THE CRAFTS 
Under the management of Miss Emily Peacock, 232 East 27th Street, New York. All inquiries in regard to the various 
Crafts are to be sent to the above address, but will be answered in the magazine under this head. 
All questions must be received before the 10th day of month preceding issue, and will be answered under "Answers to Inquiries" only. Please do not send 
stamped envelope for reply. The editors will answer questions only in these columns. 
DECORATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF METAL WORK 
WROUGHT WITH THE HOST RUDIMENTARY TOOLS 
F. C. Feather stone 
WE are awakening, thanks to the critical attention 
given to craftsmanship by Ruskin and Morris. Pub- 
lic taste and appreciation are increasing and we are begin- 
ning to realize that good things are not necessarily costly 
ones. How to make art pervade the industries is the prob- 
lem we must meet. To achieve this, handicraft and design 
must be taught at the same time. 
The best designs for any medium are only obtained by 
working in it. The limitations imposed by material and 
process of working should be recognized and accepted. 
These very limitations will often be a source of inspiration 
to us. 
We should imitate the art of the early craftsman whose 
work was direct and fearless — the hand and the brain 
worked together— the process suggesting ideas that were 
unfailingly strong and national. One is impressed with the 
sincerity of these early workmen as well as with their 
patient skill. 
It is our wish to further encourage the handicraft 
movement. These papers will deal with metal craft in its 
simplest forms. 
Metal work is an ancient art and we may claim as 
fellow craftsmen and patrons Tubal Cain and the Cabiri. 
It is advisable for the worker to visit museums to see what 
has previously been done. Many interesting jewels, trin- 
kets and household utensils will be found made by our 
primitive people, and marvels are to be found in the Indian 
collections. In the middle ages the practice of covering 
wooden coffers and caskets with thin metal, either cut (in 
which case it was frequently backed by rich colored velvets) , 
or embossed, was quite general. 
The very general impression that expensive tools and 
a special place in which to work are necessary, have proved 
great drawbacks to the art of metal work being extensively 
practiced. It. is quite true that the more advanced proc- 
esses — enameling, chasing, and heavy forming — require an 
elaborate, expensive outfit not to be found outside of the 
studio, but a great deal may be done with a very simple 
equipment the cost of which will be practically small. 
Steel metal work is very easy in its simplest stages 
where only very thin ductile metal is used ; the work can be 
done by a student who can draw a pattern. In this article 
will be shown what can be done with but two tools, a com- 
mon nail and an ordinary hammer. 
Of all metals brass and copper are best for beginners, 
they are cheap and easily worked and are sold in sheets or 
rolls of different widths by weight and [cost twenty-five 
cents a pound. The thickness of metals is known as their 
gauge. The gauge or thickness decreases as the numbers 
increase. No. 30 is the best for the first work. It comes 
hard rolled, and soft rolled — hard is the smoother, but the 
soft is best for this purpose, as it need not be annealed. 
Annealing is softening metal by making it red hot and 
afterwards cooling slowly. 
Two of the simplest methods of decoration are pierc- 
ing, and decorating by a series of single dots. For the first 
is needed an ordinary hammer or mallet and a wire nail filed 
to a conical point. After filing the nail, carefully smooth 
with emery paper to do away with any roughness; this fil- 
ing heats it, and takes away its temper, therefore, it is 
necessary to heat the tool to a red heat through the point 
and then dip into cold water at once. For the second, a 
light hammer and a nail filed to a smooth blunt point. 
This decoration, by a series of single dots, was an ancient 
practice, and many beautiful examples are to be found in 
our museums. This treatment gives a lacelike effect both 
delicate and refined. To trace the same design in lines, 
would require far greater skill and would be far less effective. 
For this work your design must be traced on the back of 
the metal which is screwed to a board covered with either 
felt or blotting paper. Great care must be taken not to 
pierce the metal; the dots must be simply embossed. By 
