Fig. 67.
Fig. 68.
Fig. 68 shows a handle made almost like the one in Fig. 65, with the exception that the brass washer referred to in Fig. 65 is here turned down to ¾ inch, commencing ½ inch from the large end, which is 1 inch in diameter. The leather washers are slipped on over the small part until it is filled, and then a washer is screwed on the small end and the whole turned as shown in the sketch. A hole that will tap out 3/8 inch is bored in the large end of the brass center, and then tools made with threaded ends on them that will fit into it. These tools are made of 3/8-inch tool steel with scraping ends, as shown. These scrapers are used only for removing glue that is too hard and too thick to be removed by the scraper shown in Fig. 69.
Fig. 69......Fig. 69a......Fig. 69b.
Figs. 69, 69a and 69b show views of the only tool that is hardly worth being referred to as a leather-cutting tool. It is made of a thin piece of steel, about 18 gage, or any old hand-saw will make the very best scrapers that can be secured. They should be about 4 inches square, perhaps a little smaller, and fixed in a hardwood handle (usually of hard maple), simply by sawing about 2½ inches into the handle and then driving the blade in. The saw cut should be just a trifle thinner than the piece of steel. Should they get loose from use, a piece of paper folded over the back of the blade and forced back into the handle with the blade will usually tighten it all right.
This is the tool that will ordinarily worry the novice more than all the rest to keep in proper condition. Fig. 70 shows an exaggerated view of how the blade should look when properly finished. It should be hooked considerably.
Fig. 70.