The ability to engrave at such a level requires almost superhuman effort and dedication to remain completely still. Mr Short was only able to work at night, when traffic vibrations were at a minimum. His right arm was bound to the arm of his chair to minimise unwanted movement and he used a stethoscope to monitor his heart, only writing the letters between beats.

It took seven months, working from midnight to 5.30am most nights to do the engraving. On a good night he’d manage three minuscule letters. The Wilkinson’s Sword blade, engraved by the copper and steel engraver, is now available to buy, for a whopping £47,500.

“I honestly think this is as small as it’s possible to with the human hand. Since I started engraving in the early 1960s, I’ve always wanted to engrave smaller than anyone else in the world and now I think I’ve done it,” he told The Telegraph.