# one armed spud barber



## jg grant (Nov 22, 2007)

Hi from NZ. I have a friend who has recently retired. He had a stroke a few years ago and with retiral he wants to do some work around the house.Does anyone know of a gadget that would enable him to peel spuds etc., using only his left hand? Any advice would be appreciated. Regards Ronnie


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## cueball44 (Feb 15, 2010)

jg grant said:


> Hi from NZ. I have a friend who has recently retired. He had a stroke a few years ago and with retiral he wants to do some work around the house.Does anyone know of a gadget that would enable him to peel spuds etc., using only his left hand? Any advice would be appreciated. Regards Ronnie


Impale the spud on a small spike then peel one half, reverse it then peel the other half. 'cueball44'


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## jg grant (Nov 22, 2007)

Thanks cueball, I'll have a go myself first. Ronnie


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

Probably best to buy a small rotary spud cleaner . Just put in the spuds and turn on with water running through . The abrasive surface quickly cleans off the skin .


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## Sister Eleff (Nov 28, 2006)

I was thinking some smallish type of vice that would hold the spud, carrot or whatever but Derek's suggestion sounds a lot less time consuming!


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## vmonclus (Dec 22, 2010)

cueball44 said:


> Impale the spud on a small spike then peel one half, reverse it then peel the other half. 'cueball44'


a piece of wood put some nails on it


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## vickentallen (Oct 12, 2007)

Two small spikes are better, stops spud rotating, make sure the apparatus is able to be sterilised,,don't ask me how I know this! ex motorcyclist!


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## Thats another Story (Mar 4, 2009)

tell him to make something like a two pronged toasting folk long handle to strap to his bad arm he can then peel the hole spud in one go{any patent it is mine}.john(Thumb)


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## cueball44 (Feb 15, 2010)

Derek Roger said:


> Probably best to buy a small rotary spud cleaner . Just put in the spuds and turn on with water running through . The abrasive surface quickly cleans off the skin .


I used to have one of those abrasive spud peelers, about the size of a bucket, just put the spuds in then turn the handle until they are peeled, i don't know if they still make them, try googling portable potato peelers. 'cueball44'


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

I have a mate who lost his right arm years ago. When he stayed at my place in the UK he used to peel the spuds with his left hand. He used to trap the spud in the corner of the sink.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

billyboy said:


> I have a mate who lost his right arm years ago. When he stayed at my place in the UK he used to peel the spuds with his left hand. He used to trap the spud in the corner of the sink.


That was good of you to let him do that, Billyboy(Jester)

John T.


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## TonyAllen (Aug 6, 2008)

You can buy a small machine that rotates with a pint of water in, switch on and hey presto, clean spuds,we have one to make roasties for sunday dinner 
perfect every time Regards |Tony


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

trotterdotpom said:


> That was good of you to let him do that, Billyboy(Jester)
> 
> John T.



He insisted that he did things around the place while he was there. he used to stay at my place each time he visited the UK in those days. Amazing just what he could do with just his left arm. Lost his right arm in a motor cycle accident years before.
(Thumb)


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Only kidding, Billyboy. I'm sure you'd be a generous host to any visitor.

John T.


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## Oz. (Sep 6, 2005)

Doesn't just remind you of those Hobart spud peelers installed on just about every ship I sailed on. 
Good luck to your mate jg grant.


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## jg grant (Nov 22, 2007)

Hi thank you all for your responses. I have googled and there are two gadgets on the market for around 17 $US dollars. Will just have to see if they're available in NZ.Thanks again everyone Ronnie


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## tsell (Apr 29, 2008)

A few years ago, while the missus was away for a couple of days, I fell down (let's be honest - drunk) and badly sprained my wrist, which the doc strapped up and shoved in a sling.
She rang on the morning of her return and said get some fish out of the deep freeze, peel and chip some spuds and put them in water till I get home.
Panic stations! How the hell was I to peel spuds with one good hand. After all, I wanted to be a good boy as I was expecting to be accused of falling down drunk!
Fortunately, having the superior brain power of the Welsh (we're not all sheep shaggers as she says), I scouted around her drawers (kitchen, that is) until I found the perfect gadget. (OK, I'm nearly there!)
It is was something all kitchens have - a grater!! You know, the kind that's almost pyramid shaped with four sides for grating nutmeg, cheese and - wait for it - slicing vegies.
So I shoves me elbow in the top to hold it and slid the spuds carefully down the slicer. A bit of practice and it worked a treat. 

So Ronnie, tell your mate to try it. He's probably not Welsh otherwise he would have thought of it!

All the best old mate!

Taff


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## jg grant (Nov 22, 2007)

Hi again Taff No, my mate's a weegie but I had already tried the grater trick,(spent a lot of time in Cardiff and Swansea see). By the time I got back to him down the bays club he had got his brother to make him up a board with a couple of screws sticking. A work in progress. I also gave him a heads up about a couple of lttle electric gadgets. One has a revolving disc with a spike on it for the spud and a peeler on some kind of cam that goes down the spud as it revolves. A gimmick really but may be ideal for a one handed person.And I recall from my distant past that the word spud is actually an acronym the letters of which stand for,'Society for the Prevention of Unhealthy Diets because in the 1800's or earlier it was believed the spud was unhealthy. Seems the leaves are toxic and that's where people went wrong. TENAKWE! Ronnie


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## John Briggs (Feb 12, 2006)

trotterdotpom said:


> Only kidding, Billyboy. I'm sure you'd be a generous host to any visitor.
> 
> John T.



Spot on John! 
When I stayed with him I got a great breakfast providing I finished cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen beforehand.
The gardening was a bit tough in that heat but Billyboy was really helpful shouting orders from the veranda where he sat in the shade with his beer.
Yep, you really would enjoy a short stay with him John.


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

ha ha has...All welcome lads. Your turn for the veranda chair next John ha ha ha


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## John Briggs (Feb 12, 2006)

You're a good man Billyboy!
For those that may be seriously interested, Billyboy's invitation is quite genuine and you would never find a finer host!
I still have very fond memories of my visit. It was really worth the trip!


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

hey not all at once though its only a small house...LOL
It was great Having John here, wish he could have stayed longer. I can assure you all that he is a totally different character to the one you read about on the virtual crazy gang. A real gentleman in fact.

(My round next i think Commodore!)


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## kevjacko (Jun 4, 2008)

HI Jg

You can always try jacket potatoes, eliminates the need for peeling and any other physical effort for that matter......lol


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## oilkinger (Dec 17, 2008)

Toss the spuds into a pot of boiling water for about 1 minute. This softens the peel and cracks it. Remove them with tongs and let them cool. Then its just a matter of holding them in the hand and pulling the skin off with the fingers. I also use this method for peeling tomatoes.


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## TonyAllen (Aug 6, 2008)

The small electric potato peeler we have is called classic cuisine and cost 29.99
from a small newspaper advert in the sunday mail its like a minnie hobart works a treat Tony


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