I’ve baked (and sliced) lots of bread this year – and still struggle to consistently get thin, even slices. This 1920 advertisement has me sold. I’m ready to buy a Lightening Thin-Slice Bread Knife. And, what a deal! It only costs 50 cents. Do they still make Lightening Knives?
A Hundred Years Ago 
I can’t slice my homemade bread thin. I try, but no luck.
Neither can I. I think that its a skill that I’ve never fully mastered.
I don’t know if this brand’s available, but I have two that do the trick with everything, perfectly. One is a Zwilling and one’s a Henckel. I was given the Zwilling as a gift, and bought the more moderately priced Henckel for my mom. You can see them here. Both are 8″, with riveted handles, and both have been around for years.
It’s good to know that the more moderately priced one works well. I had a bit of sticker shock when I saw the price of the more expensive one.
Maybe some are still floating around in antique shops.
I was thinking I need one of those knives too!
It may just be advertising hype, but the ad sure makes the Lightning Knife sound like something I need.
Good suggestion – I used to love visiting the flea markets and antique shops when I visited central PA. I found so many wonderful things. Hopefully, I’ll have the opportunity to do it again before too long.
I have always been the one tasked with cutting, carving, and portioning. I have a thing for symmetry.
I love the line about how your baked goods will be judged by appearance. Don’t be judging me when I am carrying around a Lightening bread knife! 🙂
🙂 It sounds like you have a skill that’s in demand. I don’t think that baked goods should be judged by appearance – yet I sometimes judge cakes and pies by appearance when selecting which dessert to eat at a reunion or other gathering.
One thing I learned while at culinary school is that the majority of people “eat with their eyes”. I believe that holds true, especially when it comes to dining out.
I want one!
So do I. 🙂
I use my mother’s 1950s Stanley bread/cake knife. It is probably not any better than any other knife, but I like using it.
It sounds like your mother’s knife has stood the test of time. If it works well for you, it makes sense to use it.
This ad was great, Sheryl. The women having tea in their 1920s dresses and hats, the tea set-up, and then this handy knife perfect for cutting cakes and breads. when I saw the Request Form at the bottom, I had to look twice to see if I read it right. 50 cents for the knife!
The 50 cents in the request form also made me look twice. Today that won’t even come close to covering the postage to mail the knife, let alone the cost of the knife.
I love this picture — the styles. My mother would have been married for 3 years in 1920. Styles had changed so much just in those three years.
There’s definitely a 1920’s vibe to this picture. I’ve also noticed how quickly styles were changing between the mid-1910’s to 1920. There were to many changes in just a couple years -the end of WWI, women got the right to vote, and prohibition began.
I could do with one of these to cut sour dough bread.xxx
It’s really difficult to cut even slices of homemade bread.
I was charmed by the hats… especially the big brimmed one with one eye peeking out. The knife does look like it would work nicely.
I loved the hats, too. It’s amazing how much women dressed up back then when they had tea with their friends.
That’s a gorgeous ad.
Old ads can provide so many insights into the times.
I agree. Old TV ad are one of my favorite things on YouTube.
I’m still looking for a good bread knife…
So am I.
Love old ads and the prices!!!
It’s nice to hear that you enjoyed this post.
When we moved into this thirties cottage, we found some gems, and one of them is a Smorgasbord knife. (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EKwAAOSwV0RXubeF/s-l640.jpg) It is an adjustable bread knife that allows you to adjust how thick or thin you want the slice. I’ve only tried it a couple of times; it seems to be left-handed? I don’t know, maybe I’ll try again, now that bread season is almost upon us. Love that ad!
What a fascinating knife! Since I’m left handed, I may have to look for one.
Makes one wonder if the homemakers from the 20s were taken in by the marketing hype? I have a long serrated knife that is handy for many uses, but I don’t think it could cut as thinly as promised by the one in the ad. Then again, it’s not a Wiebusch & Hilger!
I think that you may be onto something – my gut feeling is that people in the 1920’s were just as swayed by advertising as people today.
I don’t know, but my friend has a super sharp bread knife that easily, effectively cuts even the softest of breads, so a good bread knife certainly is a worthwhile investment. I need one myself.