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The British Army knife and the Oceanmaster Yacht knife are popular with military, sailing, camping, hunting and survival enthusiasts. A part of British history, the Army knife, is avidly sought by knife collectors world-wide. Whether you are a collector of militaria, pocket knives or just want a tough Sheffield knife as an addition to your sailing bag, camping equipment or survival kit, our fine blades will serve you well.
The British Army Knife
The British Army Knife has been used by generations of brave British
soldiers and has been carried onto the battlefield since the beginning
of the last century. Maintaining its traditional design this fine knife
is still produced and still purchased by the British Army today. All the
finest characteristics of the British Army are contained within this high
quality knife. Toughness, steadfastness & versatility are just a few
of the qualities which have served the British soldier on the world's
battlefields. This knife proudly serves alongside the British Tommy every
step of the way. it is literally "As tough as the troops"
The Oceanmaster Yacht Knife
The Oceanmaster Yacht Knife will prove to be a valuable addition to any sailor's kit. The unique blade design is always popular with the crew as each blade or tool is designed to be used and opened with gloved hands. Whether you are crewing in the Solent or Skippering in the South Atlantic you will find this tough and durable knife a welcome addition to the boat, a tool which will soon be in constant use.
The history of blade making in Sheffield, England
The history of blade making in Sheffield, England is so deep as to require
volumes to tell and to detail the full history of blade manufacture in
Sheffield would take a web site of mammoth proportions, such is the depth
of our history. We Sheffielders are proud of this history and that the
skills learnt over the centuries have not only been retained by today's
cutlers but that we are adding our own page to the wonderfully rich tradition
for which our city is justifiably famous.
Tower of London
Sheffield has been the home of cutlery for almost the last thousand years.
Way back in 1340 when King Edward III (1312-1377 AD) was King over England,
Ireland and France, an inventory of his possessions in the Tower of London
made note of a Sheffield Knife. In fact he so valued this knife that it
was recorded in his will. You can be sure that the beneficiary must have
been equally as proud as the King to own such a treasured item.
Later on in the 1380's Chaucer wrote about a Sheffield knife in the Reeves
Tale. Interestingly portraits have been painted of Chaucer wearing such
a knife.
An abundance of natural resources in Sheffield gave rise to the cutlery
industry. The beautiful surrounding hills produce six rivers which flow
through the city and were used to power the water wheels. Good quality
iron ore and coal to smelt and forge are found locally together with sandstone
for the polishing and grinding wheels. Our ancestors used these natural
gifts and developed their talents over many generations to earn the respect
of the world with the quality of their knives.
Throughout history these knives have given pleasure to King and commoner
alike, thanks to today's modern technology we can now show our wares to
a wider audience.
Made in Sheffield for people who recognise quality.
Technical details of our outdoor knife blades
At the end of the 19th century the Sheffield cutlery industry employed
around fifteen thousand people and as the 20th century came to life the
constant quest for improvement in the manufacture of cutlery increased
pace. In the 1920's an exciting new development was made public by a local
Sheffield metallurgist - STAINLESS STEEL. It became the industry standard
for cutlery. Having now had time to further develop stainless steel from
this fresh beginning we begin the 21st century with exceptionally advanced
materials from which our cutlers can produce truly fine blades.
Our outdoor knives are produced from a range of stainless steels called
Martensitic stainless steels. The steel has been specially formulated
for cutlery and in particular knife blades and gives an extremely keen
edge due to the hardness.
For those of you interested in the technical specification of the stainless
steel used for the blade, below are a few details for your interest. For
those of you not so technically minded you may enjoy the History of Blade
Making instead.
Grade of Stainless Steel
Martensitic Stainless Steel European Designation : 1.4034
Characteristics
The characteristic feature of this Martensitic Stainless Steel is its
ability to be hardened by quenching and tempering. This steel has excellent
fatigue behaviour combined with good corrosion resistance.
Corrosion Resistance
Due to the chromium content of 14% (mean) this Martensitic Stainless Steel
can be used in contact with foodstuffs. The good corrosion resistance
is due to a careful balance of the alloying elements used to obtain high
strength after quenching. This grade is particularly suitable for applications
requiring resistance to corrosion in the following media :-
1) Fresh waters and streams.
2) Oils
3) Picric and lactic acids
4) Chloride free neutral and alkaline salt solutions.
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