Silver spoons: (1) Teaspoon, (2) Sugar tongs, (3) Mustard spoon, (4)
Salt spoon and salt-cellar.
_Material:_ No. 8 sterling silver 6 × 1-1/4 ins.
_Tools:_ Hard wood block, drill press and 1/16-in. drills, jewellers'
saw and frame, files, shears, and raising hammer.
[Illustration]
_Directions:_ Examine carefully any teaspoons you have at home. These
will suggest ideas for designs. They will give you a clearer notion
of how teaspoons are made than any sketch you may see. When you have
decided upon your design, draw it on paper and cut out your pattern.
Paste this pattern upon the piece of silver. You cannot cut this metal
with a pair of shears. Put it into the vise and cut it out with a cold
chisel as you did the paper knife, or you can cut it out by placing
it upon the flat stake and, with the chisel held vertically, driving
the chisel into the silver. You will find the vise best, however. Now
you have the outline of a spoon with the same thickness all the way
through. If you have examined a teaspoon carefully you will see that
the bowl of the spoon itself is thinned toward the outer edge, and
that the handle is tapered toward the end. The thickness of the metal
is left at the short bend of the spoon where it meets the bowl. Now
place the large end on the anvil stake and with the raising hammer
(round end) drive down on the metal, thinning it out and at the same
time shaping it into a spoon bowl. Your silver widens out and makes the
bowl larger than it should be. Cut off the surplus silver. It is much
better to have to cut down to the size than to be compelled to stretch
the silver out, as it were, to a certain size. In one case you can stop
when you have the proper thickness, but in the other you might make the
metal too thin for practical purposes, in order to get it wide enough.
_Handle:_ Handles should be tapered out from the thickest part to the
end, and left large enough on the end to saw out or file into shape
any design you may wish to make. Don't work your problem too close
so far as material is concerned. Any waste material in silver can be
returned and exchanged for full value.
Hammering any metal hardens it. When this silver becomes hardened
anneal it, but just enough to allow you to shape it up. However,
the last annealing should be done some time before the hammering is
finished so that the last work on it will harden it sufficiently to
prevent its bending when in use. Hand made spoons have a beauty about
them not matched by those mechanically made. If this handle is to
have a sawed out design, the drilling and sawing are done as before
described.
The finishing should be carefully done. Round the edges so that they
feel smooth and comfortable. After polishing, the spoon is ready for
use.