510 NEW METHOD OF PUNCHING. [BOOK III. 



posed manner of punching the nail-holes farther 

 in from the edge, thus taking firm hold of the whole 

 thickness of the horn, and driving out sooner and 

 clenching lower than is ordinarily practised — say, 

 within f of an inch of the shoe in all cases. 



The nail commonly used is much too long in the 

 shank for any kind of shoe, and too thin near the 

 head, but should be of the same thickness through- 

 out from the head so far as the pointing takes place, 

 for this evident reason, that the nail-head may fill 

 up the whole of the nail-hole, solid. The material 

 must be of the toughest quality, equal to Swedish, 

 insomuch that the nail may bear bending forward 

 and backward half a score times without breaking ; 

 it should have a counter-sink head to match with the 

 second punch-holes, and the hammering which the 

 head receives before, at, and after driving, suf- 

 ficiently hardens it to resist the immediate effects of 

 wear. Do not point the nails too much, lest they 

 splinter in the driving, nor make two or three punc- 

 tures before you drive home each nail : both these 

 practices proclaim the clumsy workman. 



Punching. — As before intimated, the nail-holes 

 should be punched as far from the outer edge of 

 the shoe as the wall is thick. A small punch of 

 the size of the nail's shank is to be first driven 

 smartly and visibly through, but not so deep as to 

 raise a burr on the hoof side of the shoe. Then, open 

 the hole with &pritchel ; and a larger counter-sink 

 punch, the size of the nail-head, is then to be em- 

 ployed, but not driven so deep as the small punch ; 



