Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-19
CLAY TOBACCO-PIPES.

Se
1t will surprise nearly every Brookly-
mite, says The Eagle, to know that nine
tenths of all the tobacco clay pipes manu-
featured in the United States are made in
Brooklyn, and yet such is the fact. Over
fifteen thousand gross of clay pipes are
annually produced by the three factories
located in this city, which together en-
ploy 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 cooperative system.
! being the result or a combination of
several small manufacturers, who found
that the profit on the goods was to small
to allow of much competition. Probably
less than one person in thousand knows
how the clay pipe is made.
The clay used in the manufacture of
the common pipe is obtained from Wood
bridge, n. j., and cost at the pit So per
ton. With freight and carting added, the
raw material costs delivered at the fac
tory So per ton. The clay obtained at
Woodbridge is said to be superior for
pipemaking to that obtained in Dorset
shire 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. I. The clay after being
delivered at the factory is allowed to stand
IN the sun for a few days to become
seasoned. After being exposed sufficient
ly long it is mixed with water and
''milled," the process consisting of run
ming it through mill which crushes 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 bred and whatever grit re-
mains is carefully removed. Great care
! is taken to have the clay of the same con-
sistency throughout as otherwise the
pipes 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, roll
ing-board, and his hands constituting his
exit" The clay is placed on the right
hand OF the bench, in easy reaching dis
lance to the workman, and then the sec
| ond process of pipe-making is gone
through. Grasping handful of clay the
workman separates it in halves, and. plac-
ing them on the board, rolls them, one
with each hand, until they have reached
bowl is made, resembles a small sized
pear. When 1t 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 pine
from the pile of clay without calling into
requisition the aid of scales. After being
rolled the partly formed pipe is laid on a
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 rolled
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. It consists of lever, at the
lower end of which is plunge, the size
Of the bowl of the pipe to be made. Be-
low the plunge is a slat in which the iron
mould is placed, the slat allowing the
mould 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 i'll one hand dipping the, other in
clay, with which he oils the clay, separat-
ing the bunch as he does so. After oil
ing the clay he picks up the iron mold,
which is double, separating at the cen
ter, and opening it he dips his finger in
the oil and with a quick movement oils
the inside of the mold which from con-
slant use shines like FURNISHED steel. The
mold is the exact size and shape of the
pipe. After the mold is oiled the work
man picks up a long steel wire and, Oil
ing 1t, proceeds to insert it in the stem of
the pipe, pulling the clay on in about the
same manner as 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 a mold which is then
close and placed in the slot of the ma
chine, care being taken that the wire in
the stem does not reach to the bowl as if
1t did the plunger which forms the bowl
would break it. The mold is pushed as
far as possible into the slot, and while be
ing held there with one hand the work
man turns screw at the side of the ma
chine, with the other hand, forcing an
iron plate against the mold, the pressure
forcing out all superfuous clay and form
ing the pipe. The lever to which the
plunger is attached is then lowered, the
plunger entering the bowl portion of the |
mold 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 cut away with knife
and the pipe removed from the mold and
placed upon tray. In some of the ma
chimes used knife is attached to the
lever, the superfuous clay being cut from
4he mold as it is removed from the ma
chine.
It is an American invention, but owing !
to the fact that it does not always work |
smoothly it is only used upon the more
common pipes. The wooden trays when !
full are placed in the sun to allow the clay |
to dry moderately. They are then taken
by girl, and each pipe is carefully pol
ished with piece of hard wood. A
trimmer block of hard wood, is placed |
in the bowl and turned around to smooth
the bowl, while piece of iron attached |
to the trimmer" cuts the wreath that is
outside of the bowl. The stamp that is
seen on the front of the bowl is then
put on by means of hand stamp and the