The Wrangell sentinel., 1911-11-23


 the cutting of the tile. 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 holsters" 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 a press into springs for the back 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 a bed of hot coals. the bel lows are pumped, and the end 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 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. It 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 a 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 as he presses the blade on the rapidly re- yolving stone, turning it on both sides and grinding all its edges. he prac- tically finishes it. though afterward. in the cutters room, a higher finish is given 1t.
 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 workman 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 sii- yer bolsters, 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 it's covering Is put in a wise. and holes are drilled in it for the rivets. A brass wire is t4iTuSl lGC Ol tiiT lINA de toward the back. This secures the spring. and it is then broken off with nippers and headed down with a ham ner. This holds the scales and springs Another rivet through the bolster se- cures one blade or two blades If the knife has more than one blade hung at each end.
 The several parts are now put to- getAer The next process is "hafting' or finishing the covers of the handle. i which iS done on a leather wheel coat ed with glue and emery. The rough ! edges are rounded and smoothed. and l ihen the knives are carefully eXamin- 1 pd 10 see if the cutler has done his work properly.
 If the spring works easily and the l blades close without striking the knives are sent 10 the blade polisher. i Ou a wooden wheel covered with inc leather the ordinary blades are 1 lven q polish called a glaze finish" 1 Finer grades of knives are given "crocus inish"-a mirror-like surface i on q leather wheel which revolyes ] very slowly. in order that the blades sho! not become heated and lose their i temper.
 The knives are now taken to another room. where. on an oilstone. the keen tutting edges are "set" This done, the blades are closed. and the "buf- ing wheel" gives the final. polish to the outer side.-Philadelphia Record.