A little tallow on your sword will show you what part of the blade you cut with, and will also slightly assist the cut.
The lead may be cut in several other ways, viz., from right to left, but as the hand turns in this cut, you must be careful to strike the bar before this occurs.
It may also be thrown up and cut while in the air, or it may be placed on a trestle about 3 feet high, and cut with a downward chop: the way in which Cœur de Lion is said to have cut the handle of a steel mace.
A good practice is also to place the lead at the distance your adversary would be from you were you having an assault, and make attacks upon it, or forming a guard, give the various returns in the manner you would on a real opponent.
In this practice the lead should be thin, say 3 inches in circumference, as the cuts must be made without drawing the hand back, you therefore do not get the same sweep and force as when cutting in the manner first described.
A bar of this size is quite thick enough for your first practice in lead cutting. When you can cut it well, and with ease and certainty, you may try one a little thicker.
You should not attempt to cut one that is too large and above your power; you will only jar your elbow and destroy your confidence.
When you can cut a bar measuring 1½ inches on each side, you may attempt to cut the carcase of a sheep weighing 60 lbs. or a leg of mutton of 9 lbs., and when you can cut one measuring 2 inches on each side (6 inches in circumference), you may try your hand on a 90 lb. sheep or a 14 lb. leg of mutton.
In melting the lead, which should be pure and unadulterated with any other metal, see that your mould is dry, as the slightest damp will cause the hot lead to spurt into your face.
Before pouring it into the mould, clear the surface of the dross which you will constantly find on it.