Category: The Academy of Armory

II. are again three other sorts of Saws, which are used by Wood-men.

The first is a Tennant Saw, this is a thin Saw, and therefore hath a Back of Iron to keep it from bending; it is for one hand use, and cuts forward, as all others Saws do. Some term this sort of Saw, a Faneering or Inlaying Saw, being so small and thin that the Plate of the Saw is only a flatted Wyer cut with Teeth, which is termed also a Bow Saw.

G. the like in Bend A. Handle S. born by Malkas.

The second is a Lock Saw, whose use is to make Key holes in Doors, and to Saw any hole in the middle of a Board where other Saws cannot get in: Some are made thus with a bended or square shouldering; others are streight to the handle.

This kind of Saw is by some Artificers termed a Compass Saw, because it is used to cut a round or any other Compass Kerf, and therefore the edge where the Teeth are is made broad, and the back thin, that the Back may have a wide Kerf or Nick to turn in.

O. a Stags Horn to the Sinister S. and such a Saw to the Dexter Barways G. is the Town Arms of Winlingen in Germany.

The third is a Pit Saw, or Sawyers Saw, with which great Timber is slit or Sawed into Boards, Rails, Spars, Joyce, or any other sort of Building Timber: This Saw is managed by two Men who stand one upon the Timber (called the Top-Man,) and the other under the Timber in a Pit, or laid upon Tressels, above Mans height (called the Pit-Man,) where with this large Saw they rent the Tree into what manner of Stuff the Work-man pleaseth; having an Instrument fixed at the end of the Saw, to take off, and put on at pleasure, called a Box, by help whereof he doth with ease pull the same down, and lift it up in Sawing. The Frame Saw see chap. 8. numb. 133.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter IX. Why am I reading this

1. IN the beginning of this Chapter we shall give you all sorts of Instruments and Tools used in Armory pertaining to the several Trades of Joyners, Carpenters, Mill-wrights, Wheel-wrights, Turners and Coopers, &c. or whatsoever other Trade, whose use consisteth, and is exercised in working or framing of Timber, or any sort of Wood.

I. He beareth Gules, a Saw (or Hand Saw) the point dejected, between a Gimblet or Hand Bit, and a Paring Chissel, Argent, the Handles, Or; of each of which in particular.

The Hand Bit, of some called a Gimblet, a Piercer, or Nail Piercer, it hath a Worm at the end of the Bit, or half round with sharp edges like the Auger, some for small holes are square in the Bit; of these there are several Sizes.

A. 3 such S. is born by the name of Gimblett.

G. a Cheveron between 3 A. Handles O. born by Van Holler.

The Saw, called also a Hand-saw, or a Board-saw; is used by Joyners and other Wood-men, to cut or slit small Timber, as Boards, Spars, Rails, &c. though indeed the Saw cannot properly be said to cut or slit, but rent, break, or tear away such part of the Wood as the points of the Teeth strike into.

B. a Saw A. Handle O. born by the name of Sawyer.

The Paring Chissel, is a Chissel with a broad flat, which is not used to be Knockt with a Mallet, but is taken in the hand by the Shank near the top of the Flat, and the top of the Haft or Helve is placed against the right Shoulder, which being pressed hard upon the Haft causeth the edge to cut and pare away, and smooth the Irregularities of other working Chissels: These are much born in Arms, and have several terms for their several parts, of which see chap. 8. numb. 154. to which add these two.

The Flat, is all the broad part of the Chissel, which is ground away by often Whetting.

The Head, the top of the Handle.

G. a Chissel between 2 Roses A. the Helve O. born by the name of Chisselrose

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter IX. Why am I reading this

CLXIII. In this quarter is presented to your view the Head of the Turning Engine, for the turning of Oval Work, Rose Work, and Swath Work, with other kind of Work not yet named, because not found out, for no Man hath yet sought out the depth of that Instrument, or what it can or is able to perform. It hath so many parts that I know not either how to describe or tell their use; only as in other Tools I shall give you what names each Member hath, if I be rightly informed.

The parts of the Turning Engine.

The Bow, which is a strong Steel Bow fastned to the middle part of the farther side of the Puppet; having a Gut String, and to the middle of it, in a Noose is fastned another strong Gut String with a Noose at the end of it.

The Moving Collar, is an Iron Collar fastned on a Center pin on the foreside of the Puppet; this moves between the Iron Shackle and the foreside of the Puppet; though properly the Collar is only the hole in which the Axis is set. The Neck of the Collar is that part under the Shackle.

The Socket in which the Collar is moved; some term it the Shackle round hole.

The Stop Screw, which is to take out when the hollow Axis moves in the moving Collar; else it holds them together that the Collar moves not.

The Hollow Axis, which is hollow, having a shoulder on it, on which is fixed all the Guids.

The Head, or Case, or Box, in which is contained the several Guides, which is hollow, and termed the hollow in the Puppet.

The great Diameter of the Guide.

The small Diameter of the Guide.

The Axis of the Guide.

The Center head.

The Button.

The String Pulley.

The Wheel Pulley, is the Pulley to which the String comes from the Treddle Wheel, called also the Pulley of the Axis.

The Treddle Wheel.

The Guide Pulley, this is slipped to any of the Guides, as the Work-man pleaseth; it is of Brass, having a Groove in the edge of it to receive the edge of the Guide, which turning together with the assistance of the strength of the Steel Bow, forces the Guide and the Hollow Axis, to move backwards; and then an edge Tool held to the work in the Mandrell screwed in the hollow Axis, will describe the same Figure on the work, as is on the outer edge of the Guide.

CLXIV. In the chief of this quarter is the figure of a Draw Knife, an Instrument used by both Carpenter and Turner; it is a Knife with two handles turned down to the edge, much like in form to Wet Glovers Fleshing Knives, when they use it, one and off the work is set against a Wall, and the other to his Breast, and then with both hands draws Chips off the work till it be brought to their shape, and then smooth it.

S. 3 such Draw Knives A. Handle O. born by Chippering.

In the Base of this square is placed a Book-binders Plow, or cutting Knife by which the leaves of Books are cut even and smooth. It consists of these parts.

The two Stocks, one having the Knife on it, the other movable by the turning of the Screw, which hath a Groove or square hollow in the sole of it.

The two square Staves.

The Screw and Handle to turn it.

The Knife, which is held to the sole of the Stock by an Iron Pin.

The Iron Screw, and its Nut with Ears.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2. Why am I reading this

CLX. He beareth Sable, a Turners Chopping Block, Or. born by the name of Chopping. this Block is made of Elme tree, or some other Soft wood set on three feet. Some Turners use in stead of it a peece of a trunk of a tree of a foot and halfe high or more from the flore.

CLXI. In this Square are two Instruments usefull also for Turners, for their cuting and cleaving of wood to what thickness they have occasion to worke it.

The first is that in the Chief, which they terme a Cleaveing Knife, it needs no further description then the figure; being a kind of Cleaver, with a strong and thick back, able to abide blowes of the Maule: haveing an Handle of the same mettle.

S. 3 such in pale A. is born by Cleft, or Cleave.

G. 3 such erect A. born by Peysingberg.

In the Base is the other called a Maul, being no other but a thick peece of wood, with an Handle to make it the more handy and quick to use; which is to knock & unknock the Wedges of the Puppets. Also to beat on the Cleaveing Knife, when they split their wood for their worke. Use hath made it more ready then a Mallet.

B. 3 such O. is born by the name of Maule.

V. a Cheveron betw: 3 such Handles erected O. is born by Van Maulselsheim of Bavaria.

CLXII. In such a small Lathe as this Figure expresseth, they use to work small work in Metal; it is made either of Iron or Brass; and is by Work-men termed a Turn-Bench, or rather a Vice Lathe, because when it is used, it is Screwed into the Chaps of a Vice, and having fitted the Work upon a small Iron Axis with a Drill Barrel fitted upon a square shank; with a Drill Bow and String carry it about with the Drill Bow in the left hand, and the Tool in the right hand: The Tools for these small Works are commonly a Graver, and sometimes a Scalper, both pointed, round, and flat; also great and small.

The parts of a Turn-Bench, or Vice Lathe.

• The Axis.
• The Drill Barrel, fitted on its square Shank.
• The Drill Bow and String.
• The Wrest, with its Screw.
• The Puppets.
• The Screws with their Pikes.
• The long Bar, on which the Puppets are fastned by the Screws, or else are to slip further or nearer together, according as the work requireth.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2. Why am I reading this?

CLVI. In this quarter are three other sorts of Tools useful for Throwers both for smooth and Engine work.

The first is termed by the name of the two pointed Grooving Tool.

The second by the name of a Grooving Tool, or the sharp pointed Grooving Tool, or triangular pointed grooving Tool.

The third by the name of a Chissel, which is a Tool that follows the Gouge, making smooth the extuberancies and irregularities lying upon the work, which the Gouge hath left; from whence some term it the Smoothing Chissel: Both the Blade, Shank and Handle, are near twice the length. of those used by Joyners for the reasons aforesaid.

CLVII. In this Square are three other Tools used by the same manuall occupation, which by Artists are term-thus

The first is called a Square Hook

The Second is termed an Hook, Now as the Gouge and Chissel is used to work that which lyeth before the workman: So this tool, and the precedent, are used to work that as stands on the right, or left side of the workman, as the flat sides of Boards, which must be turned unto, and upon.

The third is termed a Chissel, or a Flat Chissel, for it is to be noted, that the edge of all Turners Chissels are Basiled away on both sides, so that the edge lyeth in the middle of the tool. Of these flat Tools there are severall sorts, from a quarter of an Inch broad, to one two or three Inches broad, according to the largness of the Work to be done

CLVIII. In this quarter is also three other Throwers, or Turners tools. The first whereof is a Gouge, or a Grooveing Gouge, with the Blade bended.

The Second is named a Hook, but is of an other fashion then the other in numb: 157. that being in a maner round, and this not above a quarter round, with the tip end a small thing bent.

The third hath the Denomination of a Throwers Round Gouge, or Groove Gouge.

All these sorts of Chissels, Gouges, Hooks, &c. used by Throers or Turners. I have caused to be engraven here, more to shew their fashion, then any use I have observed or seen them in Honorable Arms; therefore cannot say much for them, either pro or con.

CLIX. This Instrument is used by some Turners, and called a Drill-Bench, being only a board about two Inches thick, with two Stiles placed upright upon it, in the hither-most Stile is a Collar, and in the further Stile is a peece of Steele with a Center hole in the middle of it. Between is a Rowler which hath a Steele pin, and a Piercer-bit fastned therein. When it is used it is made fast in the Cheeks of the Lathe with a wedge as the Puppets are. This Drill is for the turning or boreing of an hole in wood of what length they please.

The Drill board.

• The Stiles, or Standing peeces.
• The Coller, is the hole in the hither-most Stile.
• The Square flat Steele, with it center hole in.
• The Rowler, with its Axis.
• The Steele pin. and Piercer bit at the end.
• The Iron Coller, at the bottom of the Board.
• The Wedge, to fasten it to the Lathe Cheeks.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2. Why am I reading this?