, 1885-07-17
MAKING CUTLERY.
THE MYSTERIES OF FORGE, HAMMER,
ToNes. IRON AND STEEL
Table Knives and Forks. Razor Blades.
Etc.-Ths Welding OF Iron and Steel
Peculiar Disease Called the
Grinders Asthma"


Scientific American
American cutlery is now finding its way
all over the world. and knives, shea ).
scythes. and planes Of our manufacture
are to be found In the warehouses Of most
large English cities In 1872 the impor
taiion OF cutlery Into the Inited states
amounted TO $lO, 800. 90. which was cut
down ia 1880 to about $500. 600 a year.
besides which 5 90, 900 worth of domestic
goods were exported In that year In the
manufacture OF axes. the United States
have nude the most marvellous advances.
surIassing all other countries. except
d anada. which bears an equally good rep
utaiion for making these useffl imple-
ments
Good table knives are made of steel and
iron welded together tho part which
goes into the handle called technically
the tang in England and the shoulder are
of irou. and the blade of steel. The tang
and shoulder are forged from bar iron,
and the blade from shear or cast steel
Knife blades. razor blades, and other
small articles are usually forged into their
required shape while still attached to the
bar. which serves for the workmen TO
hold them by. Whom tho bar becomes
too short. 1t is grasped in a pair of tongs
held close by a ring which clamps them
by sliding up their conical handles. Two
IHtu uIt tmploltn III lOIKlnE huln NOIh-
The principal workman. or fireman. as he
is sometimes called. uses a small hammer
Of two 10 four pounds weight. while the
Zimmerman yields the sledge hammer,
weighing from ten to fifteen pounds. The
fireman, who attends the heating rs well
as the anvil work. directs the hammer
man. whose blyws merely follow those Of
the small directing hammer of the fire.
man.
In drawing down or reducing a bar
both in length aud width, the flat face OF
the hammer is used. but when the length
or breadth alone IS to be extended. only
the narrow edge of the hammer is used
The concavity of razor blades is made by
hammering the blade on a small round.
faced anvil the notch. or nail hole, of a
pcnkuife IS struck by means Of "a chisel of
the required form. Superior work. such
as razor blades. are -smithed" aftor forg.
ing. hat Is. beaten upon an anvil. to con-
dense the metal as much US possible. and
slightly ground or scorched upon a rough
stone. to finish the shaping and remove
the scale. or black oxidized s~urface, which
would Interfere with the color of the
tempering
Common knives are made entirely Of
iron. and the difference of prices arises
not merely from the difference in cost Of
the material, but from the greater facility
OF working. 1t should also be understood
that. in many articles composed of steel
welded 10 iron, the saving of steel
Is not the only advantage. for steel being
more brittle than wrought iron, il Ia very
desirable. in all articles subject to "A trans.
verse breaking strain or to conclusion.
that every part except the cutting or
working edge should be of iron. Thus a
Ratchet made entirely Of steel would be
less durable than one Of iron with a
welded steel cutting edge. and so of other
articles.
Table forks arc forged rudely into the
shape required. first as though but a
single thick prong were required. The
part for the prongs is then beaten out.
and q stamping die is brought down upon
IL. which forms The prongs. with n hin
film of steel between them: this is u out
by a cutting die. Then they are softened
and filed up, again hardened and tenn
cred and ground to smooth and finish
The dry grinding Of forks, needles. etc,
is n very deleterious trade, on a count of
the particles of steel which enter
the nostrils OF the workmen. and
produce most painful irritation. fol
lowed by a peculiar disease called grind
eris asthma. - which is said to shorten life
80 seriously that few dry grinders. ex'
posed TO the steel dust reach forty years
Of age. Many remedies have been pro
posed for this. A magnetic ~mouthpiece
was invented but the workmen would not
wear il. on account OF its novelty. its gro
tesquc appearance. the trouble of clean
Ing il. and The belief that If their trade
were more healthy greater numbers would
enter it. and wages be reduced A re-
vol, ing fan. which sets In motion n cur
rent Of air. hal is carried by a pipe to the
outside Of the building. has been used
with greater success and is now in gen
eral use when it can be applied. though
It's introduction was much opposed by the
workman ..