3o MODERN BLACKSMITHING 



tried them myself, and it took a few days before I got 

 used to them, but then I found that they were a great 

 improvement over the toe knife. I told my horse- 

 shoer tc use them and after a while he could not get 

 along without them, but would yet have used his toe 

 knife if it had not been for the fact that he was com- 

 pelled to use them. If it was not for the conservatism 

 by which we are all infected more or less, we would 

 be far more advanced in everything. 



The mechanic that has poor tools will in every case 

 be left behind in competition with the man with good 

 tools in proper shape. There are smiths who will take 

 in all kinds of shows and entertainments within fifty 

 miles, but when it comes to tools, oh, how stingy and 

 saving they are. There is no investment which will 

 biing such a good return as first-class tools do to a 

 mechanic. The old maxim, "A mechanic is known 

 by the tools he uses," is true. Many of the tools used 

 in the shop can be made by the smith. If less time is 

 spent in the stores and saloon there will be more time 

 for making tools. 



I shall, in this chapter, give a few pointers how to 

 make some of the tools used. I will not spend any 

 time in explanation about the more intricate tools like 

 drill presses and tools of that kind, because no smith 

 has experience or facilities to make tools of this char- 

 acter that will be worth anything. I shall simply give 

 a few hints on the most common tools used, with illus- 

 trations that will be a help to new beginners. Before 

 we go any further let me remind you of the golden 

 rule of the mechanic, "A place for everything and 



