THE CUTLER.

The manufacture of edged tools is one of the first arts amongst men in every state of society.

Though the art of the Cutler, in a general sense, comprises all those articles denominated edge-tools, it is more particularly confined to the manufacture of knives, forks, scissars, pen-knives, razors, and swords.

Damascus was, anciently, famed for its razors and swords. The latter are said to possess the advantages of flexibility, elasticity,
and hardness.

Knives and swordsh have been in use amongst mankind from the earliest periods, but forks and bayonets are comparatively of modern invention.

Forks have not been invented much more than two hundred years : in early times they were not known, even at the entertainments
of a sovereign ; but the guest who sat nearest to a joint, held one part with his fingers while, he carved the other with his knife. They appear to have had their origin in Italy, and to have been introduced into this country either in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, or in the beginning of the reign of James the First ; but they were not very common till after the restoration.

The first bayonets were daggers, which, after the soldiers had exhausted their ammunition, they fitted to the bore of their muskets. They were introduced into France about the year 1673 ; and among the English grenadiers in the short reign of James the Second. Many are yet to be seen in the small armoury in the Tower. The use of them, fastened to the muzzle of the firelock, was also a French improvement, first adopted about 1690, and which was universally followed by the rest of Europe a few years afterwards.

Those articles of cutlery which do not require a fine polish, and are of low price, are made from blistered steel. Those articles which require the edge to possess great tenacity, and at the same time superior hardness is not required, are made from sheer steel. The finer kinds of cutlery are made from steel which has been in a state of fusion, and which is termed cast-steel, no other kinds being susceptible of a fine polish. Table-knives are mostly made of sheer steel, the tong and shoulder being of' iron, the blade being attached by giving them a welding heat. The knives, after forging, are hardened by heating them red hot, and plunging them into water ; they are afterwards heated over the fire till they become blue, and then ground. The handles of table knives are made of ivory, horn, bone, stag-horn, and wood, into which the blades are cemented with rosin and pulverized brick. Forks are made, altogether, by the aid of the stamp and appropriate dies. The prongs only are hardened and tempered. Razors are made of cast steel ; the edge of a razor requiring the combined advantages of great hardness and tenacity.

The chief art in this business, consists in softening hardened steel, by the application of a heat not greater than that which was employed in hardening it ; for this purpose it is gradually heated, more or less according to the temper required, and cooled again, either gradually or rapidly, this making no difference ; after which the steel is found to be softened or tempered exactly in proportion to the heat which it has undergone ; while the steel is tempering, its surface displays a succession of colours, supposed to arise from a commencing oxidation, in proportion as it becomes more and more heated, which the workmen in this metal have ingeniously taken advantage of, as serving to denominate the degree of temper required for different articles.

The first perceptible colour is a light straw colour, and this being produced by a small degree of heat, indicates the highest or hardest temper; to this succeeds a fall yellow, then a brown, afterwards a reddish blue, then a light blue, and lastly a full deep blue, passing into black; which being the other extremity of the series, denotes the lowest degree of temper, and a hardness only a little suprior to what the piece of steel would have acquired if, when heated for the purpose of being hardened, it had been allowed to cool gradually, instead of being plunged into a cold liquid.

The old method of tempering, which is practised even yet by many manufacturers, is to lay the articles on a clear coal-fire, or on a
hot bar, till they exhibit the requisite colours ; but small articles, which are to be reduced to a blue temper, are commonly blazed ; that is, they are first dipped in oil or melted grease, and then held over the fire till the oil becomes inflamed, and thus evaporated.

The following table shews the temperature at which the various colours make their appearance.

430° to 450° the several tints of straw-colour fit for razors, and such instruments as have a keen edge and a stout back.

470° a full yellow, and proper for scalpels, pen-knives, and other fine-edged instruments.

490 the brown yellow, and a proper temper for scissars and small shears.

500° the .first tinge of purple, the proper temper for pocket and pruning-knives.

530° indicates purple, the temper for table and carving knives.

550° to 560° the different shades for blue, a temper fit for watch-springs, swords, and wherever great elasticity is required.

600° corresponds with black, and the lowest degree of temper.

The principal places in this country, for the manufacture of cutlery wares, are Birmingham, Sheffield, Walsall, Wolverhampton, and
London; at those towns, goods of all kinds, in steel, are made much cheaper than in any other part of the world. In London, the same goods bear a much higher price than those manufactured in the country, although perhaps, tne latter may be as good in quality, yet they are not so neatly finished. Surgeons' instruments are, however, beyond question, best of metropolitan manufacture.

It is said, that it is not a very uncommon practice for London Cutlers to affix their own names and marks on goods wrought in Birmingham, Sheffield, &c. by which names they can obtain for them more readily the price of town-made goods.

The manufacture of skates is a part of the Cutler's business in severe winters; and in some of the principal .shops, swords are also mounted ; but this does not properly belong to the Cutler's profession. The sword-blades almost all come from abroad, where they are forged by large hammers, moved by water-mills. In this manner the celebrated sword-blades of Solingen are made. Here the Cutler is only concerned in mounting the blades, and in making the scabbards, the expense of which may be carried in any extent. It is no uncommon thing for a sword, highly finished, to be worth from a hundred and fifty to three hundred guineas.

As shaving, to many people, is a very painful operation, Cutlers, in different countries, have long exerted all their skill to remove the inconvenience, but without that sort of success which may always be relied on To whatever price we go for razors, we cannot depend upon their goodness; and it often happens, that in a case of razors, purchased at Sheffield, at a shilling a piece, we may find as manygood ones as in a case bought in London at tea times the price.

Ivory, with which some handles of knives are made, may be turned like wood, and it may, by a chemical process, be softened,
worked into a particular form, and hardened again. There are methods, also, of colouring or staining ivory, so that we have red and
green ivory as well as white : some of these methods may be seen in the article Combmaker.

The surgical insfrument-maker is another species of Cutler : he makes use of the best steel, and is supposed to be more careful in
finishing his instruments, with a neater polish, than common Cutlers.

It has been recommended, by a professional gentleman, to dip all surgical instruments in oil previously to using, except the lancet intended for inoculation.

A journeyman Cutler will, with ease, earn two guineas a week : those employed in the finer sorts of work, much more. In all large shops, one man is employed a certain number of days in each week, in grinding old work ; and this part of the business pays the water well.