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Pen′knife.

A pocket-knife with a small blade or blades; so called from its former use in making quill-pens.

The blade is forged from the end of a rod of cast-steel with a light hammer upon a small anvil, and is then cut off. The joint is then finished and a temporary tang drawn out, to be driven into a handle for grinding. The nick called the nailhole, in which the thumb-nail is inserted to open the blade, is stamped by a chisel while the blade is hot.

In hardening the blades are heated in a coke or charcoal fire, and dipped in the water obliquely: pure water at 40° Fah. The blades are tempered, twelve or more at a time, on a plate of iron or copper. They are arranged close together on their backs, and lean at an angle against each other. As they come down to the temper, they are picked out with small pliers and thrown into the water, if necessary. Other blades are then thrust forward from the cooler parts of the plate to take their places. They are then finished on the glazer and polishing-wheel.

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