How to make Gravers.
Provide some good crosse-bow steele, and cause it to be beaten out into small rods, and softned: then with a good file you may shape them at your pleasure: when you have done, heat them red hot, and dip them straight downe into sope, and by so doing, they will bee hard indeed. Note that if in the dipping of them into the sope, you turne your hand never so little awry, the Graver will be crooked. These Gravers made and hardened after this manner, doe farre exceed all the other Gravers.
If your gravers be too hard, heate them a little, and thrust them into tallow, and they will be tougher.
The oyle stone is to whet your gravers on; drop one or two drops of sallet oyle upon it, and whet your graver thereon, and it will have an edge presently.
How to smooth and pollish Copper Plates.
Because that in the printing with Copper Plates, the least scratch, though it be scarce visible, receiveth its impression, and so many times disgraceth the worke: I have set downe a way to smooth plates for impression.
First, take a piece of Brasse, or Copper, of what bignesse you intend, of an indifferent thicknesse, and see as neere as you can, that it bee free from fire flawes. First beat it as smooth as you can with a hammer, then rub it smooth with a pumice stone that is void of gravell, (least it race it, & so cause you as much more labour to get them out) burnish it after with a burnishing iron, having first dropped a drop or two of sallet oyle on it: then rub it over with a cole, prepared as is after taught, and lastly with a peece of beaver hat dipt in sallet oyle, rub it very well for an houre: thus you may polish it exactly.
How to prepare your Coales.
Take Beechen charcole, such as when they are broke, doe shine, such as are void of clifts, and such as breake off even: burne them againe, and as soone as they are all through on fire, quench them in chamber lye: after take them out, and put them in faire water, and reserue them for your use.
Having prepared all things in a readinesse, you must haue a draught of that you intend to cut or engrave.