The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
PROCESS or CORK CUTTING,
now RAW MATERIAL is TURNED
INTO FINISHED ARTICLE.
Industry About which Little Is Known
Shaping Corks and Remodelling Old
Ones-Tiny Corks Used by Chemists
blade and Machinery Employed.

Industry About Which Little 10 KNOWN
Shaping Corks and Remodelling Old
Ones-Tiny C0rks Used by Chemists
-Hlade and Machinery Employed.
II was Saturday afternoon and the men
had gone of for the half holiday. The pro-
prietor Of the cork cutting business was
also taking rest; a meagre. half-hearted
sort OF holiday, however, since the shop
door was open and the goods were spread
out for inspection and sale. Only the 81
lence OF the three machines In the back
ground served to show the day Of the week,
says the London Globe.
All around scattered about the door were
shallow rush baskets filed with corks OF
different shapes and sizes. each particular
article having basket to itself There
were oorks OF substantial even aldermanio,
proportions; there were corks with beauti-
full slim figures and tapered waists; there
were long lengths of cork in the rough, just
as 1t had arrived In this country, and there
was also the same material cut into short
pieces, in preparation for the shaping that
would follow.
In fact, all stages In the life OF cork
were there; and because his customers be-
trayed symptoms OF the interest they felt,
the cork merchant offered to give demon
stration Of the whole process OF turning
the rough material into the finished article.
First OF all there WAS the cork cutters
knife to be inspected; formidable affair,
with a heavy blade measuring about six
inches across and with bevel at least one
inch wide. The centre Of the blade was
very heavy, and the reason for so much
tohf ~ al
cutter proceeded to use the knife. Picking
up short length Of rough cork, he held 1t
firmly against a metal knob set into the
side OF table, then, having introduced the
sharp edge Of the knife into the material,
he threw the whole weight OF his body
against the handle and literally drove the
blade through the cork. There was no saw
ing backward or forward; nothing but the
steady pressure; yet so tremendously sharp
was the blade that the knife pushed I'M
ceasingly forward and in a moment or two
the piece OF cork lay in two fragments on
the floor.
The wide bevelled edge is necessary IN Or
der to prevent the cork from tearing, While
the knife has to be heavily weighted 10
stand the strain of that amount OF press
ure. This knife has small hole near the
back, about half way down the blade: this
was for the gauge, which ia fastened on by
means of nut. The gauge is set according
to the width of strips required-thls width
being the length of the finished cork-and
so ins,Ires each strip being cut to the exact
measurement. After the gauge has been
set the workmen can cut up length after
length Of cork without further measuring;
for the gauge, projecting over the BACK OF
the blade, runs along the freshly cut edge,
and thus causes the next cut to be parallel
~ ba los
was informed that the gauge could be set
to the seventh part Of an inch! When the
cork had been cut into long, narrow STRIPS
the cutter took up one of these same strips,
and without altering the gauge on tne
knife began dividing it into number OF
little cubes, The first cuts Ito produce the
long strips) were done across the grain; the
others ran with the grain, these latter being
the way Of the finished cork.
The grain must run down the article,
explained the sef-constituted Lecturer
otherwise the cork would break in half
So first we cut across for the length OF the
cork, then we cut with the grain. for the
width of the cork. Now these little pieces
are ready to be turned into the finished
article A..
cutter moved across the floor to where
one OF the machines was standing; Don't
put your fingers near the blade, he eau
toned hastily. There's nothing sharper
than the blade of this knife. It's made OF
the very best and hardest steel there is
Then. lust as the auditors were about to
murnur sheffield" he continued: Made
in France, that blade was the very best
steel there is" Cautiously enough, this 10
also the case with the hairdressing trade;
the best scissors are nowadays french
ones.)
Twenty-six inches Of sharp blade were
quite sufficient to scare away uninitiated
fingers. Nothing requires a sharper blade
than cork cutting: 1t must be absolutely
perfect or the stuff is torn; and II That plade
goes wrong it takes me one complete day
to grind il into order again-a very nara
days work IL is, too
SHow do you manage to keep 1t sharpy'
asked one OF the party. The man laughed.
1T is ground after each cork is cut, ne
replied IF not. the second cork would
be peroepibly inferior to the first ONE ;mn,v
vast amount Of labor until he pointed TO
couple of small dark wheels fixed to the
machine in such a manner that the blade
passed along them each time it was drawn
back These small wheels were OF the
ground the blade after every cork in turn:
No oil was used at all, so he explained, and
he then proceeded to demonstrate the
working OF the machine. Pushing wide
basket close to the other side OF the machine.
he took up his position on the left hand side,
drew a Tray Ol vi Soih W aib'
selecting a short length, set 1t against
small wheel which was placed almost
against the blade and at right angles TO it.
Then he pre- ssed with his foot Upon treadle
and instantly short point moved forward,
pressing on to the other end Of the piece of
CORK and thus hol ing it against the wheel.
When secured between these two, he re-
moved his fingers, grasped the VI right
handle OF the long blade and pushed it
steadily forward; and in the twinkling of
an eye the piece Of rough cork had as.
s,lmed familiar aspect The pressure Of
the blade agGi st the cork caused the little
wheel land with 1t, of course, the cork 10
revove, and in its turn this same spinning
allowed the knife 10 cut evenly all the way
round the cork. BY the time the blade had
been pushed to the furthest oxxemity OF
the machine the cork had been neatly
pared all around; then the treadls was re-
leased and the cork rolled away with
final spin into the basket awaiting it on
the other side. 1t was also shown that
the machine can be set TO produce any
taper desired.
But the most curious part Of the trade
was explained when one of the audi ence,
catching sign OF a baskctful Of old corks,
demanded the reason of their presence.
From the cork merchants account it ap-
reared that a large trade Is done in re-