Sheffield Cutlery - The Cutting Edge

Posted in Reflections on 1st February 2011

Sheffield is made up of seven hills and the confluence of five rivers - the River Don, River Sheaf, River Rivelin, River Loxley and River Porter.

Historically these rivers have provided the power to turn water wheels and engines in workshops; sandstone was quarried to provide grinding wheels used to finish and polish metals; iron ore provided the raw material for iron and steel production, and the coal mines and charcoal burners provided the heat to forge and shape the metal.

Also know as The Steel City, Sheffield became well-known for its production of steel and was the centre of the cutlery trade.

Harry Brearley

Harry Brearley is credited as the "inventor" of stainless steel around 1913/14, but was unable to win the support of his then employers to produce his findings. He soon found a willing Sheffield cutler, R.F. Moseley to make the then named rustless steel - later to be changed to stainless steel which we still call it today.

Over the years following a series of "tweaks", four types/grades of stainless steel have been used to produce cutlery: 18/10, 18/8, 18/0 and 13/0.

The "tweaked" stainless steel is more often found in combinations, but rarely on its own, to provide the maximum benefit of their individual properties. For instance, 13/0 has a higher carbon martensitic grade which can be heat treated and go on to produce a sharp cutting edge ideal for knife blades. Whereas 18/10 is an austenitic grade, highly stain and corrosion resistant so it can be polished to provide a long lasting lustre useful for blade handles.

18/10 denotes the content of chromium (18% Cr) and nickel (10%Ni), although other elements are present such as carbon, manganese and iron. In relation to the other grades, 18/0 has an 18% chromium content but no nickel, and is a ferritic grade which offers some corrosion resistance but not the durability that 18/10 offers. 18/8, like 18/10 is an austenitic grade of stainless steel, having 18% chromium content but only 8% nickel, making it more durable than 18/0 but less resistant to staining and attack e.g. from dishwasher salts.

William Rowland Ltd are stainless steel suppliers, and if you would like to find out how we can meet your requirements, please contact us using the Quick Enquiry Form on the right-hand side of this website.

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