Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/802

* CUTLEBY. 694: CUTLEBY. biitclier knives are machine-forged. IMachinery is used for driving the various grinding - stones, euiery and buffing wheels for finishing blades and handles. In some instances, also, the blades are placed in holders and manipulated by automatic machinery for the rough grinding. The evil ef- fects from the grinding dust are now obviated, as far as possible, by wet grinding and by exhaust fans and ducts for removing the dust. The hand and machine processes for making dift'erent kinds and grades of cutlery vary greatly in detail. But a fair general idea of the industry may be gained by first describing the actual operations of an American pocket and pen knife factory where hand-forged goods are made, and then in- dicating in a more general way some points of ditl'erence in the manufacture of other kinds of cutlery. Pocket and Pen Kni^-es. Each knife, rough- ly speaking, consists of two parts, the blade and the handle, but each of these, from the manu- facturer's .standpoint, is composed of a number of parts. The blade consists of the blade proper or cutting edge and its supporting back, and of the tang, or the portion which joins the blade to the handle. The handle, in turn, includes ( 1 ) the horn, ivory, or other material which is grasped by the hand, and which portion alone is technically called the handle; (2) the scale, which is the brass or iron lining of the handle; and (3) the spring, which, besides its primary })urpose of controlling the blade in opening and shutting, also closes the back of the lining. The edge-tool steel from which pocket and pen knife blades are made is called rod steel ; it is flat, of proper widths for the different sizes of blades, and of thickness one gauge greater than the finished blade. In the best goods the blades are forged and shaped by hand. In the case of cheap knives, the blades are pressed into rough shape by machines, then further shaped or forged by trip-hammers in much the same manner as that explained below in describing table-knives. Comparatively little machinery is used on the blades in either ease, except that the grindstones and finishing wheels are driven by mechanical power. The processes here described relate to high-grade goods. Mooding is the name given to the rough shap- ing of the blade at the first heat, and the forma- tion of the tang is called tanging. After these two processes are completed the metal is heated for the third time, the blade again worked by hammer, and the nail-mark cut. which finishes the third or smithing process. All the forging is done by means of special hammers on special anvils, both imported from England. Choiling is filing the little nick just between the cutting edge and the tang. This removes a weak spot in the metal and serves as a guide in filing the blade flatwise. The blade is now shaped in the lougli, but before it leaves the forge it must be hardened and tempered. Hardening is effected by bringing it to a red heat and dipping it in water up to the ehoil. The tang is left soft, so it may be readily tiled, drilled, stamped with maker's name, and fitted in the handle. Temper- ing (q.v.) is often accomplished by bringing the blades to a pirple heat on a thin copper plate, resting on the fire of the forge. The blades are set on their backs, thus keeping their edges I, furthest from the heat. The final work of the I forger or smith is to straighten crooked blades, if any, by means of light hammer-blows on the concave side of the blade. (Srinding is next in order. The grinder place.s the tang in a holder, which lie grasps with one hand, while with the other hand, protected by a leather patch, he presses the blade against the rapidly revolving power-drien stone. Racing- irons, consisting of small rods of Xorway iron, are occasionally held against the face of the stone to restore the rough surface and preserve its cylindrical shape. Material is the name given to all the separate parts except the blade, i'he matcriul-niaker presses out, or cuts out with dies, the steel springs and the brass or iron lin- ings, and fastens the tips or bolsters to the out- side of the lining, in case the material forming the handle proper does not cover the tip ends of the lining. Cutler's irork. curiously enough, in- cludes assembling, or putting together, the va- rious parts of the knife, including drilling, filing, fitting, polishing, and butting the handles. The material for handles embi'accs ivory, pearl, sil- ver and gold, tortoise-shell, buffalo and stag horn, celluloid, rubber, California redwood, cocoa wood, and ebony; Polishing the handles is accomplished by power-driven built-up wood wheels, covered first with leather, then with a mixture of glue and emery. Buffing is effected on wheels in which the leather, emery, and glue give place to cotton cloth, fastened on edge aroimd a wheel or spindle. Blade-finishing is done on emery wheels, much like the polishing- wheels already described, except that the glue and emery are placed on very hard leather, in- stead of on wood. Glazing, on these wheels, re- moves the dirt and gives a glazed finish. Crocus finish is a superior glaze, or polish, requiring special wheels. Sharpening is done by hand, on flat stones. The edges of the blades are held at an angle of 45° with the stone, a point that might well be borne in mind by all who attempt to sharpen old knives. The common practice of holding the knives flat on the stone gives a thin, easily bro- ken edge. Finally, the handles are again buffed and the whole loiife wiped, packed, and boxed. The ordinary knife of fair quality has now gone through about 100 operations, while the finest goods receive 200 to .300. It may be added that the processes involved in machine-forged pocket and pen knives resemble those described for table-knives in the next paragraph. Table Cutlebt, including ordinary and carv- ing Icnives, and also forks, is chiefly made by machinery' in America, arid largely or wholly by hand in England. Knife-blades and tangs are roughly shaped by rolling or by trip or drop hammers, and are brought to a uniform shape and size by means of dies. The blades are hard- ened in oil, which is sometimes burned or blazed off. They are sometimes heated in a sand-bath to secure the desired color and temper. The holes in the tang are punched :ind the blades are ground on large power-driven stones, five to seven feet in diameter. Where machinery is used at eveiy possible point the blades are rough- ground by placing six or more in a brass frame, which is so manipulated as to give them both a side to side and vertical motion on the stone. The finish, however, is done bv hand, on wheels similar in general character to those explained in describing pocket knives. The highest grades of steel table-knives receive more hand work, but