After the handle is shaped, and the holes are punched, including the one at the top to hang the fork by, the line to receive the copper is marked. (See [Figure 63].) The marking should be done with a scratch awl. The line is then cut with a small chisel. This cutting should be quite deep and exact. This is important if the work is to be true and straight. All of the marking should be done while the handle is cold. It is now heated and taken to the anvil. A small punch, as represented in [Figure 63], is then set onto the cut line and given a blow with the hammer, sinking the punch about ¹⁄₁₆ of an inch. One-half of the punch is now raised up and out of the channel. While it is directly on the chased line, it is given another blow with the hammer and so on until the end is reached. The particular thing to watch is to have the lead corner of punch directly on the chased guide line, while the other edge of the punch is in the channel in order to keep the finished line straight. Keep the punch in good order, straight and square at the end. The punch should not have much taper and should not be used after the red heat leaves the metal. After the entire line has been sunken ¹⁄₁₆ in. deep, the handle is reheated and the line is sunken perhaps ⅛ in. deep.
A wider punch is now used in the long channel to straighten it and make it deeper. The wide punch should have no taper and should be a scant ³⁄₃₂ in. thick so that the line will be about ³⁄₃₂ in. wide. If any part of the channel should be too wide, the handle should be hammered on the edge with a light hammer to close the channel a little. When the channel is finished, the handle should be filed flat on the channel side. This will give one a better view of the straightness of the channel.
Fig. 64. File.
Fig. 65. Cross Section of Fork Handle.
In case the channel is not as straight as it should be, a small flat file is heated and bent at the end and rehardened. (See [Figure 64].) This file is used to straighten up the edges of the channel. A small cold chisel can also be used for this purpose. The channel must be straight along the top edge. When the channel is well straightened, strips of copper are filed to fit the channel, letting them project above the channel about ³⁄₃₂ of an inch and also having each piece a little short in length. When the pieces are all in place, the handle is set on the anvil and with a heavy hammer they are driven down forcing the copper to fill the whole of the channel. The entire handle is filed to the dimensions given in [Figure 63].
Notice [Figure 65] which shows a sectional drawing of the handle, with the copper in place and a chased line running along between copper and steel. A channel without copper is shown at the right of the illustration.
