Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-04
CLAY ToBACCo-PIPEs
A Description of the Way in Which They
Are Manufactured and Various
Designs.

MADE IN BROOKLYN, anu yet Sucn Is the
fact. Over fifteen thousand gross of
clay pipes are annually produced by the
three factories located in this city, which
together employ thirty hands, or an
average of ten each. A visit was made
to the largest of these factories, which
is situated on Kosciusko street, near
Broadway, and which is run on the CO.
operative system, being the result of q
combination of several small manufac-
turers, who found that the profit on the
goods was too small to allow of much
competition. Probably less than one
person in a thousand knows how the
clay pipe is made.
The clay used in the manufacture of
the common pipe is obtained from
Woodbridge, N. j.. and costs at the pit
So per ton. With freight and carting
added, the raw material costs delivered
at the factory So per ton. The clay
obtained at Woodbridge is said to be
superior for pipe-making to that OBJ
tanned in Dorsetshire and Devonshire in
England, as it is more absorbent and
therefore more healthy to the smoker.
A fine bed of clay is also worked to
some extent at Glen Cove, l.. l. The
clay after being delivered at the factory
is allowed to stand in the sun for few
days to become seasoned. After being
exposed sufficiently long it is mixed
with water and ''milled," the process
consisting of running it through mill
which brushes it and removes all grit
and foreign substances. After coming
from the mill it is worked and kneaded
by hand, much in the same manner as
bread, and whatever grit remains is
carefully removed. Great care is taken
to have the clay of the same consistency
throughout as otherwise the pipe would
crack and become spoiled under the test
of the kiln. When the clay has been
worked sufficiently it is given to the
''roller," as the man who fashions it is
called. His tools are of the simplest,
wooden bench, stool, rolling board.
and his hands constituting his xxi"
The clay is placed on the right hand of
the bench, in easy reaching distance to
the workman, and then the second pro-
cess of pipe-making is gone through.
Grasping handful of clay the work
man separates it in halves, and, placing
them on the board, rolls them, one with
each hand, until they have reached the
length desired, one end, of which the
bowl is made, resembling small-sized
pear. When it is remembered that
only about one ounce of extra clay is
allowed for each dozen pipes rolled, it
will be seen how difficult it is to grasp
| Just the exact amount necessary for each
pipe from the pile of clay without call
| ing into requisition the aid of scales.
After being rolled the partly-formed
pipe is laid on board just the length
of the pipe desired, when if the stem is
too long it is broken off at the required
length.
After one dozen pipes have been roll
ed in this fashion they are punched and
passed over to the helper, who sits on
the opposite side of the bench, ON one
end of which is the machine with which
| the pipe is made. 1t consists of a lever,
at the lower end of which is plunger,
the size of the bowl of the pipe to be
made. Below the plunger is a slat in
which the iron mold is placed, the slat
allowing the mold to enter until the bowl
of the pipe is directly underneath the
plunger. When the half-made pipes are
handed to the man at the machine he
| picks up the bunch in one hand. dip
ping the other in oil, with which he
oils the clay, separating the bunch as
he does SO. After oiling the clay he
picks up the iron mold, which is double,
separating at the center, and opening
it he dips his finger in the oil and with
quick movement oils the inside of the
mold, which from constant use shines
like FURNISHED steel. The mold is the
exact size and shape of the pipe After
the mold is oiled the workman picks up
a long steel wire and, oiling II, pro-
ceeds to insert it in the stem o. the
pipe. pulling the clay on in about lie
same manner as a glove is put on the
hand. After the wire has been inserted
nearly to the bowl portion of the pipe.
the clay is placed in mold, which is
then closed and placed in the slot OF
the machine, care being taken that the
wire in the stem does not reach to the
bowl, as if it did the plunger which
forms the bowl would break it. The
mold is pushed as far as possible into
the slot, and while being held there
with one hand the workman turns Q
screw at the side of the machine, with
the other hand, forcing an iron plate
against the mold, the pressure forcing
out all superfluous clay and forming the
pipe. The lever to which the plungei
is attached is then lowered, the plungel
entering the bowl portion of the molc
forcing out the clay and making the
bowl. The mold is then withdrawn
from the machine, the wire in the stem
being forced into the bowl of the pipe
making the hole through which the
smoke is drawn. The clay which has
been forced out of the mold is then GU
away with knife and the pipe re
moved from the mold and placed upor
tray. In some of the machines useC
knife is attached to the lever, The
superfluous clay being cut from thu
mold as it is removed from the ma
chine. 1t is an American invention
but owing to the fact that it does no
always work smoothly it is only uset
upon the more common pipes. TIL,
wooden trays when full are placed il
the sun to allow the clay to dry moder
ately. They are then taken by girl
and each pipe is carefully polished will
piece of hard wood. A trimmer" ,
block of hard wood. is placed in tn
bowl and turned around to smooth til,
bowl, while piece of iron attached t
the trimmer" cuts the wreath on th,
outside of the bowl. The stamp that i
seen on the front of the bowl is then pu
{ on by means of a hand stamp, and th
pipe is ready for the potter" anothe
/ girl, who places the pipes, bowl down
into an earthen pot called "sagger,
which, after being filled with pipes, j
covered with fiat earthen cover an,
placed in the kiln. The clay before be
, ing fired is of slaty blue. The variou
decorations, such as wreaths, fer
, leaves, figures, ETC., seen on the pipe
, are formed by the mold After the kill
, has been filled with the "saggers'' con
, tanning the pipes the door is closed an
the fire built. The fuel used is charcoal
| and coke, and the fire is kept at whit
q heat for twenty hours, the heat entering
q the kiln by means of fues. Great car
: is taken not to allow the flames to reac
I the white clay pipes, as the slightes
i, touch of fire would blacken them. Afte
) remaining in the kiln the required tim
the pipes, which by that time have be
come perfectly white and hard, are re
, moved and allowed to cool, and ar
then carefully examined and placed il
! the boxes and barrels ready for ship
ment The clay pipes, the bowls c
/, which are colored in imitation of smoke
! meerschaum, are made in the sam
manner, excepting that the fire is a
lowed to reach them IN the kiln-th
e ! = "a y.