As one of the people mentioned in Mary's very good description of
the Sheffield cutlery industry, can I add my comments on the
butcher blade.
1.  Shear steel was often stamped on to the blade - a metal punch
incised with the letters was used to mark the blade.  Markmaking
ie making the mark punches was an important sub-trade in
Sheffield, and still exists.  Shear steel denoted the quality of metal,
above 'common' steel, and was produced by reheating and
hammering cementation 'blister' steel.  If this was done more than
once, the metal was called 'double shear'.  The blades of such
metal often show the fine striations.  The bolster and tang would be
of iron and the junction of these two metals is often clearly seen as
a sort of smudge - the iron does not take a shine as much as the
steel.  This is called a 'cutler's thumb print'.
2.  SHEFIELD.  I am rather surprised that the word is misspelt.  It
may be that the knife blade is corroded and does not have the
missing letter.  The only other examples of mis-spelt 'Sheffield'
have been on knives made in Germany.
3.  What has been clear from this discussion group and
publications from abroad, is that there is a problem, as Mary
pointed out, in using the correct terminology.  I feel that if one
describes Sheffield knives and processes, then Sheffield words
ought to be used, in the same way that if I were to describe
American industies, I would need locally specific  words.  I realise
a) people don't know the local word and b) it rather ruins the
internationally understandable nature of descriptions.  But, on a
personal note, I am tired of having Sheffield knives described in
words more applicable to swordmakers than cutlers.
Sorry for the ranting, but we will be delighted to tell you the correct
words.
Joan Unwin
Joan Unwin,
Research Associate,Hawley Project,
University of Sheffield,
c/o ARCUS,
Department of Archaeology and Prehistory,
Westcourt,
2 Mappin Street,
Sheffield, S1 4ET,
England

Tel : 0114 222 7100

http://www.shef.ac.uk/uni/projects/hp