THE FORM AND MANUFACTURE OF SHOES. 65 



tion. When slices are fitted close (i.e. , wlien tlieir outer 

 edge is brought witliiu the border of the wall), "fine" 

 nail-holes are brought to their best position in relation 

 to the foot. It need hardly be added that the fit of a 

 shoe ought not to be subject to the position of the nail- 

 holes, but that these should be properly placed, so that 

 fitting be guided only by the requirements of the foot. 



A. B. 



Fig. 42. — Wrongly placed Nail-holes (a too coarse, b too fine). 



Each nail-hole, when properly placed — neither too 

 coarse nor too fine — should be punched straight through 

 the shoe and not inclined either inwards or outwards, 

 except at the toe, where the slope of the wall is followed 

 by slightly pitching in. When a fuller is used, the 

 groove made should be wide; then the farrier has more 

 command over the direction of his nail. If the nail-hole 

 be pitched in, the nail must take that direction and is 

 liable to wound the foot. If the nail-hole be pitched out, 

 the nail is prevented from taking sufficient hold of the 

 horn. 



The position and direction of the nail-hole control 

 the passage of a nail through a shoe and into the hoof. 

 The man who drives a nail is usually blamed for laming 



