Story:

Kosmas’ mother explains that this item is called “ferentini”.

It is made out of fig wood and has the letter “K” engraved on it, it belongs to Kosmas’ great-great-grandfather. Originally, we are from Santorini. So, there they used to make these knives that they use for the harvesting of grapes.

Kosmas continues the narration.

My grandfather used to be a baker and when he left Santorini to come to Athens to find a job, in 1967, his grandfather gave him this knife so that, when he would return to Santorini, he would use it for harvesting the grapes.

His mother explains that her whole family is from Santorini and that back then everyone had land, animals, they did work on the farm. When Kosmas’ grandfather, her father, arrived in Athens, he worked as a baker, but soon he went to a friend of his that owned a carpentry shop to become an upholsterer.

It is passed on from Kosmas to Kosmas, this pocket knife. That’s why it has the “K” initial on it. They made these by themselves in Santorini. There are fig trees there, although now with tourism and all these hotels, the vineyards and trees have started to decrease quite a bit. But, back then, there used to be pistachio trees and fig trees, so this is fig wood.

As they explain, when Kosmas’ grandfather first arrived in Athens, went to live with relatives in Sepolia.

His mother’s siblings were there, who had also come from Santorini, because they couldn’t make ends meet. They were making barrels, they also worked at the vineyards. They made them and took them to Santorini for the wine, and so on. He still goes to Santorini every summer and Easter. He works at the vineyards as much as he can. He’s almost 80 years old now.

Kosmas says that he also goes to Santorini for vacation.