Interrupting Stan Shaw's Marmalade Sandwich

Thanks for the pics, Jack! Great story, as well.

Duncan, how did you like the your journey to Good Ol' Europe? (It looks like you and Jack had a great, funny time!)
 
Excellent read - thank you for your pictures and story about the amazing Mr. Shaw.

I really enjoyed reading this!

best

mqqn
 
Thanks a million for sharing that with us. What a pleasure it must have been in his shop and have him take the time to chat with you guys about his passion.

Great write up!

Robert
 
Once again, a finely-crafted write up that made me feel as though I had been there myself. Thanks for all the effort you take to showcase historic knifemaking and industry in the UK.
 
waynorth said:
What a wonderful experience for all of you!:thumbup:

A meeting of Knifedoms MVPs! I am in awe, and a little envious!

Stan Shaw! Wow!:eek:

Thanks for bringing us along Jack and Duncan. And Sue! I, and I am sure I can include everyone here, am ever grateful for your camera work, and infinite patience!

Hey Jack, did Stan comment on the Barlows??:eek:
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I wish you could have been there Charlie, in fact I wish all of you could have been there. Stan was interested to look at the Barlows, I just spoke to Duncan, and I know he has a couple of pics I know you'll enjoy seeing :)

Many thanks for all your kind words fellers :)
 
Thanks for sharing this Jack.

Did you get in Mr. Shaw's wait list?

- Christian
 
What a fantastic experience to meet a true old-world craftsman! It's a thrill just to read about it. Thanks for sharing.
 
I must add that looking at the pics of STAN,reminds me of my Grandpa on my fathers side (Except grandpa was a giant of a man)..bow backed from decades of work as a Cobbler and veins in his forearms as thick as a babys finger...An honour to be related to and never forgotten...Thanks for the memories JACK........................FES
 
Thanks a lot for the comments guys, and for the link S-K :)
 
What a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing. I will say I am more than a touch envious. As always great report.

Chris
 
Thank you Jack for this fine write-up on the meeting that we had, and our day at Sheffield, and what a great day it was.

Jack, I just wanted to thank you here in the Forum as well, to say that it was so very much appreciated by Sue and myself to have you take time out of your schedule to plan this whole day, so thank you my friend, thank you so very much for this amazing experience.
I hope you dont mind me crashing in here my friend?...


I enjoyed greatly reading your words, earlier tonight I spent over an hour writing my responce, and when it came time to posting everything-I realised too late that I hadnt actually logged in, and I lost the whole lot lol

As Jack has already stated we meet at the Train station, and the day went from there, this was a much anticipated meeting for me and Ladies and Gentleman Jack is even the better person IN person, because Jack - I think its very safe to say that you are thought of quite highly in these here parts of the woods.

As Knife Knuts, Sheffield is a calling to us, and having Jack walk around with us pointing out the history of not only the huge old Cutler Manufacture buildings, but other great things like the very old pubs ( of which it sounds like Jack has frequented a fair bit :) ), and a lot of other very interesting bits of information inbetween our non stop talk of the subject of knives ( poor, patient Sue ).

We walked around taking an interesting tour on to the way of the heavy Industrious area of the Cutlery world of days gone by - of which the Sheffield Museum was situated, and when we got inside the Museum - I knew it was going to be good - what an interesting place for us folk that have the interest at heart - just amazing!!! ..... now before we go too much further, please forgive me for not posting up any photo's at this stage, I havent really had a chance to load any from my camera, this will follow I promise!
I would also like to apologise for my horrible appearance - I was bundled up in my Beanie, jacket - it got me through the day lol.



My Camera was starting to almost overheat, the beautiful old machines, the powerhorse for the Rolling Mills, demonstrative photos of the Grinders doing their back-breaking hard, hard work, the amazing and tough Buffer Girls at work, now if you have ever done a few hours buffing you should know just how hard this is, and how dirty, and in those days, just how dangerous! - well we were having a look and Jack suggested we go have a look to see if Stan was in today, because if he was, it would be near his smoko break- well, I am guessing you know what my reaction was...trying to stop running.....I went along with Jack...

We came around the corner from where there were some massive WW2 bombs that were used in the war, and that were made at this location, and here was this tiny little workshop, in a quiet little allyway situated at the side of the Museum...



Now if you imagine yourself as a small child, and at 4 years old Santa Claus is about the hugest folk-lore Legend a child of 4 could have, and this child came across this little wee workshop where the cottage had windows that were in typical old cottage styled fashion where each window was boxed off into 8 or so little windows, and that child wipes the glass and there is Santa in his workshop...imagine the kid...
Well I think you get the idea, I walked around the corner, and there in front of me was this older man, sitting inside his little workshop, by himself in front of his bench grinder working away as Jack so clearly described dipping in the blades in water each time the blade has been masterfully directed in such an even tempo at such a certain pressure-something that those famous hands had done quite literally thousands of times before.



It was quite amazing that after I had read in Micks ( Wellington ) Thread several times about this living Legend, and I think quite some time ago that how lucky he was to have a chance to see even just once this amazing man ( Mick knows Stan very well )....and here I was - with Jack, looking at him working away in his actual workshop - it was an amazing feeling, I knew Jack was sharing this with me, and Sue could see just how special this was to us - in a way it was for her too - theres no doubt!
We took photo's through the windows, studied his busy workbenches, all the while hoping that Stan would stop - look up and come and greet us in.....this wasnt to be, he did at one stage get up walk over and face our way while he was still working - he lifted his head, and looked over his glasses at our direction....Im thinking YES....YES...YES.......... he stared for at the most .....1 .76th of a second lol as if he was looking through us as though we werent even there, then he turned and carried on with his work, I think then at this very moment is when I heard Jacks heart hitting the floor just after mine.

This is when desperation hit me and I approached the subject of knocking on the door, but deep inside I wouldnt want to do that - especially to do something so rude to such a man-but I had to bring the subject up- Jack undelined my thoughts that it wasnt the best thing to do as well, so Jack sugested we go back to where we left off, and come back later - I am sure that the drag marks from my boots are still on the floor as we walked away :)

We had a great time checking out the Crucible steel workers, the "Puller out" - man..this guy had a tough, tough job, as Jack tells us so in his very recent, and most excellent thread of a tour of Sheffield.
Seeing where these guys worked, and the conditions - its a wonder that they managed to survive, and as Jack has explained to us all in his Thread, at times they didnt for too long....



The displays of the knives ( also shown in Jacks previous Thread ) were amazing - oh man...just to have your pick of just one knife from each cabinet display!!!!!Not only STUNNING Folders, but absolutely gorgeous Carving knives, Butcher knives - you name it...just amazing.
To look at the year knife that Jack has shown you with the two beautiful male models at it's side-was amazing to look at "in the flesh", just incredible...it was about this time Jack suggested we have another check on Stan...yep yep yep-lets go Jack-yep....Jack - c'mon keep up...


Again we came around the corner, and the first thing that hits you is Stan's pure White hair - absolutely pure White, and he is sitting in his chair working away solidly-he hadnt stopped for a break, door knocking again was the subject-but we werent going to do it....and then......
A Museum worker came arond the corner - man I got him, I wasnt going to let this chance go by, after a greasing chat the worker says "says -yeah no problem - Stan wont mind a bit-hang on and I will go in and ask...."
What we were hoping to be a quick hand shake for possibly 2 minutes of this mans time, turned out to be over an hour, and it was Stan who kept it going, it was such a great meeting, at such a relaxed level, things just flowed, what an amazing time.
Stan Shaw is the absolute true meaning of a Taditionalist-as Jack has mentioned, he cuts out the knife blanks using a Hack-Saw, he Heat Treats his own blades, he does everything...and here we are standin in this Traditional Haven - with this fantastic Gentleman.


I have never had a neat Poppa, the only grand-parent I ever had was a very nasty, mean old man - just not a nice person at all, its funny that Fes has mentioned that-as I thought when Stan was talking to us, that I wished that he was my Poppa - what a kind...can I say it - Beautiful old man ... in the way that as Jack has mentioned his eyes-that just sparkled when talking about his children, and his obviously beloved Grand-children.
Jack and I respected each others time that we had to ask our questions, and Stan I think greatly enjoyed the chat, he demostrated to us just how he created the recess for the Sheilds-as Jack has explained with the tools, it was the simple things that intrigued Jack and I - such as the special apron that Stan has made that had these different sized fiiting holes for recess basses for his tool that spun as he "played" the tool making it spin (as if lighting a fire using sticks), by "playing - I mean like a Violin....thus recessing a perfect channel for the slim bar-shield!



Charlie-as I have traveled around England and Scotland, I have taken the time to take photo's of my two Charlows, my beauty Ebony Spear-Point, and the other my Red-Bone flat belly Clip-point, I have tried, and failed in a few places to take photos of the knives in these places, well, we now have those famous hands holding a Barlow of yours Charlie...mmmmm, I may be imagining it-but I am sure I felt those strong fingers clasp a little tighter as I wedged back my knife from him lol.


Stan also demostrated the difficulty in pinning Pearl- and how easliy it could break-and just how expensive it is now - £100 pounds for the pearl material for a decent sized knife folks... if you have a Pearl knife-show it the love it deserves, as it it is now probably the most expensive thing you can scale a knife with now!


I must admit, all the time Stan talked to us, I could not stop looking at those famous hands-now we probably have all checked out the photo's of Stans hands in a previous Thread-( was it in Micks Thread? ) well, I have not seen anything quite like it - I know quite a few well known Martial Arts old-timers, these guys have moulded and conditioned their knuckles to take anything you got-it works, well thier hands look like fingernail models comapred to Stans, I honestly believe that I will never see such a tough, tough and Knarly pair of hard-working hands ever again - I honestly believe that Stans hands held in such a way would make a mind-blowing poster.


This precious hour of time that Stan has given Sue, Jack and myself will be enough to last me for many many years to come, it was an massive honour to have this living Legend of a man give us this, I dont think he realsies just how much he did give us that day, I hope we gave him something to think back on - even if its something to give him a wee smile.
Stan Shaw - thank you, I hope that if you read this, or one of your family, that they know just how special certain people can make someones day, by just being a fantastic person - a True Gentleman.
 
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Campbellclanman said:
ummmmmm, this was rather long really great, eh!
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Yes! Yes it was. :)

Life, and the shared love of knives, can be good in so many different and often unexpected ways, but it doesn't get better than that.


Thanks so much, Duncan (and Jack, again), for bringing us along.


~ P.
 
I envy you guys! Thanks for your very enjoyable write up Duncan.
 
Awesome thread. What a wonderful trip and write up from both of you.

Nice big smiles there too!
 
Fantastic read, fellas.
My favorite thread on this board since I've been a member here.
Almost tempted to share this with the wife.
 
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