This describes a traditional flat cap, often made of wool or heavy cotton, favored by older workers in cold workshops or on outdoor sites. The nickname comes from the sharp, stiff peak at the front, which resembles the wire tool used to slice blocks of cheese. It serves as a subtle status symbol, usually marking the wearer as an experienced veteran or a retired worker who still visits the shop floor.
Heard on the job
The old foreman was wandering around the site in his high-vis vest and a tweed Cheese Cutter.