ripon steel
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Ripon used to be famous for its steel spurs, which were the best in the world. The spikes of a Ripon spur would strike through a shilling-piece without turning the point.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “ripon steel” mean?
Ripon used to be famous for its steel spurs, which were the best in the world. The spikes of a Ripon spur would strike through a shilling-piece without turning the point.
Is “ripon steel” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.