Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Cutlery refers to any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in the Western world. Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings It is more usually known as silverware or flatware in the United States, where cutlery can have the more specific meaning of knives and other cutting instruments. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This is probably the original meaning of the word. Since silverware suggests the presence of silver, the term tableware has come into use. Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Tableware or Table Appointments includes the dishes, Glassware, and eating utensils ( Knives, Forks Spoons

Modern starch-polyester disposable cutlery.
Modern starch-polyester disposable cutlery.

Contents

Principal meaning

The major items of cutlery in the Western world are the knife, fork and spoon. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings A knife is a handheld sharp-edged instrument consisting of handle attached to a Blade used for cutting As a piece of Cutlery or Kitchenware, a fork is a tool consisting of a handle with several narrow tines (usually two three or four on one end A spoon is a Utensil consisting of a small shallow bowl at the end of a handle used primarily for serving and eating Liquid, or semi-liquid foods and solid foods In recent times, utensils have been made combining the functionality of pairs of cutlery are the spork (spoon / fork), spife (spoon / knife), and knork (knife / fork). A spork is a hybrid form of Cutlery taking the form of a Spoon -like shallow scoop with the addition of the tines of a Fork (usually three A spife is a tool where the blade of a Knife is used as the handle of the Spoon, often used for cutting Kiwi fruit. The knork (IPA /nɤɹk/ is a utensil which like the Spork, combines two of the three most common Western eating utensils into a single unit

Traditionally, good quality cutlery was made from silver (hence the U. Sterling silver is an Alloy of Silver containing 925% pure silver and 7 S. name), though steel was always used for more utilitarian knives, and pewter was used for some cheaper items, especially spoons. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Pewter is a Metal Alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent Tin, with the remainder consisting of Copper and Antimony, acting From the nineteenth century, Electroplated Nickel Silver (EPNS) was used as a cheaper substitute; nowadays, most cutlery, including quality designs, is made from stainless steel. Nickel silver is a metal Alloy of Copper with Nickel and often but not always Zinc. In Metallurgy, stainless steel is defined as a Steel Alloy with a minimum of 11 Another alternative is melchior, a nickel and copper alloy, which can also sometiems contain manganese.

Plastic cutlery is made for disposable use, and is frequently used outdoors (camping, excursions, and BBQ's for instance), at fast-food or take-away outlets, or provided with airline meals. Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Definition Camping describes a range of activities Survivalist campers set off with little more than their boots whereas Recreational vehicle travelers arrive equipped An excursion is a trip by a group of people usually made for Leisure or Educational purposes barbeque block party Kansas cityjpg|thumb|right|275px|A barbecue on a trailer at a Block party in Kansas City. Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly Take-out (in North American English) carry-out (in US and Scottish English) take-away (in Australian English, An airline meal or In-flight meal is a Meal served to passengers onboard a commercial Airliner.

Etymology

The word cutler derives from the Middle English word 'cuteler' and this in turn derives from from Old French 'coutelier' which comes from 'coutel'; meaning knife. Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium

The ancient mayan indians used the word 'cotlar' to refer to the fork like utencils they used in dining.

History


Cutlery has been made in many places. In England, the industry became concentrated by the late 16th century in and around Birmingham and Sheffield. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England However, the Birmingham industry increasingly concentrated on swords, made by 'long cutlers' and on other edged tools, whereas the Sheffield industry concentrated on knives. A knife is a handheld sharp-edged instrument consisting of handle attached to a Blade used for cutting

At Sheffield, the trade of cutler became divided with allied trades emerging such as razormaker, awlbladesmith, shearsmith, and forkmakers becoming distinct trades by the 18th century. A razor is a Bladed Tool primarily used in the Shaving off of unwanted Body hair.

Before the mid 19th century when cheap mild steel became available due to new methods of steelmaking, knives (and other edged tools) were made by welding a strip of steel on to the piece of iron that was to be formed into a knife or sandwiching a strip of steel between two pieces of iron. Carbon steel, also called plain carbon steel, is Steel where the main alloying constituent is Carbon. Steelmaking is the second step in producing Steel from Iron ore. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 QtubIronPillarJPG|thumb|right| Iron pillar at Delhi India containing 98% wrought iron]] Wrought iron is commercially pure Iron. This was done because steel was then a much more expensive commodity than iron.

After fabrication, the knife had to be sharpened, originally on a grindstone, but from the late medieval period in a blade mill or (as they were known in the Sheffield region) a cutlers wheel. A blade mill was a variety of Water mill used for sharpening newly fabricated Blades including Scythes Swords Sickles and knives

See also

References

For Sheffield:

Dictionary

cutlery

-noun

  1. A collective ensemble of eating and serving utensils such as knives, forks and spoons.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic