Thread: Sheffield knifemaker mester

Wasn't sure where best to post this link, but thought this forum might be most appropriate. Interesting audio slideshow on a fast-disappearing livelihood. I wonder if the term 'Mester' has the same etymology as 'Mastro' in Italy (as in Mastro Livi)?

Disappearing acts: Making a Sheffield pocket knife | Money | guardian.co.uk

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

I didn't know the term "mester", but being latin myself, I believe that "Maestro" Livi is the same as "Master" Livi, someone who has a great deal of experience and can pass his wisdom.

Originally Posted by majurey

Wasn't sure where best to post this link, but thought this forum might be most appropriate. Interesting audio slideshow on a fast-disappearing livelihood. I wonder if the term 'Mester' has the same etymology as 'Mastro' in Italy (as in Mastro Livi)?

Disappearing acts: Making a Sheffield pocket knife | Money | guardian.co.uk

German meaning "Master". I'm not sure if the etymological differences though, as I've seen Meister used both respectfully and perhaps mocking context.

Interesting article.

Originally Posted by majurey

Wasn't sure where best to post this link, but thought this forum might be most appropriate. Interesting audio slideshow on a fast-disappearing livelihood. I wonder if the term 'Mester' has the same etymology as 'Mastro' in Italy (as in Mastro Livi)?

In Danish, "mester" means master or champion. Surely, it's grounded in the same latin word as in many other languages.

I'm sure the other posters are correct: the word-root is common to many anglo/saxon/teutonic languages. A "little mester" is sheffield dialect word for a master craftsman practising his trade on a small scale though. Just out of interest, here are a few more old sheffield trade words, courtesy of the the sheffieldforum.co.uk


Bull Week – The week before Christmas when cutlers "bulled" at work – worked overtime or made an extra effort at work to earn extra money.

Chavel – To chew or fray a rope or band

Click howd – To catch hold of anything.

Clout – a cloth used for wiping knives clean.

Choil – depart in a great hurry.

Cuckoos – Faulty work. When a man has faulty work returned he is greeted with cries of “cuckoo” from his mates.

Dollop – a lot, large number of articles.

Gobbed-on – Soldered on; The expression is said to arisen because men used to spit (gob) on an article frequently as they soldered it; but it may also be a term of contempt indicating that it may just be stuck together with spit.

Kelt – money.

Knobstick – a blackleg or non-union workman, also a man who hadn’t served an apprenticeship.

Little Mester – a Master Cutler working on his own.

Rammel – refuse of any kind.

Skerrick - a morsel of something.

Regards,
Neil

I would volunteer to be an apprentice in a minute. Thanks for the post.

Originally Posted by majurey

Wasn't sure where best to post this link, but thought this forum might be most appropriate. Interesting audio slideshow on a fast-disappearing livelihood. I wonder if the term 'Mester' has the same etymology as 'Mastro' in Italy (as in Mastro Livi)?

Disappearing acts: Making a Sheffield pocket knife | Money | guardian.co.uk

Something I have often wondered about is the meaning of "Mastro" in Mastro Livi's name. After a lot of 'poking about' I gather that his name is Lido Livi and that "mastro" - a not too uncommon Italian surname (and also a forname) - means a skilled craftsman. It is also used for a teacher, and it's etymology includes "Maestro" and the the latin "Magister" - we had to call our latin teacher at school magister - I wonder if he heard it as "master" or "teacher"? He was a pompous little tw*t, so probably the former.

So it appears to be the same as Majurey thought - not his name, but a title, although it is very often mispelled, most commonly as "Maestro" by many.

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by scoof

In Danish, "mester" means master or champion. Surely, it's grounded in the same latin word as in many other languages.

Mester is a Yorkshire dialect word for master. Yorkshire has many Scandinavian origin words from the days of the Vikings so there's a link to the post above!

I have a couple of Trevor's knives and they are amazing value for the money. How he can make such a good knife, mostly by hand and sell it for £20-£30 I don't know!

Get one now, he'll not last for ever!

Gareth

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Kelt – money.
Regards,
Neil

I'm guessing this has links to the German for money: Geld. Maybe it migrated to Sheffield's cutlery industries as a result of some Sheffield/Solingen work experience/cultural visits amongst artisans?

Are there any U.S. suppliers that sell Trevor Ablett Sheffield's pocket knives? Thanks