Watch a video showing Stainless steel blades being forged at George Ibberson. The system to forge Stainless steel in this way was pioneered at Robert F. Mosley. You can see machines like this still working at Portland Works today. This video has no sound.
R.F. Mosley, based at Portland Works, has a key role in the history of the development of stainless steel. In 1914 Harry Brearley turned to the company to help make knives from his new rustless steel, which they did under the supervision of manager Earnest Stuart. Mosley’s therefore became the first cutlery company to recognise the value of Stainless steel cutlery and to produce and market it under the RUSNORSTAIN brand. Stainless steel could not be forged by traditional techniques, and needed to be stamped out of large flat sheets. This increased the amount of mechanisation in the industry and made stainless steel cutlery cheaper than traditional steel items.
The knife pictured here is one of the earliest examples which were available for sale, because not only is it marked ‘RUSNORSTAIN’, it has the name ‘Stuart’ etched on the blade too. It was donated by Ernest Stuart’s granddaughter.
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To find out about the history of Portland Works and the work of the social enterprise running it today, please visit their website.
The article on Robert F Mosley & Co mis-spells his brand name. It was RUSNORSTAIN, rather than Rustnorstain. It would be kind of you to correct it. I wrote a small book about RFM and am a shareholder at Portland Works – I am 100% sure that the above is correct.
Thanks for spotting the typo Anna- is fixed now!
I am trying to find out a teapot epns I think. Hallmark is M and Co. S. 724
Hi- this could be done of two firms:
if you check the mark from this website
http://www.silvercollection.it/englishsilvermarksXM.html
it should help you clarify the maker