Page:Cyclopedia of Painting-Armstrong, George D (1908).djvu/382

374. These punches are made in various sizes, and are so constructed that the pieces cut out of the stencil paper by the cutting edge pass into the body of the punch, whence they are easily removed at the opening in the upper portion of the implement. It is not necessary to strike the punch, a firm pressure of the hand is generally sufficient for the purpose required, slightly turning the wrist at the same moment.

A sheet of tin might, and probably does, answer for the time, but the repeated indentations of the surface and the deep cuts or scratches it receives beneath the pressure to

which it must of necessity be subjected, militate against its use. The edge of the knife may not be so much injured, but the point may at any moment slip into one of the scratches, and that simple deviation from the direction in which it was intended it should have gone would not improbably ruin an early completed stencil-plate.

It is, again, a frequent mistake to make a stencil on too stout a paper. The strength of paper does not depend upon its stoutness, a closely woven thin paper often possesses greater tenacity than much more bulky specimens. Heavy drawing paper may be used for almost every purpose.