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Cutlery, happy to have it
by Danny Trinders
http://www.rbcutlery.com
Cutlery is any hand utensil used in preparing, serving, and
eating food. In the U.S. it is more commonly known as
silverware or flatware. Cutlery can also have the more
specific meaning of knives and other cutting instruments.
Cutlery derives its name from the term for a person skilled
in making knives, a cutler. The Worshipful Company of
Cutlers was one of the London livery companies, suggesting
the importance of this trade in medieval times.
Cutlery used to be made out of anything that had a sharp
edge to it, sharp edged rocks, shells and flint. Later on,
when copper and bronze were discovered, they were used to
make cutlery until it was found that steel and steel alloys
made better cutting instruments. Around the 1600's, table
knives were introduced to the dinner table. Back then when
you were invited to dinner, most guests brought their own
eating utensils with them. As time went on, cutlery was
mass produced and in certain countries, especially Europe,
became very well know for their superior skills in making
the finest cutlery. The sword became famous when Spain
introduced it as a weapon to other countries and today,
Germany, Solingen, and Sheffield, England are still know
for their quality cutlery.
The three major cutlery items in the western world are the
knife, fork and spoon. Traditionally, quality cutlery was
fashioned from silver, hence the U.S. name). Formerly steel
was always used to make utilitarian knives, and pewter was
used in some cheaper items, especially spoons. Today, since
most silverware is not made from silver, the term tableware
has come into use. Since the 19th century, Electroplated
Nickel Silver (EPNS) has been utilized as a cheaper
substitute. Most modern cutlery is fashioned from stainless
steel.
In the United States regular eating knives are made of
steel and even at one time pewter was used in cheaper
silverware, especially spoons. Since the 19th century,
electroplated nickel silver has been used to make cheaper
kinds of silverware. Today though since most of the
silverware we use is not actually made from silver anymore,
silverware has turned into tableware.
Plastic silverware was made to be disposable and is used in
most fast-food restaurants. Disposable plastic tableware
comes in handy when going on a picnic, taken to sporting
events and even the neighborhood BBQ and if something gets
lost or broken, there really is no loss. One day, someone
came up with the idea to combine two eating utensils
together and make it one and now we have a fine piece of
eating equipment called the Spork and the knork.
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