St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-03-04
THE MAKING OF STICKS.
WHAT a MANUFACTURE HAS 70
SAY ABOUT IT,
The Umbrella Supersedinst the Game
How tho Wood is Manipulated
aud Prepared for the Market.


IRON the picket post soldier
of the sIsirtei army. 1t is neetly
and nattily rolled tight, very slen-
der, and with strong stick. "lou see
they are being made nowadays SO that
the inner ribs lit snugiy into the grooVed
outer ones, allowing the umbrella to
c.ose very tightly. Then the strongest
and finest silk is used, together With
very stout, slender stick, 50 the bulk OF
the whole is little more than that Of any
ordinary walking stick. II serves every
purpose of the cane and is somewhat
more protecting to mans temper and
hat in a rain"
In the working rooms where the whlr
of machinery buzzes its perpetual work
day song are great punches OF rough
sticks ready to be converted into things
of beauty. The wood sticks at hrst
stage generally have an ug y and IN"
calmly appearance, and many are so
crooked and rough that no drover or
country boy would think it worth while
to polish them with his knife. Their
numerous imperfections, however, are
soon pruned away and usllness con-
yerted into elegance.
When sufficiently seasoned and fit for
working they are laid to soak in sand
thoroughly heated by steam and rem
dered tougher and more pliabIe. A
workman then takes them one by one
and securing them with an iron stock
bends them skillfully this way and that
SO as to bring out their natural CROOKS
and render them at last all straight, even
rods.
If they are not to be knottel they
next 60 to the "trapper," who puts
them through kind Of circular plane
which takes off the knots and renders
them smooth and round. The "crook-
err next takes in hand the evoIuting
walking stick. He produces the grace
full opera and shepherd crooks, the lat
ter by bending between two sticks, one
over and the other under, in such way
that the end is turned over. Next he
binds the bent end down firmly with
stout cord. Almost all canes with the
crooked handles show near the top the
marks left by the tightly drawn string.
1t cuts into the steam-sottened wood and
leaves deep trace of its clasp that is
not removed by the subsequent processes.
After the sticks are hardened and pol
ished they are ready for the ferule, the
Trimmings, If any, and lastly for the or
nanental mountings, or if left crookless
for the carved, beaten, or otherwise
made presentable head.
The office of the "frazer" is to cat by
aid of the powerful machinery the taper
end of the cane for the ferrute and the
shoulder for the placing OF the band.
A small wheel, with snarpeaed cogs,
does this cutting or shaving very
effectua)ly. After being measured by a
continuance whose upright iron pins de-
terrnine the length of the cane and the
exact spot for the placin5 Of tae band
it goes 20 the frazing wheel. A placing
Of the stick alongside the sharp cogs, q
whizz, scattering of spiintered shay
ings, and this is done. In old days
this process, done laboriolsly by hand,
occupied considerable time. Now a
skilled frazer can turn out several hun
drcd in day. The lengths vary from
321 to 35 inches.
it is now put in wise and the fcrrue
with its snail iron tip is placed on the
end. Close by the frazer is sharp
needle made of the hardest steel known
projecting from wise connected with
the circuit of machinery. Tho iron
band of the ferrule aud the wood are
almost instantly pierced by this swiftly
revolving needle en- being impaled
thereon. With q pair Of pinchers the
Workman "bites Off a twoinch length
of strong wire from huge coil hang
ing beneath his table, inserts it in tht
hole pierced by the needle, and flies tae
projecting ends down so smoothly that
no trace OF either pm or hole is left. By
careful search small bright spot, a
little dev:ating from the grain of the
iron, ig discovered, showing where the
pin was inserted.
The band under the head is similarly
placed, the head, if 1t is not crooked
handle, cemen:cd on, aud the cane is
ready to take its place among the ranks
of the standing army out in the show
room,
"Thc woods most used" remarks the
the manager of the plant as he leads the
way back, "are adrelette, or French
crab, the South American ebony, snake.
wood, and rosewood, ac1c;a, dogwood,
and hickory. Ash is used, but not
much, The rich, chocolate colored
wood so much in vogue now and last
year is the German weic Ise!, n very hand
some wood which is cultivated in fields
for the purpose near Vienna. 1t grows
in shrub form, and is constantly watered
to produce quick growth. TIE eyes are
taken out to prevent the growth Of side
branches and the lower off-shoots are
cut year before the cane is cut. This
produces the round kr1ts near the top
of the cane, which is, of course, the
bottom when growing
''Wllat makes these queer markings
along the length Of this stict?' is asked |
as the quostioner picks up q very hand
some stick of dark brown color with |
curious carvings all over it.
"That is the adrelette I mentioned
moment ago. 1t comes from the south
OF France, and one old Frenchman con-
trois the whole output of the world.
The markings are given the stick while
growing. The peasants who cultivate it
crawl along on hands and knees aud cut
and slash the tender stalk with differ
emily shaped knives, and this variety
makes the difference in the carvings.