Layout Table~~~~1565~1565~~

Cutlery - Materials and Quality~~~~1565~1566~~

Crum Table~~~~1565~6172~~

Breadcrum~~~~1565~6174~~

Cutlery Production~~~~1565~1574~~

Cutlery Production~~~~1565~1575~~

Cutlery Info~~~~1565~1567~~

1810 Stainless Steel~18/10 Sheffield Stainless Steel - a material highly durable and practical for cutlery.
In 1914 Harry Brearley a Sheffield metallurgist invented stainless steel after noticing a discarded batch of steel which had not rusted. It was discovered that an 18% chromium and 10% nickel mix added to iron along with traces of manganese, carbon and silicon produced what we now know as stainless Steel.

The 18/10 reference you may see in connection with cutlery types is based on this metal make up. It follows then that 18/0 is a lower quality and less resistant to stain and rust. This fact is reflected in the final cost of the item.
Knife blades require a hard material known as martensitic steel. This has a different mix 13/0, to give the hardness and flexibility needed in a quality knife.
For further information go to The British Stainless Steel Association.~~~1565~1568~18/10,stainless,steel~

E.P.N.S Electo Plated Nickel Silver~The base metal used for E.P.N.S spoons and forks is 60% copper, 30% zinc and 10% nickel.
This combination provides for a product that will be durable in use and is well suited to the plating process.
This is the base product for our Sheffield EPNS A1 cutlery range.
Knife blades require a stronger material called martensitic steel. This product is much harder and well suited to sharp knife blades.

The silver plating will vary in thickness but is usually chosen to be between 10 and 35 microns.
Each micron of silver will generally give a year or more worth of use so 35 micron is warranted to give 50 years of normal usage.~~~1565~1569~EPNS,Elecro,plated,nickel,silver~

W.Wright Sterling Silver Hallmark~Sterling, sometimes called solid silver has had Copper added for strength and use.
Every piece we manufacture is by law delivered to the independent Sheffield Assay Office for testing before being sold.
Only when proved to contain at least 925 parts of silver per 1000 will the hallmarks be struck.

The symbols consist of the makers or sponsors letters, the 925 oval (purity), the Rose of the Sheffield office, and the lion for fineness an EEC regulation.
The style of the year letter which is not now compulsory has never been repeated in 700 years.
Sheffield gained it's own assay office after wares would go missing after repeated trips to London's assay office. So in 1773 offices were created in Sheffield and Birmingham.~~~1565~1835~~