show us your metal” – a phrase which arose from the tradition of asking a Stone Dresser to show their hands – the darker they looked (the more fragments of steel that were embedded in their fingers from the mill bill tools they used), the more experience they had, the more proficient they were likely to be!
Thankfully, some of their understanding and experience has been passed down to us 21st Century Millers. We also now use steel tools with tungsten carbide tips which prevents the fragments getting into our hands!
I have created a training video, primarily for those involved in milling, which you may enjoy watching which explains the process. It take around 15 minutes to watch – enjoy if you’re interested and have time:
If you can’t see the link in your email, please follow the link to the main Priors Flour website!
Still Milling in the Heat!
We’re still milling away in the warm weather, so if you’d like to order flour, find your way to the Online Store
Happy Baking! Jon Cook
