Stem winder or steam winder?

- J
- Joe Ellis
  
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posted
20 years ago

Fri, Jan 2, 2004 4:31 PM

The derivation is probably from a watch stem, which (in the days before electric and motion-wound watches... remember those?) was used to wind the watch mainspring.

I've also heard "stem winder" being used a a derogatory term for someone who likes to stir up trouble. We've got a bunch of 'em around here.... Joe Ellis ? CEO Bethlehem-Ares Railroad ___a________n_mmm___mmm_mmm_mmm___mmm_mmm_mmm___mmm_n______ ___|8 8B| ___ /::::: / /::::X/ /:::::/ /:::::/|| ||__BARR| | | /::::::/ /:::::X /:::::/ /:::::/ ||

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- B
- Bob May
  
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posted
20 years ago

Fri, Jan 2, 2004 9:01 PM

Actually, the origin was from the old time politicians who could speak for a long time. Their speaches were often termed "stem winders" because you would have to pull out your watch somewhere in the middle of the speach to wind it for the next day.

-- Bob May Losing weight is easy! If you ever want to lose weight, eat and drink less. Works evevery time it is tried!

- L
- Lobby Dosser
  
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posted
20 years ago

Fri, Jan 2, 2004 11:21 PM

"Daniel A. Mitchell" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@umflint.edu:

Another look:

Decorate - In the days before air brakes, the duties of the brakemen included stopping the train. The brakeman would have to go to the top deck of the car thus decorate and wind the stem winder.

Found here:

formatting link

Also:

."Tweetsie: the Blue Ridge Stemwinder", by Julian Scheer and Elizabeth McD. Black, publ. by Heritage House, 1958, 3rd printing, 51 pp. History of the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, otherwise know as the famous narrow gauge Tweetsie.

So named because of the slow speed.