516 A VISIT TO THE BRITISH KBEfcLE MILLS. 
the ends would merely be bevelled off, in the manner of a gravef, and 
Would not give a symmetrical point; but by causing each wire to 
rotate while actually in contact with the grindstone, the pointer works 
equally on all sides of the wire, and brings the point in the axis of the 
wire. At intervals of every few seconds, he adjusts the wires to a proper 
position against an iron plate, and dips their ends in a little trough of 
water between him and the grindstone. Each wire sends out its own 
stream of sparks, which ascends diagonally in a direction opposite to 
that at which the workman is placed. So rapid are his movements, that 
he will point seventy or a hundred needles, funning one hand-grasp, in 
half a minute, thus getting through ten thousand in an hour. 
The reader will bear in mind, that the state of our embryo needle is 
simply that of a piece of dull straight wire, about 3 in. long (supposing 
6's to be the size), and pointed at both ends. The next process is one 
of a series by which two eyes or holes are pierced through the wire, 
near the centre of its length, to form the eyes of the two needles which 
are to be fashioned from the piece of wire. A number of very curious 
operations are connected with this process, involving mechanical and 
manipulative arrangements of great nicety. Those who are learned in 
the qualities of needles — as that they will not " cut in the eye " and so 
forth — will be prepared to expect that much delicate workmanship is 
involved in the production of the eyes, and they will not be in error in 
so supposing. Most of the improvements which have from time to 
time been introduced in needle making, relate more or less to the pro- 
duction of the eye. In the commoner kinds of needles, many processes 
are omitted which are essential to the production of the finer qualities ; 
but it will show the whole nature of the operation better, for us to take 
the case of those which involve all the various processes. 
After being examined, when the pointer has done his portion of the 
work to them (an examination which is undergone after every single 
process throughout the manufacture), the wires are taken to the " stamp- 
ing shop," where the first germ of aii eye is given to each half of every 
wire. The stamping machine consists of a heavy block of stone, sup- 
porting on its upper surface a bed of iron, and on thi3 bed is placed the 
under half of a die or stamp. Above this is suspended a hammer, 
weighing about 30 lbs., which has on its lower surface the other half of 
the die or impress. The hammer is governed by a lever moved by the 
foot, so that it can be brought down exactly upon the iron bed. The 
form of the die or stamp may be best explained by stating the work 
which it is to perform. It is to produce the "gutter" or channel in 
which the eye of the needle is situated, and which is to guide the thread 
in the process of threading a needle. 
But besides the two channels or gutters, the stampers make a per- 
foration partly through the wires, as a means of marking exactly where 
the eye is to be. The device on the two halves of the die is conse- 
