Interrupting Stan Shaw's Marmalade Sandwich

Just spent the summer roughing it, working hard breaking rocks, catching dandy-lion seeds, digging up docks etc.. while all the time you guys have been having all the fun !!..:D

Really really enjoyed reading through this thread and am very pleased to hear a wonderful time was had by all..

That Patrick Smith painting on the previous page shows Stan working at his bench at his Garden St workshop. Stan worked there from the early 1980s-2010, the workshop was at the top of a steep flight of stairs and had a pretty special atmosphere.

Mick
 
Great to see you come in on this page Mick, we talked a wee bit about you while we were at Stans workshop.
I bet the old workshop was just fantastic, for us two it was a great privilege meeting Stan, you are indeed a lucky guy Mick.
Pleased to hear you out there on the land!
 
Campbellclanman said:
Great to see you come in on this page Mick, we talked a wee bit about you while we were at Stans workshop.
I bet the old workshop was just fantastic, for us two it was a great privilege meeting Stan, you are indeed a lucky guy Mick.
Pleased to hear you out there on the land!
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:thumbup:

There are some other pics of Stan's old workshop to be found online Duncan. His tools seem to be laid out almost exactly as they are today :)
 
Jack Black said:
:thumbup:

There are some other pics of Stan's old workshop to be found online Duncan. His tools seem to be laid out almost exactly as they are today :)
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I knew an old watchmaker in the 1970s who was like that. He said it was just as easy to put things down where they belong.
I still try to believe it, but in practice I have never found it so.
 
scrteened porch said:
He said it was just as easy to put things down where they belong.
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My Dad used to say the same thing. :thumbup:

This has been a truly great and enjoyable thread to read through. Thanks for opening the window into a little glimpse of traditional history and one of its colorful characters.
 
I guess it makes sense to know where everything is in your workshop, to be able to lay a hand on a particular tool without having to look for it, must save some time.

When I was an apprentice mechanic, one of my jobs at the end of each day was to clean up all my fitter's tools, and put them in their right place in the tool-box, so it was immediately apparent anything was missing.

I'm very pleased that Duncan and myself have been able to share something of our visit, and I really appreciate all the kind comments folks :)
 
wellington said:
That Patrick Smith painting on the previous page shows Stan working at his bench at his Garden St workshop. Stan worked there from the early 1980s-2010, the workshop was at the top of a steep flight of stairs and had a pretty special atmosphere.

Mick
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If you've got the time Mick, it'd be great to read a few of your own remeniscences and/or see some of your Stan Shaw knives :thumbup:

Jack
 
Hi Jack,

Unfortunately I not had chance to get across to see Stan this summer. Hope too soon.

Stan is one of the old school, very straight and very hard working..he works both at home and at Kelham. I think he goes into Kelham two days a week, there he does most of the dirtier work.

Each and every time I visit there's usually something different lying on his bench, honestly I never cease to be amazed..knives for shops, in large batches..large & small exhibition pieces..multi blades..some in abalone, ivory, shell, gold, pearl, sambar, even knives with pink pearl !..dirks..bowies..swell centre..Congress..lobsters..jack knives..sportsman's..fisherman's..coachman's..even secret opening one offs etc..all sorts


Here's a pic of a one off knife/fork/spoon..dare I say ? for eating a marmalade butty (sandwich) :D


Mick
 
That's a great photo Mick, The "hobo" is a cracker - but what has caught my eye is the Checkered Knife to the right! - that looks to be an awfully nice knife ( which sounds silly when describing Stans knives doesnt it? - which one doesn't?? ), and theres some mighty thick Stag going on in the left hand side as well!!
 
Hi Mick,

Great to hear from you and thanks for the pic. Stan is working down at Kelham Island on Mondays and Thursdays at the moment. He's doing quite a lot of stuff for the Surrey Street shop, which I know he's done for a long time. I think most of Stan's knives are pre-ordered, but they've had one or two of his for sale in the shop lately - big prices as you can imagine.

The knife with the checkered covers reminded me of one of the films Smiling Knife linked to, where Stan is checkering buffalo horn for a clasp knife, something he says he'd never done before, but is very able at.

Jack
 
I've found a pic of that "hobo" finished..





Here are a couple more pictures that show a few part made knives, the knives on the right I think were made for Sheffield Scene, they have tommied on bolsters and were made up with jigged bone, stag and horn. The large 5" knife in the centre was fabulous when finished, the thing has fantastic red abalone scales and 18K gold bolsters..a wonderful thing.






Mick
 
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That turned out stunning, I wish I could see the Checkered knife finished as well, the big 5 inch knife would have been great to see finished!
Its interesting seeing the smaller knives with white scale being assembled as well, Both Jack and myself took many photos of Stans bench, I think that day he was working on 10 to 12 knives, and it was great listening to him tell us how he assembled the knives for fitting, then pulled them apart again before completion - basically building the knife twice!
Thank you Mick for your input, all of us here are pretty darned lucky to hear from you with your experiences with Stan, and thank you again Jack!
 
Thanks for the extra pics Mick, absolutely fantastic :thumbup:
 
scrteened porch said:
What are "'tommied-on' bolsters" and "Sheffield Scene"?
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Traditionally, bolsters were tommied (or hammered) on, rather than being soldered, the bolster being formed with a small bit (sorry, struggling to think of a more appropriate word), which fitted into the bolster hole in the liner.

Sheffield Scene is a Sheffield tourist shop, which sells everything from Sheffield tea-towels to cufflinks, books, postcards, and a few knives.
 
Just to add to Jack's reply. I think Stan used pre-made cast or stamped out nickel silver bolsters on those knives, the bolsters had a small pin sticking out. Stan places the liner over the bolster that sits in a special bolster die, the pin goes through the pre-drilled hole, then he rivets the thing together..

Sheffield Scene were a good customer of Stan's when he first went self employed, I guess he feels obliged to keep supplying them with a few knives now and then. I think Sheffield Scene (Nickel Blanks ?) also used to supply Stan with his nickel silver, that could be another reason..

Mick
 
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Couldn't resist posting this pic of Stan from a 1977 Ibbersons advert :)

 
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