CHAr. IV.] RISKS ATTENDING THE FULLER. 509 



of alleviation. All hands agree that the less nailing 

 we could suffice with, the less chance there would 

 be of driving into the quick ; hence, the firmer each 

 nail is driven, the less liable is the shoe of loosen- 

 ing, and this good never can be effected unless the 

 nails fit the holes so nearly as to prevent shifting, 

 and also pass through a good portion of the horn. 

 Doubtless a couple of nails on each side would be 

 sufficient to retain a light shoe for a short time, if 

 the work be not heavy, and allow that desirable ex- 

 pansion of the heel which all agree promotes the 

 secretion of new horn, and the health of the foot ; 

 but we employ double the number in common work, 

 arid seven altogether in the " improved shoe." 



As before remarked, the fullering usually prac- 

 tised upon the common shoe is so near the edge, 

 that the rim sometimes breaks off of high- tempered 

 iron ; whilst, if it be soft, the punching inevitably 

 drives out a bulge that the smith seeks to reduce bv 

 hammering, which again contracts the size of the 

 nail-holes : the latter error occasions the nails to 

 break off in driving ; the former leaves the heads 

 exposed to be knocked off, or readily worn away ; 

 and, by either, the security of the shoe is dimi- 

 nished greatly and dangerously. Besides which ob- 

 jection to the old method of fullering, there is a cor- 

 responding necessity imposed upon the workman of 

 clenching high up on the hoof, which increases the 

 danger of puncturing the sensible internal parts of 

 the foot. This entire objection to the narrow fuller, 

 or groove, is fully remedied by adopting the pro- 



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