The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-07-21
THE POCKETKN|FE
Many Machines and Processes
! Used In Its Making.
ART IN FORGING THE BLADES.

To Become an Adept In the Delicate
Work of Tempering Edge Steel Ne.
eessitates a Long Course Of Training
and Years of Experience.
The labor of making a pocketknifs
is, as usual In every Industry that ID
carried on by the aid Of great deal OF
machinery, much divided. Each blade
must go through six separate proc
esses-frst. 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 a depression In the neck
of the blade between the sharp edge
and the heavier part or tang" fifth,
tempcring; sixth. grinding.
All this applies to the two ordinary
blades of knife. Nail blades are sub
jected to still another process-namely.
the cutting of the file, which Is a de-
partment of work in itself.
Should we inspect the material room
of a knife mandatory 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 I'M
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 press into springs
for the back of the knife.
The rod of steel from which the
blades are made Is taken from the ma
terlal room to the forge. Here one end
Is put into bed of hot Goals. the bel
lows are pumped, and the end is soon
red
The skilled forger then hammers the
blade into shape upon his anvil. and
80 accurate is his eye and SO exact his
hand that the blade does not deviate
hairs breadth from the little brass
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. Il Is
nearly uniform In thickness and Is
light gray in color.
Again the forger's skill is brought
into play in the tempering. Laying
the blades on a copper plate over the
fire. he watches them as they change
their hue with the degree Of heat. 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 Inn
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 as he
| presses the blade on the rapidly re-
| volying stone. turning 1t on both sides
and grinding all its edges. he prac-
tically finishes 1t, though afterward, In
| the cutters room. higher finish ia
| given II.
From the wheel room" the blades
so to the cutters room. where they
find the other parts of the knife and
where ull the parts are put together.
Each workman here Is at work upon
II 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 sil-
YER holsters. which have been secured
to the ends by u heavy drop hammer;
the wood. ivory or pearl scales. the
springs nnd the wire rivets.
Each brass lining, with its covering,
is put In II wise, and holes are drilled
in II for the rlvets. A brass wire Ia
thrust through the middle Of the han
die toward the back. This secures the
| spring, and 1t Is then broken Off with
| nippcrs and headed down with ham,
mer This holds the scales and springs
Another riyet through the bolster So
cures one blade or two blades II the
knife has more than one blade hung
AT each end.
The several parts arc now put to-
get Their The next process is "hafting"
or finishing the covers OF the handle.
which Is done ON leather wheel coat
ed with glue and emery. The rough
edges are rounded and smoothed, and
then the knives are carefully examin-
cd Ia see II the cutler has done his
work properly
II the spring works easily and the
blades close without striking the
knives nre sent to the blade polisher.
On n wooden wheel covered with
fine leathel the ordinary blades are
| given II polish called glaze finish"
| Finer grades of knives are given q
"crocus tnlsh"-a mjrrorliko surface
on leather wheel which revolves
very slowly. in order that tho blades
shall not hccome heated and lose their
temper
The knives are now taken to another
room, where, on an oilstone, the keen
| cutting edges nre "set" This done,
the blades nre closed. and the "bun-
Ing wheel gives the tlnal polish to the
outer side p Philadelphia Record.
That endless book. the newspaper,
In our national glory. - Henry Ward