Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-28

land for time imported 100000 auiiIS
every year, valued at $4,000.
In making the goose quill pen. which, by
the way, comes within she memory OF
very many now living. tine quilts were
sorted as soon as picked and the outside
skin was removed by hot sand bath
and subsequent scraping. The barrels Of.
the auilIs were then hardened by dipping
them into a solution of alum or nutric
acid and hung up to dry. When the
quilts had acquired the necessary brittle
| ness the slit was made either with
pocket knife or small machine for the
purpose.
1 The metal pen came into use about the
year 1860. but 1t was nearly quarter Of a.
/, century later when the industry began i'm
earnest. The making of steel pens was.
| first undertaken in England. In the early
DAYS they were made with the holder and
pen in one piece, but this, of course.
when the pen wore out necessitated the
throwing away Of the holder also. and so
economy brought about the separate pen
and holder.
Another objection to the early steel
pen was that 1t was too stiff. This was
| remedied by the side Sits seen in pens
today The price Of steel pen of tina
pioneer days of the industry as compared
with today is also interesting. The early
day steel pens cost as much as . to %
cents each.
The metal pen is steel of a fine quality
1t is received at the factory in sheets.
The first operation is to cut these sheets
into strips by a steam shearing machine.
after which they are annealed and put
into a pickle of dilute sulphuric acid.
They are then ready to be rolled to q
standard gauge.
The thickness desired for the pen to, be
made governs the number of times the
strip is run through the rolls. When the
strips have been rolled to the thickness
desired for the different styles of pens
they are stored in wooden boxes until
called for by the cutting department.
The cutting of the blanks for pens from
the strips is done by screw presses which
can be operated so rapidly that one per-
son can cut $500 blanks in day. The
shape is given to the blanks, of course.
by the dies in the presses. and there are
very many different shaped dies for the
different types of pens to be made. Peg
The blanks then go to the piercing de-
ipartment, where they are pierced and the
side Sits before referred to are made.
these operations also being done by
means of presses, and requiring many
different kinds and sizes of pens.
In order that the blanks may be i'm
questionable for the next operation.
which is the one of marking. they are
placed in cast iron pots and the pots in
muffie, the temperature of which is re-
gulated by most experienced hands. The
heated blanks are allowed to cool grad
ually, and while yet pliable the name Is
placed upon them by means of a stamp
ing machine.
Thus far the pen is fiat. and now comes
the very important operation of raising
it to the form of the finished pen. The
process is said to be very intricate. for
by improper raising all the work in the
former departments can be rendered USE
less.
A screw press of special construction is
used for this work. When the handle is
moved the screw descends and forces the
pen down upon die. Most minute adj
justments must be made before the
operators can begin work. The pens are
IcHuONeu Dy compressed air.
Next they must be hardened. At this
point they are heated red-hot and then
dropped into oil. after which they are
thoroughly cleaned and are ready for
tempering. This is accomplished by re-
heating in cylinders which revolve over
a steady fire. This operation gives them
the elastic qualities necessary to meet
any particular requirement.
There are two classes of operators in
the next department. those who do what
is known as straight" grinding and
cross" grinding. Some pens require both
operations. other types but one. The
grinding is to give the pens better ink
holding properties and further elasticity.
The work is done upon emery wheels.
An expert straight grinder can grind
about 25 a minute. cross grinder II pens
a minute.
The operation of Sitting the pen from
the place where it has been pierced down
to the point is in reality the most difficult
of all the mechanical operations. The
adjustment of these machines must be
perfect. SO that the slit will be right
through the center of the point.
The process is performed by a press
operated by hand and equipped with
knives. which, of course. are not only
very hard but very fine. A special fea-
ture is also made of the rounding Of the
points following the Sitting operation.
This is done in iron revolving cans con-
tanning small pebbly material The pens
are next put into dry sawdust. This
rounding process is to prevent the pen
from scratching or sticking in the paper
when it is in use.-Well Spring.
LADY BOOkMAkER IN ENGLAND.