LUBRICATION. 453 



makes far more noise than one of those giant engines, and all 

 because in the latter friction is avoided as far as possible, every 

 screw is well braced up, and every joint is kept well lubricated. 



Here I may observe that few sewing machines get fair play. 

 They rattle, they squeak, they become stiffer daily, they snap 

 the thread, and then decline work altogether. And in almost 

 every case this is done by neglect on the part of the owner, 

 who does not lubricate every point of the machine which works 

 upon another. 



Ladies especially are very careless in this respect, and will 

 mostly omit three or four of the oiling points. They might just 

 as well omit them all, as a single unoiled point will disarrange the 

 harmonious motion of the whole machine. I have often been 

 called in as surgeon in such cases, and have almost invariably 



LUBRICATION OP JOINT. OILING MACHINE. 



been able to point to several spots which needed oil, and did not 

 get it. Sometimes, out of false economy, an inferior oil is used, 

 which speedily clogs and hardens, and stops all movement. ID 

 such a case the best remedy is to apply paraffine liberally, 

 and use it for a quarter of an hour or so. It will soon dissolve 

 the clogged oil, which may be worked out by turning the 

 handle or crank of the machine. 



Of course the best remedy is to take the machine to pieces, 

 polish the joints, lubricate them, and put it together again. 

 But this is a perilous process, and an amateur, if he tries it, will 

 generally find himself with half-a-dozen pieces for which he 

 can find no place. Paraffine will answer every purpose, and I 

 have released many a stiffened machine by its use. 



