The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-10-31
CUTTING CANOES.

CUTTING CANOES.
the Materials iced.
sOur principal material Is onyx
though we OCCASION ally work carneliAa.
lapisluzulL jade. etc. Onyx-in the
rough called massick-is found mainly
IN Brazil in pieces weighing from Eve
tons downward. Here are some pieces.
You see it is marked with veins and
layers of different colors- Sometimes
in one large piece there are i've or dx
colors, but usually there are only two
When the colors are sharply defined
and even after polishing they are 1T for
tbs lapidary without further trouble
OF course but q very small portion Of
the piece found Is fit for stone-cutting.
The average is about . twentieth part
usually in the center Of the stone.
Great skill is necessary in cutting out
this part. When the color line y not
even they fit them for use for common
work by coloring with various acids
The major portion Of the cameo and
onyx stones In stone rings are Of this
kind. The greater part Of the mas
sick found Is of the white and black
kind. This stone, when out and
polished. Is called onyx. When
one of the layers y eafved
with = design Of any kind 50
that the whole Of one layer 10 cut away
with the exception Of the rsissd dAs r.
Il ID called . cameo. When the daGaSA
il cut into the stone 1t 10 termed IN iptAg.
Ito. The rough massIek 70 not Pelishsd
or cut into jewelers' sizes in AmericA
Tho great seat for this branch y in Ger.
many. between the city Of Aosells sad
the Rhine. The workmsn have great
facilities there for water power. labor 3
very cheap and well organised. and
they can produce stones quite ready for
the engraver at sstonishingly low prices.
A large amount Of cameo and intaglio
cutting. Of rough but effective kind
is also done in this same district. These
stones are exported to ether EuropeaA
countries. to Providence. Z. l., and the
iewelry centers here. where they are
mounted by the manufacturers in gold
of various qualities. Thsss are the
goods sold at nineteen store out Of
twenty. They pass muster with the
multitude. as they arc snowy aud the
price Is very reasonable. but for CON
noisseurs and those able to pay The
| price few of the best stores import
artistic work from Italy, or have ID cut
| to their order here. You would hardly
believe that can buy canoes and ita9-
lios at lower rate than these anen-
graved stones. but it 10 fact. The
larger goods, such ~ toilet botileA
l k~l -
kinds in onyx. Jade. carnslian, str.. are
all made In Europe. They could not b
produced here for twios " three tia
amount. even when the duty 70 added
to the first cost"
I t.sWhst are the different processes Of
your work."
The stone 10 first ground to he
shape required on the steam Whssla
We commence with the large ones and
| gradually come down to the smsller %
the work is coming to q close. The
stone is then firmly fixed with lapidary' q
cement to this piece OF wood. about
three inches long and twice the size oil
the stone. A rough outline y then
penciled on. After this all depends on
the acuteness of sight and delicacv oil
Il
use almost two hundred tools. These
can not be bought ready mada. but
must be manufactured in the workshop
here. often have to make a number
Of tools Of peculiar shape before can
start in on a commission. These toOls
are almost all of one kind. Here are {
few of them. At one end Is q screw
which fits into my foot-lathe. The
other end gradually tapers, and at the
point is worked into sort of circular
saw. The sizes Of these saws vary from
half an inch in diameter to 1-126th
Here is one of the smallest; you car
not see the saw with the naked eye
The steel must be Of perfect temper and
the teeth quite even, or they are unfit
| for use. first cut around the outline
both horizontally and perpendicularly
with some of the larger saws. After
ward I cut in the portrait and acces
series with one of the smaller tools.
use diamond dust in every stage Of the
work. as the tool alone would make nc
impression on fine onyx. Of course
the fine touches take the most time anc
trouble. 1t is most exhausting work. q,
the eye and the hand must be complete
! ly in unison. for the slightest slip would
spoil the work of weeks. That three
headed medallion showed you cost m,
many sleepless night In crest seal
or name work in relief the process il
the same. but generally make a rec
wax impression Of the etching before
start on the stone. These commissions
when simple, are quite reasonable II
price. / have made some for As low q.
eight dollars, but Of course they some
times come as high as portrait II ther,
is much work. After the carving il
done the stone Is polished, first VIII
lump Of lead or zinc. and thea v,ti
tripoli, rouge and putty. Thea ID,
stone Is examined with . glass Of Sres1
power, and any slight defect remedied
The work is then complete" Ok
What IL incrusted work."
"Incrusting is an old method that hal
sprung into favor again during the las
few years. The design or letters ar,
cut into the ONYX and pure-or twenty
four-carat gold or fine platinum ham
mered into the cuts until It's flush with
the surface. When properly done tn il
work is very beautiful and durable. :
Chicago NeWs.