Tag Archives: Sheffield

The Copper Plating Story

We all know plenty about Copper Plating, but what we often don’t know a great deal about is where the process originated from. I bet you would be interested to learn that it was not at all intentional, but was, in fact, a complete mistake!

Where did Copper Plating come from?

This happy accident occurred centuries ago in 1724, when Thomas Bolsover, a Sheffield cutler, was mending the handle of a silver knife. He was doing so with the assistance of a copper coin under the pressure vice but got a little distracted and the two metals both became heated. Due to their heating, they fused together, the silver completely hiding the copper. This mistake led Bolsover to experiment with other methods of retaining silver and copper together in unity whilst also being one, workable material, and this worked. This was Bolsovers happy accident, as this was the beginning of the Sheffield Plate. Dying in 1788, Thomas Bolsover was regarded in his obituary as the first inventor of plated metal, though sadly not the most well known.

All About Copper Plating

Copper Plating is not only undertaken for functional purposes but for decorative purposes, too. Often used for road mending techniques, medics and in telecommunications, it really is a multifunctional plating technique. This is due to it being an excellent conductor, has a good ability to shield against electro magnetic interference and radio frequency interference, along with it having excellent levelling properties. Copper plating is highly thought of in the medical world due to the fact that it naturally kills bacteria, thus making it a great protection against infections and diseases, so often also used in laboratory settings, too.

Famous Five and the Stanley Knife

5-stanley-knife-knives-knife-point Apparently, every man has a toolkit and apparently in this toolkit there are certain items. But it seems that there just needs to be the essential five to keep your man fully equipped for sorting out any DIY issues in your home. What are the famous five I hear you ask? Well, for under £50 your toolkit can and should have…

5^th – A Spirit Level

No one likes a wonky shelf or picture hanging at an odd angle, and a spirit level can fix this so easily, quickly and efficiently. Hold it so and move it until the bubble is perfectly in the middle of the two markers and then you know that you have created a perfectly straight line.

4^th – A Tape Measure

Hand or arm lengths may stay the say but they are not particularly accurate, so if you are not wanting a guestimate and need to be rather specific with your measurements, then purchase a tape measure. For specific things, such as lengths of furniture, amount of wallpaper and numbers of tiles need, buying a tape measure and making exact measurement can, not only save you time from having to take excess back or buy more but will also mean that you don’t over spend, too. So, be economical and buy a tape measure.

3^rd – Screwdrivers

There are hundreds of different options available when it comes down to Screwdrivers, but really all you need to decide is whether or not you want interchangeable tips – A great idea if you are short on space.

2^nd – Hammer

Yes, yes, we know, you can hammer a nail in with any old, hard object but it’s going to be a botch job. Buy a Hammer. It has two purposes – hammering nails in with one end and pulling nails out with the other end.

1^st – Stanley Knife

Stanley knives are extremely sharp, retractable, multifunctional blades which can cut through almost anything. Be careful of your fingers and it would be advisable to buy a cutting mat so that you do not ruin your home work surfaces or remove your fingers.

More About Stanley Knives

There are multiple different types of Stanley Knife. They are extremely popular because they are lightweight, durable, long-lasting and the blades can be replaced as often as you like for a very low price. They come in different duty sizes, blade sizes and some Stanley Knives, such as the Stanley Interlock Knife have a locking mechanism. Stanley is one of the worlds most trusted brand names in the knife world and are used by all serious tradesmen. So, if you are a DIY fanatic or are also a tradesman yourself, then why not order yourself a Stanley Knife – We promise you won’t regret it!

Contact Knife Point
If you are interested in purchasing a Stanley Knife then why not contact Knife Point. Based in Sheffield, Steel City, we have over 30 years of experience enabling us to find the perfect tools for you. Here at Knife-Point, we are devoted to selling high quality products at competitive prices, through excellent service and communication, all within a rapid delivery time. So give us a call on 07737 133 030, email sales@knife-point.co.uk or click here to be taken directly to our website to find out more about our range of different available knives.

Could you Survive in the Wilderness with only a Stanley Knife?

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Have you heard of Bear Grylls? This intrepid explorer runs wild in scarily hostile environments for a living and has nothing but the clothes on his back and his stanley knife! Because Bear Grylls is so adept at extreme survival in extreme scenarios, he is now taking people on once in a lifetime experiences, known as the Bear Grylls Survival Academy. It is a course which promises to teach adults the basics of wild survival and amazingly, Bear has now come up with a family version, where everyone can get involved.

Bear Grylls and the Stanley Knife

Bear Grylls courses consist of learning many new skills essential for survival in the wilderness, which can include:

Survival Academy begins in Dibba (Oman, UAE) where all participants meet the instructors who are suitably dressed and looking the part in their Bear Grylls t-shirts, their stanley knives attached at their hips and boots tied ready for action.
All worldly possession removed, including everything participants were told to bring eg fleece, hat, chocolate bar…EVERYTHING! Then the participants packed their rucksacks with the items they were specifically provided with which included a sheet, roll mat, mosquito net, water bladder, headlamp, spade, harness, helmet and a bag of fish and kidneys.
The first walk in 30 degree heat began and if they reached a certain point within 30 minutes then participants received a Stanley knife.
Scrambling
How to take advantage of shade
How to tackle steep climbs
How to make a pit-style solar still for water
First aid lessons – from sprained ankles to severe injuries
How to bind rucksacks together to make stretchers
How to make a makeshift carriage out of ropes
How to light fires using cotton wool, Vaseline, flint and steel
Fishing, gutting and cooking
Camping
Trying new foods, including skewered kidneys
Knots
Rock climbing

The Essential Stanley Knife

A Stanley knife is an extra heavy duty, retractable, interlocking knife which can have either snap-off blades of non segmented blades. The body of the knife is made from die-cast metal but it is still very light and of course it is a very small item which takes up very little room in a rucksack or pocket, so ideal for expeditions, such as the Bear Grylls Survival Academy. It has safety mechanism, too, to stop you from losing a finger. These include a simple locking mechanism and a strong, durable, patented wedge lock which retains the blade in its intended position when in use.

Contact Knife-Point

If you are interested in purchasing a Stanley knife, whether it’s for outdoor expeditions, for use in your workplace or for using during your DIY projects, then why not contact Knife-Point. Based in the City of Steel (Sheffield), we have over 30 years of experience which enables us to find the perfect tools for you. Here at Knife-Point, we are devoted to selling high quality products at competitive prices, via excellent service and communication and all with a rapid delivery time. So give us a call on 07737 133 030, email sales@knife-point.co.uk or click here to be taken directly to our website to find out more about individual knives.

Great British Bake Off’s Ian Cumming’s New Christmas Recipe with the help of a Stanley Knife

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Ian admits he is not much of a cake baker but he does make bread multiple times each week and knows that no meal is complete without a pudding. His favourite way to conclude a meal, therefore, is with a tart, new recipes of which he has created for you to try this Christmas, with the help of some technical equipment, like Stanley knives. Here is our favourite recipe at Knife Point…

Chocolate, Chestnut and Marmalade Tarts

For the pastry (making approximately 9/10, 10cm tarts):

120g unsalted butter at room temperature

70g icing sugar

25g ground almonds

Pinch of table salt

Half tsp vanilla paste

1 large egg

220g plain flour (plus more for dusting)

For the filling:

175g Chestnut paste

70g of dark (70% cocoa) chocolate

70g double cream

80g thick cut marmalade

1 large egg

50g caster sugar

Icing sugar to decorate (optional)

Mixing, Baking, Tasting

Preheat the oven 180°C

So starting with the pastry first, take the butter and put it in to a large mixing bowl briefly beating it with a wooden spoon, before adding the icing sugar and beating again. Now add ground almonds, salt and the vanilla paste and beat again. Next beat very briefly your egg in to the mixture, but only to the degree that the yolk bursts. Your mixture will and should look like it has hardly been mixed, but add the flour and all of this will immediately be sorted out and your pastry dough will be instantly smooth. Shape your dough in to a disc, wrap in Clingfilm and fridge chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Flour a clean, flat surface and roll out your chilled pastry as thin as you can – hopefully you can get it to be the thickness of a 50 pence piece. Ian uses a 12cm diameter cutter to cut discs as they are the perfect fit for his tart tins but you may want to use different sized cutters and tins. Press the dough with your chosen sized cutter and return them to the fridge for another 30 minutes minimum.

Now for the contents of tart – start by breaking the chocolate up in to small pieces, putting them in to a mixing bowl with the double cream, before warming it for 20 seconds on high in the microwave and stirring it. If there are still lumps, return it to the microwave for another 10 seconds and stir again. Take care not to overheat the chocolate and double cream combo as it will split if it gets too hot! When it looks glossy and smooth add the marmalade and chestnut paste. Separately beat the egg and the caster sugar together in to a paste and then add this to everything else and combine well.

Finally, it is time to fill the tart cases, so line your tin if you feel it is necessary in your tin, blind baking is apparently optional and subjective. Fill the tart cases as full as you can (to the top) and put them in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. You will know when the tarts are done when they have lost their glossy shine in the middle and have risen all over. Leave your chocolatey Christmas tarts to cool before turning them out of the tin and, of course, tasting them!

Knife Point 1 Fat Max Stanley Knife Blade

Stanley Knives are helpful during Cooking

To add a festive touch to these chocolately Christmas tarts, Ian decided to add Christmas tree designs to the top off them. He did this by drawing a stencil on to paper so that the shape and size was correct, cutting it out using a Stanley knife for ease and definition. He then used icing sugar and the Stanley knife cut stencil to create a Christmas tree design on the top of the tarts, for a festive look, though this could be done with any shape or design of your choice.

Contact Knife Point Today

Stanley knife blades are often used for roofing, flooring, packaging and arts and crafts but why not use them for assistance in the kitchen, too? There are multiple types, such as the heavy duty concave blades, single edge scrapers, Stanley Fat Max extra heavy blades – there is a knife and blade for you! Knife Point are the leading suppliers of Stanley Knives and Stanley Knife Blades in Sheffield, as well as supplying an array of other knives. If you would like more information then please get in contact with us here at Knife Point on 07737 133030, email us at sales@knife-point.co.uk or alternatively, you can click here to be taken directly to our website.

Be a Gr8 Pro with GR8 Pro Safety Knives

GR8 Pro Safety Knives are high performance knives that have a unique moving action. This means that as the cut becomes more challenging to perform the blade initiates a sliding action to complete the cut. It is this sliding action which creates a clean cut so that snagging and jamming do not occur. Due to its heavy duty metal body it is the perfect tool to use in heavy duty areas, so is ideal for materials such as cardboard, twine, multi layered cling film and for cutting bands. The knife handle and the blade are detachable so that the blade can be changed when blunted. The time it takes to change a blade on the GR8 Pro Knife is a short and speedy estimated 10 seconds, which prevents you from losing time and getting behind with your jobs! This stainless steel blade and plastic handled knife make a great pairing for top performance, both at home or in the workplace. These knives are pocket and finger safe, which means that the blade is enclosed in order to prevent accidents. The GR8 Pro Safety Knives can be used by left and right handed users and come in a range of colours.

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Short, Sharp Summary

High performance knives
Unique moving action
Snagging and jamming prevention
Sliding action blade
Stainless Steel Blade
Plastic handle
Use on heavy duty areas
For right and left handed users
Pocket and finger safe
Blade detachable from handle
Replaceable blades available
10 second blade change time
Available in multiple colours

Where can YOU buy a GR8 Pro Safety Knife from?

Knife-Point, a Sheffield based company, are a leading supplier of knives and it is our intention to become your number one choice of blade supplier. With 30 years of experience, we stock high quality produce at competitive prices, whilst providing excellent customer service and extremely fast delivery.

Get in touch with Knife-Point today

If you would like to find out more about GR8 Pro Safety Knives or the wide range of other knives that we stock, then contact us here at Knife-Point today. You can call us on 07737 133030 or click here to go directly to our website. There you can also see a wide selection of other blades you may be interested in, such as Stanley Knife Blades, Planer Blades and Swann Morton Blades, to name but a few.

Swann-Morton are Blade-y Marvellous

Swann-Morton are a Sheffield based company, founded in 1932 and have since become world leaders in the manufacturing of surgical blades, scalpels and handles. Their blades act as enabling tools for many professionals from all walks of life, as Swann-Morton offer consistency, reliability and cleverly combine their traditional blade making skills with the latest technologies. The main professionals consistently using Swann-Morton blades are Surgeons, Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Dentists and Veterinarians.

Surgeons and Swann-Morton

There are 34 blade shapes and 12 different handles made by Swann-Morton for their general Surgical Blade range. These blades are used throughout many types of theatres and practices, such as Cardiology, Orthopaedics and Reconstructive surgery units. Blade size and shape is chosen by the surgeon themselves. It is usually dependent on their expertise as to what enables them to be most flexible and dexterous in their specific field.

Chiropodists, Podiatrist and Swann-Morton

The preferred Swann-Morton products for Chiropodists and Podiatrists are the range of carbon or stainless steel sterile surgical blades which are ideally suited to them, both practically and hygienically. Often the Swann-Morton ‘Sabre’ is a Chiropodists choice of tool, with its unique shape and ‘closed’ cutting edge used for ‘paring’ and ‘scraping’. This enables both close, fine work, without gouging, leaving a smooth, rounded finish on the touched areas.

Dentists and Swann-Morton

Just like the Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Dentists appreciate the carbon and stainless steel sterile surgical blades for a reason. Dentists also use them to perform surgical techniques, including: implantology, labial fraenum, incising abscesses, periodontal surgery and raising skin flaps. The most popular Swann-Morton blade is No.15 because of its ideal blade shape making it perfect for the short, precise incisions which dentist need to make regularly, and amusingly, are the same size blades used for doing neurosurgery on rabbits.

Veterinarians and Swann-Morton

Again, Vets prefer to use carbon and stainless steel sterile surgical blades during surgery. The type and size of those blade do however vary, often due to the size of the animal and the medical problem, more so than the ability or experience of the vet. The versatility of the blades are apparent by reading the following:

Neurosurgery on a small animal eg Rabbit, would require a 15 or No.20 Swann-Morton surgical blade.
A skin Incision on a large animal eg Cow, would require a 22 Swann-Morton surgical blade.
Performing specialist vaginal surgery on a Horse would require a 3L or 4L Swann-Morton Handle.

Where can YOU get hold of Swann-Morton blades?

As a leading supplier of Swann-Morton blades in the Sheffield area, it is our intention, here at Knife-Point, to become your number one choice of blade supplier. We aim to meet and exceed your requirements every time you purchase tools from Knife-Point and will work closely with you to help you to obtain all the tools you need. With 30 years experience we stock high quality produce, are competitively priced, provide an excellent customer service and our deliveries are extremely fast.

Contact Knife-Point

If you would like to find out more about Swann-Morton blades and access our broad array of blades today, click on the link to our website www.knife-point.co.uk Here you can also see other blades we stock, such as planer blades, trimming knife blades, snap off blades and Stanley knife blades. Alternatively, you can call us on 07737 133030.

5 Great Reasons to Choose Swann Morton Blades from Knife-Point

There are a number of inviting reasons to choose Swann Morton blades from Knife-Point. Designed to be suitable for workers across a number of different trades, these blades deliver on customer satisfaction every time. Accurate work is guaranteed; and we’ve put together 5 reasons why these blades are well worth your consideration:

Swann Morton Established for Over 80 Years

Swann Morton was founded in Sheffield in 1932; and over the time that’s accumulated since that date, they’ve become an industry leader in the supply of knife blades. The brand name is widely respected, thanks to their production of knives that adhere to the highest standards of quality, consistency, precision and reliability.

Blades in Demand Across the Globe

Swann Morton’s emphasis on high quality products has ensured that their reach has extended far beyond the Steel City. Through the combination of the latest technologies and traditional blade making skills, this manufacturer produces knives that are right at the pinnacle of tools within the industry. Overseas distributors with supporting local customer bases are continuing to further the brand.

Suitable for a Variety of Applications

There are a number of industries that are benefiting from the obvious quality of Swann Morton blades. Right across the health sector; surgeons, GP’s and nurses are just some of the many people that have incorporated the products into their day to day work. Those in the arts and crafts industry are finding these knife blades to be equally beneficial to them.

Available in Cost-Effective Quantities

At Knife-Point, you can buy these blades in a whole variety of quantities. The order quantities have been devised with the needs of the customer in mind, ensuring that a whole variety of different order requirements can be met. It is little wonder that Knife-Point and Swann Morton have become such a winning combination.

Blades to Fit a Variety of Handles

Knife-Point stock packs of original, new and sealed Swann Morton blades that are suitable for fitting to the No.3, No. 3L. No.5, No.7, No.9 and B3 handles – as well as more similar ones. So you can always be sure that you’ll get your hands on blades that are the most appropriate for the tools that you own.

Get in Touch Today About Swann Morton Knives, Stanley Knife Blades + More

To speak to us about our Swann Morton knife blades; as well as many more of our products – including Stanley knife blades and snap off blades – you can give us a call on 0114 2507554. Alternatively, why not drop us an email to sales@knife-point.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

We’re an extremely reputable knife supplier in the Sheffield area and beyond and you can be safely assured that you’ll be receiving only the highest levels of customer service if you choose us. Our knowledge of the industry is extensive and you can always feel reassured that our staff will be able to answer any queries that you may have in a highly satisfactory manner.

Shop Signs Sheffield’s Top 5 Ways to Attract Customers to Your Shop

shop sign Sheffield hairdressers The more attractive your shop looks from the outside, the more chance you have of enticing customers inside. When it comes to attracting customers to your retail premises and increasing the amount of people that you get through the door, appearances count. So here are 5 ways to catch the eye of potential customers and convince them that your shop is where they’ll spend their money!

Eye-Catching Window Graphics

A more permanent alternative to a window display is the use of window graphics. Your shop window is the ideal place to advertise your products, offers and services, so using simple wording or images can make a big impression. Of course, window graphics don’t have to replace a window display; they can be used in conjunction with it to create even more of an impact!

Stand out From the Crowd with a Fantastic Shop Sign Sheffield

When browsing and shopping, people are highly driven by the visual impact of their surroundings, and nothing creates a bigger impact than a quality, attractive shop sign Sheffield. Having a great retail shop sign Sheffield for your business is the perfect way to make a great first impression. Passers-by will not only notice an effective shop sign, it will also help you to stand out from your competitors.

Have a Sale!

Everyone loves a bargain, and there’s something very exciting about getting something you want for a cut price. Try sending out an email newsletter to your current customers letting them know about your sale and creating a sense of urgency by offering it for a limited time. With any luck, this will get several people through the door, getting you the custom you deserve. Nothing attracts customers better than a big red sale sign!

Printed Banner Signs to Advertise Sales and Promotions

A digitally printed banner sign is the perfect solution if you need temporary signage. Whether you want to advertise a special promotion or event, or simply compliment your existing shop sign Sheffield, banner signs are a really economic way to promote your business. PVC banners are a great choice because they can be used indoors or outdoors, and can be hung from almost anywhere, including buildings, ceilings, poles or even fences.

Create a Window Display

A beautiful window display is a great way of generating interest, and once people are peering in, hopefully they won’t be able to resist stepping inside! Make a big deal of holidays and seasons, everyone loves a Halloween or Christmas themed window display, and taking advantage of them will give you the chance to display a range of items for sale throughout the year. The more attractive your shop looks from the outside, the more chance you have of enticing customers inside.