Earnest Wright & Sons of Sheffield, England, is one of the last companies to create scissors by hand.
This short film was made as part of a project by the School of English at The University of Sheffield, titled “Steel Stories,” to mark the 100th anniversary of the invention of stainless steel.
The project website describes its aims: “This project will produce a series of vivid portraits and narratives of a diverse range of individuals who have worked in the industry. The project will uncover the forgotten histories of steel and, using these as a lens, trace the complex meanings of the industry for culture, identity, migration, and local heritage.”
Harry Brearley of Sheffield first patented martensitic stainless steel in 1913. By 1914, production of stainless steel knives began. Though Brearley is credited with the invention, others at just about the same time had come up with the same idea, according to the British Stainless Steel Association, including Eduard Maurer and Benno Strauss of Germany who patented austenitic stainless steel in 1912.
“Steel Stories” is a multi-media project including still photography, podcasts, and more.
The above video was filmed by Shaun Bloodworth, with music by The Black Dog.
People working on this project include:
Shaun Bloodworth. Photographer & filmmaker
http://www.shaunbloodworth.com
[Read a blog post about Shaun’s work on the project here]
Andy Brown. Photographer
http://www.envioustime.co.uk
[Read Andy’s blog about the project here]
Richard Hanson. Photographer & filmmaker
http://www.hansonphoto.co.uk
