IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TABLE CUTLERY
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Moline Warner and Herbert
Warner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th September
1878.
ARTHUR MOLINE WARNER and HERBERT WARNER, both of Cargo Fleet, Middles-
borough, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TABLE
CUTLERY."
This Invention relates to the handling of knives and other cutlery of a similar
character. The handles now in use are generally made of ivory, bone, horn, or
wood, which besides being easily stratched and spoilt in appearance by wear and
tear, are expensive on account of the manipulation required to cut them into shape ;
in fact in all except the very common cutlery the handles are the most expensive
part of the knives.
According to our Invention we employ handles of glass moulded to a suitable
form, toughened by immersion in oil or a suitable liquid, and fitted into a socket on
the blade or part to which the handle is to be attached.
Ordinary glass is unsuitable for making handles for cutlery on account of its
brittleness.
This we overcome by the employment of glass toughened by immersion when
red hot in boiling oil or other similar substances, as described by F. B. A. Royer de
la Bastie in his Specification, No. 2783, 1874.
The ordinary method of fixing the handles to the knives by inserting an iron tang
into a hole in the handle is not applicable when glass is used on account,-
1st. Of the ugly appearance of the handle, which would be generally transparent
and show the tang.
2nd. Because the handles would be much weakened by the hole.
The manner in which we fix the knives to the glass handles is as follows:-
Instead of a tang we make a short wrought-iron socket as thin as possible, that can
be cheaply forged or stamped up, and embossed with a pattern if desired; to this we
weld the steel blade. We cast the glass handles with one end to fit the socket, and
to the depth of the socket they are slightly ribbed or rayed, both lengthwise and
crosswise. The socket and the end of the handle that fits into it are then heated
[Price 21

page_text: to about the temperature of boiling oil in an oil bath. When the right heat is
obtained the knife is withdrawn and placed in a vice or holder, and a few drops of
an easily fusible alloy poured into it; the handle is then quickly inserted and
pressed down to the bottom of the socket. The alloy then flows up and fills all
the grooves in the glass, holding it perfectly tight.
The handles fixed in this way will not come out when the knives are washed in
hot water, which is a source of constant annoyance when fixed with an easily fusible
cement.
By employing toughened glass in the manner described as a substitute for the
materials now in use we obtain a handle that will retain its polish and good appear-
ance instead of becoming scratched or dirty; it is not disfigured by a tang down
the centre, and is cheaper than almost any other material, as there is no expense of
cutting and shaping. It can be tinted and coloured to the most beautiful colours,
and if desired cut and polished. It may also be moulded to any shape or pattern
without any increase of cost.