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Pol′ish-ing Nee′dles.

The polishing of needles is effected by treating from 40,000 to 50,000 at a time.

The needles are arranged in heaps upon a piece of canvas, the needles in each heap lying parallel, without regard, however, to heads or points. Emery, oil, and soft soap are sprinkled over the heaps, after which they are rolled up in the canvas and bound by a coil of twine, making a bundle three or four inches thick and two or three feet long. A number of such rolls are laid on a table with raised edges, a weighted and reciprocating slab resting upon them, so as to roll the bundles back and forth, causing the needles to roll and rub against each other, removing the scale, and eventually scouring and polishing each other.

The rubbers work at the rate of 20 or 30 movements in a minute, and the process is carried on from 48 hours to 8 days, according to the quality. The rubbing is suspended every 8 hours, to renew the canvas, which becomes worn out, to wash the needles, and to add fresh emery, putty-powder, oil, etc., as the case may require, the abrading material being applied of a gradually increasing fineness.

1877.

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A. H. Emery (1)
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