General Information

 Stainless Steel cutlery

 EPNS (Silver plated) Cutlery

 Care of all cutlery & Guarantees

General Information

Sheffield is the historic town of the cutlery industry and was home to hundreds of small highly specialised firms: some would make spoons, some forks, some knife handles and others knife blades. There were Polishers, Linishers, Sharpeners, Serraters, Platers and Packers! Charming, but highly inefficient! This process has now been improved and the Sheffield factories are much more competitive, whilst still offering top-quality products - many hand finished.

Since the early '70s' factories in the Far East have become dominant and most stainless steel cutlery is now imported. As with motor cycles, cameras, televisions and countless other products, Far Eastern factories no longer simply copy British goods but lead the way in terms of quality and innovation.

To choose your cutlery:

The first question you need to answer is "Silver plate or stainless steel?" Silver is traditionally the 'best' material for cutlery. But stainless requires less cleaning.

Stainless Steel cutlery

Stainless steel is available in two qualities: 18/0 or 18/10 (there is also 18/8 but this is similar in properties to 18/10) The '18' refers to 18% chromium which is added to the steel mix to give it stainless properties. The '10' refers to nickel which adds to those properties and also gives a silvery sheen. 18/0 is much less expensive than 18/10 and most cutlery sold today is made from this material. 18/10 gives greater protection against corrosion and has a softer shine: most contemporary patterns are made from this top grade stainless steel. 18/0 and 18/10 are both fully dishwasher-safe (*see care of cutlery).

Another question that is often asked concerns the difference between "hollow" and "solid" handle knives. Hollow handled knives are made in two parts which are welded together to produce a bulbous, well-balanced handle, which is quite light in weight. Solid handled knives are pressed out of one piece of metal, which means that they are flatter and heavier. The extra work involved in the manufacture of the hollow knives is reflected in the price, but it is really a matter of personal preference and also, of course, the price you wish to pay.

Our 18/0 low cost cutlery and 18/10 imported cutlery are made in the Far East, in Chinese, Korean or Indonesian 'state of the art factories'.

Our 18/10 Sheffield cutlery is made in the same factory as our silver cutlery (See EPNS (silver-plated) cutlery).

As far as pattern is concerned: the choice is yours! Direct Cutlery offers you a wide selection - ancient and modern! Whatever your taste, fine cutlery will add to your appreciation of fine food!

Our EPNS (Silver-plated) cutlery is made in the Sheffield factory that manufactures for one of the leading cutlery brands on the retail market.

It is a uniquely British product and uses high-quality nickel-silver blanks, these are then 'deposit plated' to a minimum 10 microns of silver on each piece. Silver is traditionally the 'best' material for cutlery. It has a soft sheen, which contrasts with the brighter polish of stainless steel and develops a fine 'patina' with age. Unfortunately silver-plated cutlery is more expensive than stainless and there are a restricted number of patterns - generally traditional in style. Unlike stainless steel, silver cutlery will tarnish and will need polishing from time to time. The blades of all silver knives are made from stainless steel, as silver is too soft for this purpose. The handles are always hollow.

In the arduous conditions of the catering trade, we find that the 10 micron deposit plating on our cutlery, is entirely satisfactory: terms such as '20 year' and '30 year' are meaningless and there is, in our view, nothing to be gained by using a greater deposit of silver. Although we are happy to supply 20 or 30 micron plate if required.

GUARANTEE

Our reputation is your guarantee

Although many manufacturers offer guarantees, the small print often makes these meaningless. We have been supplying silver-plated and stainless steel cutlery to hotels and restaurants for over 25 years, where conditions are such that cutlery is used and dish-washed several times a day with no problems. In domestic use and with a few simple rules on 'care of cutlery' adhered to, cutlery of this quality will last for decades.

We do, however, always offer a guarantee against manufacturing defects. Our cutlery should last you a life-time, but if you ever have a problem, we will be more than willing to resolve this for you.

* CARE OF CUTLERY: Wash cutlery in hot, soapy water as soon as possible after use. Quickly rinse with hot water; wipe dry with clean cloth immediately. Never leave dirty cutlery to soak and never leave cutlery damp. Never use bleach or Silver dip. Do not mix stainless steel or silver plate in same dishwasher load, which must follow the manufacturers detergent recommendations. Never use rubber bands when storing EPNS cutlery, they cause severe discoloration. Both stainless steel and silver-plated cutlery benefit from occasional polishing with "Wenol", which we stock and recommend.

In the event of any unresolved dispute regarding a fault in the cutlery, we would refer it to an independent body - CATRA (Cutlery and Allied Trade Research Association) who analyse the problem cutlery and give a full report on the cause. (ie: manufacturing problems or buyers mis-use.)