FIRING-IRON
,—the instrument with which the OPERATION of FIRING is performed. It is a piece of iron about fifteen inches long, with a stem terminating in a wooden handle at one end, having a blade of three inches long, and two wide, at the other. This blade is forged flat, and is at the back half an inch in thickness, becoming gradually thinner towards the edge, which is not more than one third what it is at the back. They are formed of different dimensions for different occasions, and three or four are kept in the fire, and used to expedite the operation, where it is carefully and expertly performed.