Sheffield's 'last little mester' Stan Shaw dies at 94

A world-renowned knife-maker who crafted blades for clients including the Queen, Elvis Presley and US presidents has died.

Stan Shaw, 94, was believed to be one of Sheffield's last "little mesters" - self-employed craftsmen who worked out of the city's famed cutlery works.

Mr Shaw became an apprentice at 14 and went on to spend almost 80 years forging, grinding and finishing blades.

His daughter Jane Lees said the "Sheffield legend" had died on Friday.

"He was just a lovely man," she said.

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"He is the last little mester, no matter what anyone says.

In a 2018 BBC interview, Mr Shaw said he was proud of his work, telling a reporter: "You've got to have a love for it.

"I always try and make the next knife better. You never do like, but that's the attitude you've got to have," he said.

Stan Shaw spent eight decades creating blades

Mr Shaw had a four year-long order book, but was forced to stop working in 2019 due to ill health.

However, he did continue to show off his skills to the public at Kelham Island Museum.

"It would start off as a lump of metal and he'd handcraft it into a lovely knife with engraving," Mrs Lees said of her father's skills.

"Really one of a kind, his work. We've got a lot of stuff which is priceless and it'll never be sold."

All the knives were handcrafted for customers across the world

Mr Shaw was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen's New Year's Honours list in 2017 for his services to manufacturing in the city.