With Gun & Rod in Canada 



ash even a little less in diameter. Have the pike made of 

 tool steel and only about three inches long, forged with 

 a cup-shaped hollow at the point. This cup-shaped 

 point should not be over half an inch across, and in 

 tempering should be hardened at a dark straw colour. 



The pike should have a shoulder or collar one inch 

 wide where it rests against the end of the pole. The 

 part of the pike that enters the pole should be five inches 

 long, and tapered square like an old-fashioned nail. 

 The edges of the square should be scored with a chisel 

 before it is driven, so that it will not readily pull out. 



Two rings three-quarters of an inch wide and one- 

 eighth of an inch thick should be driven over the end 

 of the pole before the pike is driven into its place. A 

 hole should of course be bored in the end of the pole 

 for receiving the burred end of the pike. The pole 

 must be perfectly smooth and free from splinters, and 

 as straight as possible. 



For paddles, if you have to use those furnished by the 

 canoe manufacturers, have them shod with steel. The 

 longitudinal piece is of tool steel split so that it goes 

 up each side of the paddle, but leaves a tempered, chisel- 

 shaped point of about three-quarters of an inch long 

 at the point of the blade. The strap around the paddle 

 is made of soft iron about one-sixteenth of an inch thick, 

 and both the steel and iron are riveted right through 

 the blade. This will give you a paddle that will stand 

 considerable grief among the rocks. If you have an 

 opportunity to have paddles made to order, specify 

 ash or locust, and see that the contour of the handle 

 is carried down into the blade in the form of a " bone," 

 or rib, clear to the tip. This will give you a strong 

 paddle, and one that will last a long time among the 

 rocks without any iron ; it also has the advantage of 

 being a little lighter than the ironed blade. 



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