CUTTING TOOLS 27 



by drawing the cutting edge across tlie end of a block 

 of wood. When the chisel is nicked or very dull it 

 must be ground on the grindstone. 



16. Brace and Bit. The old-fashioned augers and gim- 

 lets have given way to the modern brace and bit. 



The Center Bit 



The brace, which is sometimes called the bitstock, 

 allows both hands to be used continuously, which was 

 not true of the old-fashioned auger. Several varieties 

 of the brace are in use, the ones shown in the cuts 



being common. 



Bits are designed for a variety of purposes, the name 

 being applied to a tool which is to be turned by the 



Fig. 37. The Auger Bit 



brace. The old-fashioned center bit shown in the cut 

 possessed most of the essentials of a good boring tool. 



The sharp spur in the center allowed the hole to be 

 accurately placed. The lip on the outer edge cut the 

 fibers in a circle before the chisel edge began to remove 



