The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-09-04

thinking American mechanic. knowing
that Bis successful efforts will be- rewaro
ded, goes to work, devises and buiIdsa a
special machine to do the work reoniT.
cd. This machine is always more ov
less automatic. The finished product
loos its way 70 Europe, exciting the ad-
mlratlon and envy oftheif best artisans.
and the wonder Of all claases. how it can
oe made go cheaply, and 30 peffectly, in
thls land OF ruinoHaly high priaed laboH
An American hofea nail maohipe wad
recently exhibited lh ENGLAND. and iudor
ing from the notices We see in or r n.
ish exchanges, it will taFe chem eix
months longer to get over shair acton
ishment at the working Of thia creation
OF Yankee geniuas
AS an examplA az the way N which
our home fabsieaii ions, tnrped out by tho
best paid ia6pf tbe world, are made "a
surpass. BOTH ih qhality and cheapnsas,
the best results If foreign rivalry we
Will Instance the manufacture Of scissors
In Sheffield, which is supposed to 30 the
FOCUS OF this industry, workman forms
the scissors bowl by hammering out
tang to proper length and shape, then
bending it oval until the tip touches the
bar at the desired point; next making IL
tast by a careful and difficult weld,
This process requires more time and
skill than live Yankee mechanic Wo'd
care to devote to such a common place
tool; moreover 1t necessitates considera-
bic grinding in finishing to accurate
shape. In Connecticut is hard ware
factory where scissors forgings are made
in large quantities, but by radically
different process. Steel dies are made
to conform to the exact shape of bowl
and blade. The fiat pieces of steel are
heated In furnace, and struck into
smooth and accurate scissors forgings as
fast as a drop hammer can deliver it's
blows. A single blow forms true oval
and blade without the least grinding to
shape. When the pieces are removed
from the hammer there is a thin burr
adhering to the edge where the metal is
squeezed between the fi4t portions of
the dies. This is cleanly and perfectly
removed by one stroke of cutting
die, formed to exact shape, which leaves
the forgings ready for polishing, sharp.
ening and riveling together, the last step
completing the tool.
This Connecticut establishment re.
Ceives steel blanks from Sheffield manu-.
lecturers, makes tons upon tons of the
most accurate scissors forgings, barrels
them up anC sends them back to the
original consigners in the latter city,
In due time some of them appear in
American hardware stores made into
Sheffield scissors! Doubtless the Con.
necticut workmen get double the wages
OF the English scissors forgers, but what
earthly chance have the latter to COM
pete with the former, with their handi-
work in an open market. each party ad-
herring to present methods2 The differ.
ence in wages is mere bagatelle COM
pared with the difference in processes,
and 80 it is with hundreds of other spec.
ial manufactures that have been revolu-
ton z4d by American mechanical genius
stimulated aud supported by rate of
wages that enables a workman to live
respectfully, and devote share of his
energies to improving tools and methods
of production.
The foreign artisan has his thoughts
and energies so eDgrossed in his pinch.
ing poverty, by constant struggle to
maintain himself and family, that he has
neither time, inclination nor encourage
ment to study improvements. His chill.
dren follow in the same well worn track
that he has trod, and along which his
ancestors for generations have passed.
He opposes with all his force the intro
drction of labor-saving machinery, such
as has made American mechanical pro-
duCtions cheaper and better than his
highest skill is capable of turning out,
and has given steady and remunerative
employment to a large body of our skill
ed mechanics in supplying trade close
to his own door. Mr.. Evarts apparently
sees but one way to compete with the
low priced labor of Europe, viz equal
ization in trade profits, wages, etc" He
has, in the volume under notice, COM
mitted serious blunder, which We trust
he will in time discover. The tendency
,is to elevate the American workman
and reward him with still higher wages
with larger proportion of the wealth
he creates.
There are many other questions sug-
gested by these Consular reports, but we
leave their ditcussion to future issue.-
american Mdchinist.