PIN MANUFACTURE. The first thing to be done in the manufacture of pins by the hand method is to reduce a quantity of brass wire to the requisite size. This is generally done in the pin factory, as the wire is received of larger diameter than necessary. It is per formed in the usual manner of wire drawing ; and the wire is then made up into coils of six inches diameter, and any dirt or crust which may be attached to the surface is got rid of by first soaking the coils in a diluted solution of sulphuric acid and water, and then beating them on stones. The next process is to straighten the wire ; after which it is cut into pieces, each about long enough for six pins. These latter pieces are then pointed at each end, in the following manner—The person so employed sits in front of a small machine, which has two steel wheels or mills turning rapidly ; of which the rims are cut somewhat after the manner of a file, one coarse, for the rough formation of the points, and the other fine for finishing them. Several of these pieces are taken in the hand, and by a dexto.. rous movement of the thumb and fore-finger are kept continually presenting a different face to the mill against which are pressed. The points are then finished off by being ap plied in the same manner to the fine mill.
After both ends of the pieces have been pointed, one pin's length is cut off from each end, when they are repointed, and so on until each length is converted into six pointed pieces. The stems of the pins are then com plete. The next step is to form the head, which is effected by a piece of wire called the mould, the same size as that used for the stems, being attached to a small axis or lathe At the end of the wire nearest the axis is a hole, in which is placed the end of a smaller wire, which is to form the heading. While the mould wire is turned round by one hand, the head wire is guided by the other, until it is wound in a spiral coil along the entire length of the former. It is then cut off dose to the hole where it was commenced, and the coil taken off the mould. When a quantity of these coils are prepared, a workman takes a dozen or more of them at a time in his left hand, while with a pair of shears in his right he cuts them up into pieces of two coils each.
The heads, when cutoff, are annealed by being made hot and then thrown into water. When annealed, they are ready to be fixed on the stems. In order to do this, the operator is ,provided with a small stake,' upon which is fixed a steel die, containing a hollow the exact shape of half the head. Above this die, and attached to a lever, is the corresponding die for the other half of the head, which, when at rest, remains suspended about two inches above the lower one. The workman takes one of the stems between his fingers, and dipping the pointed end into a bowl containing a num ber of the heads, catches one upon it and slides it to the other end; he then places it in the lower die, and moving a treadle brings down the upper one four or five times upon the head, which fastens it upon the stem, and also gives it the required figure. There is a small channel leading from the outside to the centre of the dies, to allow room for the stem. The pins are now finished as regards shape, and it only remains to tin or whiten them. A quantity of them are boiled in a pickle, either a solution of sulphuric acid or tartar, to re move any dirt or grease, and also to produce a slight roughness upon their surfaces, which facilitates the adhesion of the tin. After being boiled for half an hour, they are washed and then placed in a copper vessel with a quantity of grain tin and a solution of tartar; in about two hours and a half they are taken out, and after being separated from the undissolved tin by sifting are again washed; they are then dried by being well shaken in a bag with a quantity of bran, which is afterwards separa ted by shaking them up and down in open wooden trays, when the bran flies off and leaves the pins perfectly dry and clean. The pins are then papered for sale.
The drawing and cutting the wire, the cut ting of the heads from the coils, and the tin ning, are performed by men; the other ope rations by women and children.
Machines have been invented, and partially employed for some of the processes; but most pins are made by the hand method.