IlERAMIC STUDIO 
211 
No. 6. TEASPOONS AND LADLES 
Designed and executed by Harry S. Whitbeck. 
OXYGEN USED TO CUT METALS 
Diamond may cut diamond, but oxygen cuts metals, 
at least at Liege. There there is a daily exhibition of the 
Jottrand process for cutting metals by a jet of oxygen. 
The apparatus consists essentially of a tube, with two 
brandels terminating in blowpipes, moved along a guide 
in front of the metal plates or part to be cut at the rate 
of about six inches per minute. 
One of the blowpipes delivers an oxyhydrogen flame 
which raises the metal where it is to be cut to a tempera- 
ture corresponding with dark red. The following blow- 
pipe delivers a jet of pure oxygen, which enters into com- 
bustion with the hot metal, thus producing a clear channel 
like a saw cut about one-eighth inch thick, the remainder 
of the metal being unaffected by the operation. 
WOOD CARVING 
The work in wood in the above illustrations was 
done by students at Teachers ; College, New York City 
under the direction of Haswell Clarke Jeffery. Both 
illustrations give helpful suggestions for table book racks, 
mirror backs, blotters, trays etc. 
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ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES 
M. A. Jones — Vegetable stains for leather can be made. Blue ,from 
sky blue to blue black, from Indigo; yellow from fustic and black from 
logwood. Aniline dyes are used, these must be mixed with a mordant; 
water color to which a little glycerine has been added, is also used. These 
stains and colors are not permanent ; they seemto become absorbed into the 
leather and lose any transparency they may have. To make the color per- 
manent shellac must be put on first. 
Mrs. Wilkie— Write to Zinsser Bro., 197 WiUiam St., N. Y. about 
lacquers and sphinx pa.ste. There was an article on etched metal in the 
last issue, the December number. We hope to have an article on braided 
palm leaf baskets very soon. 
W. C. P. — There are several formulas for. oxidizing silver, the following 
are reliable. 1. Dissolve a .small piece of ammonium sulphate in boiling 
water and use while hot. 2. Go over the entire surface of the metal with 
Chloride of Antimony, using this on a small swab of cotton and working 
as rapidly as possible. If this does not make your silver dark enough in the 
deep places, apply a gentle heat, when the Antimony will turn black. Art- 
icles to be oxidized must be thoroughly clean or the oxidization will not take 
place. 
Pryo. — The pearl effect in the flowers on the wood can be got by us- 
ing imitation half pearls. Groove a very shallow setting in the wood the 
same size as the pearl, and set it in with Major's cement. 
E.|^0. — Glass can be drilled with a watch maker's drill or better still 
a broach drill. It is always best to drill from both sides, this prevents the 
glass from breaking. Drill lightly and keep the drill moist with spirits of 
turpentine, and a little camphor. The drilled hole should be started first 
with a sharply pointed graver so as to form some hold for the drill, and 
also to prevent it from slipping over the glass. 
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NEW PROCESS FOR INLAYING METALS 
Recent advices from England say that Sherard 
Cowper-Coles has invented a new process by which, it 
is claimed, metals can be burned into one another at a 
temperature hundreds of degrees below the melting point 
of any one of the metals, thus enabling new effects to be 
obtained and also the blending of various metals, which 
hitherto has been impossible. Inlaid metal work can 
be produced similar in effect to the finest damascening, 
or, ion the other hand, the process readily lends itself 
to larger work requiring greater boldness, such as panels. 
