The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-12-28
The POCKETKN|FE
Many Machines and Processes
Used In Its Making.
ART IN FORGING THE BLADES.
70 Become an Adept In the Delicate
Work Of Temperine Edge Steel Me-
cessitates a Long Course Of Training
and Noa.o n$

and Years of Experience.
The labor Of making pocketknife
is. as usual in every industry that Is
carried uI. i,y the aid of Il great deal Of
machiEcry. much divided. Each blade
mus, go through six separate proc
esses first, forging: second. laying
on the ''tangs." that part which. is in,
serted into the handle and through
which the blade is riveted; third
marking or stamping with the name
Of the manufacturer: fourth. "choil-
ing" or filing depression in the neck
of the blade between the sharp edge
and the heavier part or tang" fifth
tempering: sixth. grinding,
All this applies to the two ordinary
blades of knife Nail blades are sub
jectcd to still another process-namely
the cutting of the file. which is de-
partment Of work in itself.
Should we inspect the material room
of knife manufactory we should find
heavy iron presses. which stamp out
from sheets of brass or iron the metal
scales and lining The bright tips on
the end Of the knife, called 'bolsters."
are pressed out Of German silver un-
der another heavy weight. which does
its work in one blow. Huge shears cut
| from sheets of steel. used only for this
purpose. long strips that are afterward
fashioned under Il press into springs
| for the buck of the knife
The rod Of steel from which the
blades are made is taken from the ma.
terial room to the forge Here one end
is put into bed of hot Goals. the bel
lows are pumped. and the eud is soon
red
| The skilled forger then hammers the
blade into shape upon his anvil. and
SO accurate is his eye and so exact his
hand that the blade does not devia,e
hairs breadth from the little l,raSS
pattern that is before him and To
which each blade must correspond ex
actly.
The blade is next dipped in water
and becomes as hard and brittle as
glass But the edges are rough, 1t is
nearly uniform in thickness and is a
light gray in color.
Again the forger's skill is brought
into play in the tempering. Laying
the blades on copper plate over the
fire. be watches them as they change
their hue with the degree of beat. first
to straw color. then TO darker straw
and now to the dark purple which de-
notes that the proper degree of heat
has been obtained They are plunged
into cold water as fast as they reach
this point.
if the blades were allowed to remain
longer over the fire the steel would
change to light blue and become so
soft that the blades could be bent
easily. This is perhaps the most i'm
portant process in the manufacture.
The blades are taken next to the
grinding room. The grinder must also
depend upon the accuracy Of his eye
and the training of his hand. for rs he
presses the blade on the rapidly re-
yolving stone. turning it on both sides
and grinding all its edges. he prac
tically finishes II. though nfterward. in
the cutters room. higher finish is
given it.
From the wheel room" the blades
go to the cutters room. where they
find the other parts of the knife and
where all the parts are put together
Each work man here is at work upon,
a particular lot Of knives. all OF one
pattern. Upon his work bench are the
various parts of the knives. prepared
by other hands the center scales that
separate the blades. the outer brass
scales Of lining. with the German sill
yer holsters which have been secured
to the ends by heavy drop hammer
the wood. ivory or pearl scales. the
springs and the wire rivets.
Each brass lining. with its covering
Is put In vise and holes are drillet
| in II for the rivets. A brass wire Is
thrust through the middle of the han
die toward the back This secures tha
spring. and II is then broken off will
nippers and headed down with IL ham
mer This holds the scales and springs
Another rivet through the bolster sc
cures one blade or two blades II th'
knife has more than one blade hun!
at each end
The several parts are now put to
gether. Tn. next process is ''hafting
or finishing the covers of the handle
which is done on leather wheel coat
ed with glue and emery. The r"ug
edges are rounded and smoothed. ant
then the knives are carefully exanir
ed to see If the cutler has done hi
work properly.
1t the spring works easily and th
. blades close without striking tn
knives are sent to the blade poIiSher.
On wooden wheel covered wit
fine leather the ordinary blades nj
given a polish called glaze finish
Z Finer grades of knives are given
= 'crocus finish'-a mirror-lile surface
:. OH leather wheel which revolvt
u very slowly. in order that the blade
shall not become heated and lose the
temper.
The knives are now taken to aDoth'
| COULl. WuSIe pI an pitNipht. t''S nv
cutting edges are set" This don
the blades are closed. and the "bu
ing wheel gives the final polish 10 Il
outer side Philadelphia Record.
:. That endless book the newspapt
10 our national glory. Henry Wa
Beecher.