Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-05-16
HOW HORN COMBS ARE MADE.
BY EMMA WHO.

HOW HORN COMBS ARE MADE.
BY EMMA WHO.
OMBS are made from
AN(%3horns gathered in Aus
%t9Y9 9tralia and South Ameri-
M@@ca, and from buffalo
GM1d:N Thorn brought from vari-
&M: AI!. eous quarters. Each
SN4: Mo market supplies a horn
&NkN of a distinct character,
"~an the characteristic
&SHS is closely maintained in
t~/% the production of the
TEnA7 combs. The processes
s&4hp adopted in manipulate
w ing the horn are. how
over one and the same for all kinds.
The first operation is to cut the horn in
several different ways, so that when it
is opened it shall be of rectangular
shape.
This cutting involves the loss of
several large pieces, and also of the
tips so far as comb-making is concern
ed; but the pieces are sold to manu-
fa%cturers of other commodities, SO that
the total loss is comparatively slight.
To assist the action of the knife, the
horn is heated to a certain degree over
the fire, by the side of which the
operator sits. When cut, the horn is
often softened and opened by tongs
and placed between screw plates,
wherein, under the influence of a
strong pressure, the pieces are hatten-
ed out.
1t is a Characteristic of the horn to
remain when cold just as it is shaped
when warm; so that, when the pieces
are removed from the screw plate,
they do not warp or curl up again.
Such pieces as are intended to be used
for imitation tortoise shell are sub
jected to an enormous pressure between
heated and oiled iron plates. This
heavy pressure, however, weakens the
horn and renders it liable to split.
Omitting the drying stage, the next
process is to cut the pieces into suita-
BILE sizes and shapes for combs, and
after that the teeth are cut. Original
ly this was done by hand.
Now it is done by circular saws, some
of which are so fine and thin as to cut
from seventy to eighty teeth per lineal
inch. They r%evolve at a very rapid
rate; but, instead of travelling up to
the horn, the horn travels up to the
saw. After each cut the horn is auto
matically moved forward the exact
breadth of a tooth, and it is possible
to arrange that a fine OF a coarse tooth
shall be cut at pleasure. This in itself
is sufficient to stamp the machine as a
most ingenious piece OF work.
After the tooth cutting, the combs
are next thinned or tapered down tc
their outer edges. This is done on
grindstones, and in due succession the
teeth are rounded, pointed, or beveled.
as the case may require. by a special
kind of file, or rasp.
If from this stage it is necessary tt
treat the horn, to make it an imitation
OF tortoise shell, the object is effected
by first applying a dilute nitric acid
which imparts q light-yellowish tinge
and afterward by dropping over Ger
tain spots a composition containing
caustic soda, litharge, and dragons
blood.
After some time the blood is washed
off, but the spots beneath it are found
to be slightly swollen up, and stained
to a deep orange tinge. 1t then only
remains to polish the combs, whether
they are in plain horn or in imitation
of tortoise shell. This is done by frs
sandpapering, to get a smooth surface
then buffing on leather wheels, ant
finally polishing on wheels made up O
circular pieces of calico, with frayei
edges, which, though SO soft in them
selves, present a hard face when being
rapidly revolved.