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Textile Record Hand-Book No. 2. 
 
 PRACTICE 
 
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 Finishing 
 
 WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS 
 
 BY 
 
 F. H.GREENE 
 
 
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 PUBLISHED BY THE TEXTILE RECORD 
 
 425 WALNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA. PA. 
 
Dyeing, Drying and Finishing 
 
 Machinery for Woolens 
 
 and Worsteds. 
 
 H, W, BUTTERWORTH k SONS 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
 MANUFACTURE AS SPECIALTIES: 
 
 SINGEING MACHINES, (Gas) Blanche's Patent. 
 
 SINGEING MACHINES, (Plate). 
 
 WASHING MACHINES, Dolly and Open. 
 
 CRABBING MACHINES, Single, Double and Treble. 
 
 JIGGERS. 
 
 PADDING MACHINES. 
 
 DYE KETTLES, with or without Small Engines attached. 
 
 BLUEING MACHINES. 
 
 DRYING MACHINES, with Horizontal and Vertical Frames, and 
 
 with Copper and Tinned Iron Cylinders. 
 SOAPING OR WETTING MACHINES. 
 
 FINISHING MACHINES, with any number of Squeeze Rolls. 
 TENTERING MACHINES, Clamp and Pin Chain. 
 STEAMING MACHINES. 
 STEAMING ROLLS. 
 EXPANSION ROLLS. 
 DYE-HOUSE TRUCKS AND WAGONS. 
 MEASURING AND LAPPING MACHINES. 
 
Practice in Finishing 
 
 The Art of Finishing 
 
 Woolens and Worsteds 
 
 in all its details 
 
 A Complete Hand-book for the 
 Finishing Room 
 
 By FRED. H. GREENE 
 
 Master Finisher y^S^FiSg^^ 
 
 . NOV 26 1886/?) ' 
 
 Published by THE TEXTILE RECORD 
 
 425 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 1886 
 
-^ 
 
 THE contents of this hand-book were origi- 
 nally written for and published in the 
 columns of The Textile Record of 
 Philadelphia. This magazine contains, in each 
 issue, more original matter of practical value 
 to the worker in textiles than any other simi- 
 lar publication in the world. It has late and 
 fresh information for the operator in every 
 department of the woolen and cotton mill, the 
 dye and bleach house, and the knitting mill. 
 The price is only $3.00 a year. 
 
 This volume is the second of a series of 
 practical hand-books issued by the publisher of 
 The Textile Record. 
 
 « 
 
 j^V 
 
 COPYRIGHTED 1886. 
 BY CHARLES HEBER CLARK. 
 
FRED H. GREENE. 
 
 Fred. H. Greene, the author of this treatise, was 
 born in Pascoag, R. I., April 9, 1858. While he was but 
 a child, his parents moved to Putnam, Conn., then to 
 Alderbrook, Madison County, N. Y., where his father, 
 J. C. Greene, was superintendent for some ten years. 
 Afterwards he was one of the firm of G. B. Mowrey, Son 
 & Co. Here, at the age of fifteen, he was first employed 
 in the office as assistant bookkeeper, and also to assist 
 
about the mill. After attending school later on for two 
 years at Hamilton, N. Y., he was employed in the finish- 
 ing-room to run a shear, which he continued to do for 
 about a year. 
 
 After a brief experience at farming, the family moved 
 to Killingly, Conn., where he was with his father three 
 years in the finishing-room, then one year in the weaving 
 and designing rooms, under Mr. Benjamin Cogswell, of 
 the Sabin L. Sayles Company. He was then about two 
 years wet finisher for the Putnam Woolen Company, Put- 
 nam, Conn. He was next in the employ of the Worcester 
 Woolen Company, Worcester, Mass., remaining there 
 nearly three years, until the failure of the company ; while 
 there he was unfortunate enough to mutilate the right 
 hand in a gear on a double cylinder rotary gig, but, with 
 good nursing, managed to save most of the hand. Jan. 
 i, 1885, he accepted a position with the Berkshire 
 Woolen Company at Great Barrington, Mass., where at 
 the present time he has charge of the finishing. 
 
 Mr. Greene has made the art of finishing woolen and 
 worsted goods a study. He has not only considered the 
 methods of producing certain effects, but the reasons for 
 those methods — the principles which lie at the bottom of 
 the various processes. This includes, of course, intimate 
 familiarity with the nature ancl construction of the wool 
 fibre and close acquaintance with the practical details of 
 those branches of chemistry used in the finishing room 
 He has not been satisfied simply to know how, but has 
 always sought also to ascertain why, and the results of 
 his researches and his experiments are embodied in this 
 hand book, now offered to the public. 
 
 Editor of The Textile Record. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Portrait of author, and sketch of his life 3 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BURLING. 
 
 The right kind of burlers. — The burling tables. — Re- 
 moving knots. — Treatment of fancy cassimeres. 
 — Methods of payment. — Proper methods of 
 inspecting. — Qualifications of a good sewer . . 7 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 FULLING. 
 
 Difficulty in giving exact directions. — Objects aimed 
 at. — Examples. — Sewing the pieces. — Putting in 
 the mill. — Soaps and oils. — Suggestions as to 
 time. — Fulling fancy cassimeres — Experiments 
 with soaps. — Rolling or roping the goods . . 14 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 COCKLES — FLOCK ING. 
 
 Causes of cockles. — How to prevent them. — Strength 
 of alkalies. — Fair alkalies must be used. — Vari- 
 ous methods of flocking. — Dry flocking. — Rule 
 for flocking. — Heavy flocking. — Soap and al- 
 kali. — Points about alkali. — Scouring before full- 
 ing 25 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 GIGGING. 
 
 Purposes of gigging. — New and old gigs. — All-wool 
 cassimeres.— Various styles of finish and methods 
 of producing them. — Fancy colors. — Goods with 
 a twist. — Tender goods 38 
 
 5 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 DRYING. Page. 
 
 Drying machines or tenter-bars. — The best methods 
 of drying worsteds and woolens. — Practical hints. 
 — Troubles with flocks 50 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SHEARING. 
 
 Back-burling — The shears. — Don't tinker at the 
 shears. — Difficulties. — Arranging the shears. — 
 Grinding, etc. — Oiling the swab frequently. — 
 Refusing to cut. — Shearing the goods. — 
 Uneven shearing 55 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CHINCHILLA FINISHING. 
 
 Peculiarities of the chinchilla finish. — Methods of 
 operation. — The chinchilla machine. — Setting 
 the machine. — Rubbers and followers 69 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 INSPECTING AND PRESSING. 
 
 Inspecting the fabric. — Specking or fine burling. — 
 Sewing or fine drawing. — Pressing the goods. — 
 Differences in pressing. — Inspection. — The 
 perch. — Shading with sample. — Finishing- 
 room book and how to keep it 75 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 WHY GOODS DO NOT FINISH ALIKE. 
 
 Variations in the filling. — Oils used upon the stock. — 
 Twist in the yarns. — Wrong shades in the dye- 
 house. — Differences in fulling. — Variations in 
 the gigging and shearing 85 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 SOME PRACTICAL RECIPES AND FORMULAS. 
 
 To find the contents of a tank. — To figure speed. — 
 To remove bur-dye crock. — To test woolen 
 goods 95 
 
THE ART OF FINISHING 
 WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BURLING. 
 
 The right kind of burlers. — The burling tables. 
 — Removing knots.— Treatment of fancy cassi- 
 meres. — Methods of payment.— Proper methods 
 of inspecting. — Qualifications of a good sewer. 
 
 Burlers. — As a usual thing, the poorest class 
 of employees are placed at burling, inasmuch as it 
 is generally supposed that any one can burl a 
 piece of goods. Many also have an idea that 
 whatever is left undone in the burling and sewing 
 can easily be remedied after the fabric is finished. 
 This is surely a mistake. Too much care can- 
 not be taken at this point of the work in fixing 
 every place that needs attention before the goods 
 go to the fulling mills. 
 
 The burling tables.— In beginning the work, 
 have the tables or burling boards covered with 
 zinc, so that a perfectly smooth surface can be 
 obtained to draw the cloth over, and that every 
 
small bunch or knot may easily be discovered 
 by the burler. On broad or J- pieces, it is better 
 to have two burlers at a table, although more 
 work can be obtained, in proportion, with one, 
 providing' the person is capable of handling it 
 alone. Every knot, slug, bunch, or runner (filling 
 drawn in on the side) should be removed, care 
 being taken not to injure the regular threads, as 
 this only makes extra work for the sewers, who 
 will usually find plenty of business to sew in 
 properly from the looms (unavoidable imperfec- 
 tions). 
 
 Removing knots.— There are several methods 
 of removing the knots from the goods, and much 
 depends upon the class, weave, length of time 
 they full, or if they are put up, or shrunk length- 
 wise or not, in order to prevent imperfections 
 that will show after they are finished. At the 
 same time, it all comes under a general rule, 
 and only care and attention can best determine 
 which way is best to produce satisfactory results. 
 The matter, however, surely should not be left to 
 the judgment of the operative. 
 
 A corkscrew weave.— On a corkscrew weave, 
 be it either woolen or worsted, or worsteds of 
 any weave, commence by first burling the back, 
 raising all of the knots and being careful not to 
 draw the thread out so far as to make it tighter 
 than the others. Remove all that is possible on 
 8 
 
the face or midway between back and face, in this 
 manner, clipping them off with a pair of scissors 
 halfway in the knot, so that it will stand a slight 
 strain before giving way. This will prevent (to 
 some extent) the ends pulling apart when the 
 goods pass through the machines and receive 
 more or less stretching, which they all do. After 
 all have been removed that can be taken out in 
 this way, those that remain must be similarly 
 dealt with when the goods are looked over on 
 the face — using the same precaution as before. 
 
 Fancy Cassimeres.— On fancy cassimeres that 
 full a considerable length of time, the knot may 
 be removed on either side by pulling up the ends 
 and breaking off with the burling-irons. But just 
 as much care and attention should be given in 
 this case as in others, especially on hair lines, 
 which are sure to show every little imperfection 
 of the threads. The knots on these should be 
 pulled up and left on for the shears to cut off. 
 If not, they are liable to pull apart, and every 
 one will have to be sewed by the fine drawers 
 after they are finished. 
 
 Practical suggestions.— If a piece of goods is 
 put up or shrunk lengthways, say from two to 
 three inches to the yard, it will help greatly to 
 make them perfect. But on any class of goods 
 the burlers should not be allowed to pull off the 
 knots with a dull pair of burling-irons ; and on 
 
most classes of fabrics, it is better to use the 
 scissors in connection with the irons. 
 
 In small mills, it is practicable to teach the 
 burlers to remove the filling drawn in on the 
 sides, and also the bunches or soft filling, or pieces 
 of waste, that may have been left in. But, in 
 large mills, where from ten to thirty have to be 
 employed, it is almost impossible to do this and 
 have it done properly. It is no small affair to 
 pull out filling that is drawn in for five or six 
 inches, and none but those that have had expe- 
 rience can do it without making the place imper- 
 fect. The soft bunches should be picked out, a 
 small piece at a time, so as not to injure the 
 regular threads. 
 
 Methods of payment.— In regard to a system 
 of payment for this work, the results in quantity 
 and, possibly, quality, are much better when a 
 stated price per piece is paid. At the same time, 
 something depends upon the class of goods, and 
 the length they are made. A fair and practical 
 system should be followed, so that the employees 
 may have an interest in their work. 
 
 I have always used the following success- 
 fully, although very likely there are other methods 
 that may be employed with fully as much suc- 
 cess. On fancy cassimeres, when the pieces were 
 brought in from the weave-room, I had them 
 nicely piled up, so that when the burlers took 
 10 
 
one to burl they took it from the top of the 
 pile, taking their chances of a hard or easy burl- 
 ing piece. I paid forty cents for each piece, or 
 twenty cents to each burler for good work. If 
 they did not do it well the first time, it was re- 
 turned to them to reburl. If then not properly 
 done, I paid them nothing for the piece. Al- 
 though this rarely happened, there would be an 
 average of four pieces per day on the usual work 
 which I had. I have had very poor and hard 
 burling pieces, for which I have paid as high as 
 eighty cents per piece. They would not average 
 over two pieces per day. Each burler had a 
 number, which was placed in chalk upon the 
 piece ; also each burler had a page upon a book, 
 in which was placed the number and style of each 
 piece burled. These were taken each night and 
 put on the time book to the credit of the 
 burlers. 
 
 Inspecting. — The next operation in a large mill 
 is to have a perch conveniently high, and one or 
 two (preferably two) inspectors to look the goods 
 over. They should look at them carefully both 
 back and face, and remove all that the burlers 
 have left. These should be taught to pull out 
 the runners and difficult places in the goods. 
 At the same time, if too much of this appears, it 
 is best to send the pieces back to the weave-room, 
 and let those that have charge of the work there 
 ii 
 
try their skill. This may put a stop to some of 
 the imperfections. 
 
 As the goods are being inspected, all threads 
 out, misspicks and bad places should be marked 
 with chalk for the sewers, that they may readily 
 see them and spend their time sewing, instead of 
 hunting after imperfections. After this is care- 
 fully done make a memorandum of each piece, 
 and pass to the sewers. 
 
 Sewing.— In order to get the best results 
 possible in mending or sewing a piece of goods, 
 the sewer should thoroughly understand weaving, 
 so that on difficult patterns, if they have the 
 weaving and drawing-in draft, they can readily 
 comprehend how each thread should be sewed. 
 Not that it is strictly necessary for a sewer to be 
 a weaver, for I have seen and known of many 
 that did not know how to change a shuttle on a 
 loom. 
 
 On fancy cassimeres, it is essential that the 
 sewer should understand the colors and have a 
 good eye for imitation, that she may take the 
 adjoining pattern for reference as to the weave, 
 the colors, etc., thereby making a nearly perfect 
 work on a difficult damaged place. This can 
 only be accomplished by experience and close 
 attention to this part of the work. On double 
 weaves, or goods that have a backing thread, an 
 out on the back, either filling or warp, will 
 
 12 
 
usually show when finished, and it will be nearly 
 impossible to make these right in any other place. 
 Hair lines should be sewed carefully, leaving the 
 ends out, say, a quarter or half an inch, so that 
 they will not draw apart, and have a space at 
 each end of the thread sewed in blank or imperfect. 
 On worsted goods this is the most important 
 part of the whole work, and everything that can 
 possibly be fixed or mended, should be done here. 
 After they are sewed, scour them, and, if piece- 
 dyed, again look them over, to be sure they are 
 properly done. Again make a memorandum of 
 the pieces. Then, after numbering by sewing 
 with cotton or woolen yarn, the number, style, 
 yards, and weight, they are ready to be tacked 
 for the fulling mills. 
 
 I! 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 FULLING. 
 
 Difficulty in giving exact directions — Objects 
 aimed at — Examples — Sewing the p i eces — Putting 
 in the mill — Soaps and oils — Suggestions as to 
 time — Fulling fancy cassimeres — Experiments 
 with soaps — Rolling or roping of the goods. 
 
 Difficulties.— It is likely that there is not a 
 department in the whole mill that is so difficult 
 to write about as the finishing-room. Whereas 
 every process of manufacture requires men of 
 good judgment to conduct it, much more depends 
 upon wise discretion in this room than in the 
 others; and especially is this true of fulling, 
 scouring and gigging. Of all these, fulling is the 
 most difficult subject to write upon. You may 
 take to-day a rule to govern the fulling of a 
 certain style of goods, and a month later the 
 same style may work differently. I know of a 
 mill, or, rather, two mills, owned by the same 
 company, where the sorting of the wool and the 
 dyeing and finishing are done at one place. The 
 goods had to be fulled separately, and they did 
 not work alike — I mean the same styles, made 
 exactly in the same way, excepting that there 
 were different carding, spinning, and weaving. 
 
 14 
 
In order to give any definite rule for fulling a 
 piece of goods, it would be necessary to commence 
 in the wool-room and find out the kind of stock 
 used ; then the coloring and oiling of the stock • 
 then to get a correct account of the cotton or 
 shoddy that was mixed, also the weave ; and by 
 that time a man ought to be a first-class superin- 
 tendent, instead of a finisher. I have spoken of 
 these points, and of points before the cloth reaches 
 the finishing-room, to show how difficult it is to 
 give any general rule, and also to show what a 
 finisher has to contend with outside of his room. 
 
 I once heard a superintendent of a large mill 
 remark that he did not believe it made any differ- 
 ence with the finishing what kind of oils were 
 used on the stock. That man has since learned 
 a little, and has changed his mind. Finishers 
 have had to work pretty close for the last two or 
 three years, as buyers have been so critical and 
 fastidious, especially in regard to shades ; and it 
 has been almost impossible for many to obtain 
 what was required. One great trouble with 
 finishers is that they get the selling samples out 
 nicely and then fail to bring the goods out as 
 well. There are several points that should be 
 remembered in regard to this. Usually, when 
 new samples are being made, the stock is all 
 fresh. What I mean is, that it has not been ly- 
 ing around the mill any length of time, and it 
 
 i5 
 
works better, we think. We will improve our 
 colors a little, and so we reduce our soaps. 
 Next we gig a little slower, and put on a few 
 extras, perhaps, and a few extra runs on the shears. 
 When our goods come around, we have not got 
 the time for extras. We need a little stronger 
 soap, because the stock has been lying around, 
 and the grease does not start so well. This is 
 where many make a serious mistake. 
 
 Objects aimed at. — Now, I propose to show, or 
 to try to show, as plainly as possible, some of 
 the methods and some of the means of overcom- 
 ing difficulties in fulling. I wish to dwell upon 
 the difference in oils, soaps and alkalies, and upon 
 flocking, shrinking, excessive time and heat, in 
 fulling fancy cassimeres, medium and fine goods, 
 cotton warps, or union cassimeres, flannels, etc., 
 and to show how different weaves afe liable to 
 affect the fulling. Could I illustrate with sample 
 to show what we have gained in the fulling mills, 
 a much better idea could be given. 
 
 The purpose of fulling— An example.— The pur- 
 pose of fulling a piece of goods is to shrink and 
 felt together the fibers and threads that compose 
 it. We will take for our first illustration a piece 
 of all-wool cassimere, XX Ohio wool, spun about 
 4 to ^y 2 run, with about 3400 ends in the warp, 
 50 picks, 72 inches, on the loom, with a cassimere 
 weave. The goods weigh from 18 to 19 ounces 
 16 
 
off the loom. The finish-weight wanted is 16 to 
 1 6]/ 2 ounces. We do not care to flock them 
 much, if any. We will say they shrink or lose 
 20 per cent, in finishing. This leaves us 80 per 
 cent.; and 80 per cent, of 18 ounces would be 
 14.4 ounces. Calling the piece 36 yards long, 
 we should have as many ounces in the piece as 
 36 times 14.4, which are 5 1 8.4 ounces; and as 16 
 ounces represent 1 yard or 36 inches of cloth, there 
 would be as many inches to the yard left, after 
 the 20 per cent, loss, as 16 is contained in 518.4 
 ounces, which are 32.4 inches. And the differ- 
 ence between 36 and 32.4 inches leaves us 3.6 
 inches, which we must shrink each yard, in order 
 to make up the loss by the finishing process. 
 
 Sewing together.— We first prepare the piece 
 by sewing the selvages together with the face 
 on the inside, keeping them thus by tacking 
 or sewing together with cotton twine, or old 
 double-and-twist yarn that may be useless else- 
 where. Even when the goods are not flocked, 
 it is much better to tack them, as they will full 
 more even. The sides then are the same thick- 
 ness as the middle, thereby receiving the same 
 pressure. The soaps cannot strike on the face 
 more quickly in one place than in another. 
 The face will not chafe or rub against the rolls 
 or sides of the mills, and if the fabric be soaped 
 properly, there should be no trouble in regard 
 
to stains or spots where color is gone, or un- 
 even felting, so far as this part is concerned. 
 
 Putting in the mill.— We now run the pieces 
 into the mill and see that the ends are sewed 
 nicely together, having a f- piece on each side 
 of the mill. Commence putting on the soap 
 slowly and carefully until the pieces are thor- 
 oughly and evenly wet down. After they have 
 run about ten minutes, examine them and see 
 if they are properly soaped. They should be 
 moist enough so that, by wringing, a little soap 
 and grease will start out, or by taking the piece 
 and placing it over the fingers, the thumbnail, 
 making an upward motion, will be covered with 
 grease and soap. 
 
 We then let down the traps, or, rather, the 
 clapper (so-called), putting several weights upon 
 the rods, and let the goods full an hour or more. 
 Then pull out the pieces and see what progress 
 has been made, having before marked off a yard 
 on the end of the piece with a piece of cotton 
 twine. If they are coming up in width faster 
 than lengthwise, add more weights ; and if they 
 are shrinking too fast, take off some of the 
 weights. Try to have them come up together 
 as nearly as possible, as they are liable to stay 
 where you shrink them. They do not stretch 
 out so much going over the other machinery. 
 After the fuller has done a few pieces, he should 
 
be able easily to control that part of the opera- 
 tion. 
 
 Soaps and oils.— About the soaps used for 
 the goods we will speak later on. Much de- 
 pends upon the kind of oils used in preparing 
 the stock, and also the kind of soaps used make 
 more or less difference. Usually where red-lard 
 oil is used, six ounces of any first-class fulling 
 soap, and two ounces of good soda ash, at the 
 most, to the gallon, should be sufficient to start 
 the grease and full even, and at the same time not 
 destroy any of the colors, providing proper atten- 
 tion is paid to heat and excessive time. 
 
 Suggestions as to time.— The piece of goods 
 made up, as I have before mentioned, should 
 not full over three or three and a half 
 hours. This time could be reduced if the mills 
 were shut ,up close and the pieces allowed to 
 heat ; but this will not do. As many colors are 
 spoiled by being heated, as by excessive alkalies. 
 Many colors, in fact, stand the alkali best. It 
 is always hardest to full the first sets, as 
 the mills get cooled off through the night, and 
 it is quite necessary first to get the pieces warm 
 before the processes of fulling and felting com- 
 mence. Of course, it is impossible to have the 
 pieces cooler than the temperature of the room ; 
 but care should be taken not to get them too 
 warm. I have seen pieces of a like style, 
 
 19 
 
started at the same time, in the same kind of 
 mills, where perhaps one mill would full, or even 
 one piece in the same mill would full, from 
 half to an hour longer than others. An inex- 
 perienced person would find it impossible to 
 tell why this was ; but on investigation we would 
 find that on one side of the mill, or at the back of 
 the mill, there was a draught from a window 
 which was keeping the pieces cooler, preventing 
 a quick operation of the fulling. 
 
 Now, these differences in heat, time, alkalies, 
 shrinking both in width and length, must make 
 a difference in the shading of the goods when 
 finished ; and it is only by long practice and a 
 good system that these difficulties can be over- 
 come. 
 
 I want my goods fulled even enough so 
 that when I put four pieces on a rotary gig I 
 shall have them all gigged alike. I do not want 
 to gig awhile, take off two of them and give the 
 other two more work. When I do this I am not 
 working them all alike. I have hardly ever been 
 obliged to do it, providing I had four of a like 
 style. 
 
 Fulling fancy cassimeres.— Long fulling is being 
 discontinued by many on fancy cassimeres. The 
 place to make a piece of goods is on the loom. 
 They have to make worsteds there. They do 
 not depend on the fulling mills for a good, solid 
 
piece of cloth. My experience has been varied 
 in regard to this matter of fulling, and I have 
 found that I have always been most success- 
 ful when the goods were made on the loom 
 instead of in the fulling mill ; and in order to do 
 this, the following system will be found bene- 
 ficial : 
 
 Trial with samples.— Most mills make pattern- 
 loom samples from two to five yards long and 
 y A yard wide. I sew this upon a full piece and 
 run it in the fulling mill as long as I think neces- 
 sary — say from two to three hours. I then gig 
 and finish it, comparing it with whatever effect in 
 finish we may want. If it be all right, I make a 
 note of every detail ; and do the same with all 
 of the pattern-loom samples. Then, when the 
 rack or selling samples come along, they are 
 usually about 6 yards each f width, marked in 
 orders. I keep each order until I get enough to 
 make a full-length piece — say 36 yards. If I can 
 get two, all the better, as that makes a mill full. 
 I full them precisely the same as I did the pattern- 
 loom samples, which came out all right. If I 
 marked in my notes for any change, I make it 
 now. If the selling samples come out too wide, 
 then alter them at the loom. I full strictly on 
 time, but always look out that my soaps and 
 temperature are the same ; that each mill is set 
 up with the same friction, pressure, etc.; also that 
 
the pieces are treated the same in soaping, shrink- 
 ing, and that they are not pulled out on the floor 
 and allowed to cool off while the fuller may be 
 measuring others, or mending a belt, or attending 
 to anything else. I will guarantee that if this 
 method be followed, you will be able to gig four 
 pieces of a like style together, and that there will 
 be no trouble with different shades in this direc- 
 tion. It makes no difference whether you full a 
 piece one hour, or two, or three, providing all 
 are treated alike. 
 
 Possible difficulties.— Of course, there are 
 many troubles that will arise. We will suppose 
 that all is going well, and that the superintendent 
 does not deem it necessary to inform us that he 
 has made a change in his oils, or that he has 
 worked into the stock some dirty waste, he sup- 
 posing that if there is any trouble, the finisher is 
 wide awake enough to discover the difficulty and 
 smart enough to overcome it. Very likely he 
 will ; but not before he gets several greasy pieces, 
 or some with an off shade, at the least. 
 
 Experiments with soaps.— Then again, a new 
 soap must be tried. Perhaps it can be bought 
 a little cheaper, or some other inducements are 
 offered. Again we are liable to be off the track. 
 Now, this is all wrong. I do not care whose 
 soap you use. We all have a choice about such 
 things. When you find a good soap, stick to it. 
 
 22 
 
Buy of makers that can give you the same goods 
 that were bought a year previous, and those that 
 will give 1 6 ounces for a pound. You cannot 
 afford always to be experimenting. If you are 
 honest and upright in your business, and work 
 with the superintendent instead of against him, 
 let him know just how such things go. Do not 
 think you know it all, and be afraid that some 
 one else will learn something. When trouble 
 comes, pull together, and you will come out all 
 right. 
 
 Rolling or roping of the goods.— Another trouble 
 in fulling is that of the pieces rolling or roping 
 up in the mills. I have found this difficulty 
 more in the old styles of mills than in the im- 
 proved ones. I had at one time a class of hair- 
 lines that it was impossible to keep from doing 
 this. They had to be flocked, and shrunk about 
 4 inches to the yard. If I flocked them dry, 
 they fulled so long that they were tender. If I 
 flocked after they were wet down, they would be 
 so badly twisted up that the flocks only took on 
 where the piece was exposed, and the sides which 
 were rolled up inside would be thin and light 
 Not much felt and not any flocks could get to 
 them, they were rolled so tight, leaving the 
 middle all exposed to catch all the flocks and 
 felt. I tried everything I could think of to pre- 
 vent this. I had them taken out and all un- 
 23 
 
twisted and straightened ; but in less than five 
 minutes they would be as bad as ever. 
 
 Then I began in- another direction to find the 
 cause of the trouble. Having had some two 
 years' experience in the weave and designing- 
 room, I dissected a piece of the goods, and found 
 that it was woven one pick on the face and one 
 on the back. The backing filling was spun 
 coarser than the face, so in reality the picks were 
 in firmer on the back than the face ; and the face 
 of the piece fulled or shrunk faster than the back, 
 which made them roll up. This was actually so, 
 and the designer could not dodge it. Neither 
 could I in the fulling mills. 
 
 When this trouble is caused by the mills, you 
 will usually find that the rolls are very much out 
 of true, and should be taken out, put into a lathe 
 and turned down. If the top and bottom rolls 
 are geared together, be sure that they are both 
 turned the same size, or you will get damaged 
 goods. 
 
 24 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 COCKLES : FLOCKING. 
 
 Causes of cockles— How to prevent them — 
 Strength of alkalies — Fair alkalies must be 
 used — Various methods op flocking — Dry 
 flocking — Rule for flocking — Heavy flock- 
 ing; — Soap and alkali — Points about alkali — 
 Scouring before fulling. 
 
 Causes of Cockles.— Cockles — another enemy 
 with which we have to deal in finishing — may 
 be made elsewhere than in the fulling mill, 
 but they may also be made in the fulling mill. 
 Uneven soaping will do it. Having the pieces 
 run too dry, or too weak a soap, will also make 
 them ; for where the soap goes on directly, the 
 grease will start; but the parts that have to de- 
 pend upon soap, by absorbing from the more moist 
 places, will not get enough to start the grease ; 
 therefore the piece fulls uneven. I have at times 
 been obliged to use as much as 4 ounces of 
 soda ash to the gallon before I could full them 
 even. 
 
 Then, again, the soap is used just on the 
 line, we will say. A lot of filling gets mixed 
 up ; some may have been lying around for a 
 year; with the same oil, or perhaps a different 
 
 25 
 
one, it will make cockles, as the new stock will 
 start first, and perhaps the soap is not strong 
 enough to start the other at all. 
 
 I will give a few experiments in the use of 
 different oils. I cannot give the makers' names, 
 but woulcl say that the soap was used in the pro- 
 portion of 7 ounces of soap and 2} ounces of 
 soda ash to the gallon of water. 
 
 Experiments. — Piece A had one brand of red- 
 lard oil. It fulled 2f hours. The grease did 
 not start, and it fulled uneven. 
 
 Piece B had a different brand of red-lard oil. 
 It fulled 2f hours. The grease started thick and 
 muddy, but the goods fulled uneven. 
 
 Piece C had a mineral oil. It fulled 2f 
 hours. The grease started well, and everything 
 worked well. It fulled even, and it handled 
 good throughout the works. 
 
 Piece D had a saponified mineral oil. It 
 fulled 2 § hours. The grease started fairly, though 
 not as good as C, but it fulled even. 
 
 Again, these same oils were tried in a neu- 
 tral soap, 6 ounces to the gallon of water. 
 
 A gummed up, fulled $y 2 hours, and had 
 holes burst through it similar to knife-cuts. 
 
 B gummed up badly. It fulled 5^ hours, 
 fulled hard, and had the same kind of holes. 
 
 C worked well, kept moist all the time, 
 fulled 3*/£ hours, and fulled easily and free from 
 holes. 
 
 26 
 
D worked fairly, but dried up at the last. 
 It fulled 3 % hours. Did not work as well as C, 
 but was free from holes. 
 
 In regard to using red-lard oil, I do not 
 wish to have it understood that there is no oil of 
 this kind that can be used successfully. Many 
 poor red-lard oils have been put upon the market, 
 and they have caused manufacturers much trou- 
 ble, but there are good brands that work all right. 
 I have met with success with red-lard oil and 
 again I have failed to accomplish good results. 
 
 Strength of alkalies.— Next I will give illustra- 
 tions of the different strengths of alkali, and the 
 time in the mills, to show what effect there is 
 on the colors of silks and wool : 
 
 A. Two pieces, 20 yards in each ; 6 ounces 
 of soap ; 2 ounces soda ash to the gallon. Fulled 
 4 hours ; 56 inches wide; shrank 4 inches to 
 yard ; 72 inches on the loom. 
 
 B. Two pieces, 35 yards in each ; 6 ounces 
 of soap ; 2 ounces of soda ash to the gallon. 
 Fulled 3 hours ; 58 inches wide ; 3 inches shrink- 
 age ; 72 inches on loom. 
 
 C. Two pieces, 35 yards in each ; 7 ounces 
 of soap ; 1 Yi ounces of soda ash to the gallon. 
 Fulled 6^ hours ; 56 inches ; shrinkage 3 inches; 
 72 inches on loom. 
 
 D. Two pieces 35 yards in each; 7 ounces 
 of soap ; 1 ounce of soda ash to the gallon. 
 
 27 
 
Fulled 7 hours ; 56 inches wide ; shrinkage 3 
 inches ; 72 inches on loom. A little uneven and 
 inclined to be cockly. 
 
 Fair alkalies must be used.— These tests show 
 that a fair alkali must be used in order to full 
 quick and even. Those that fulled the longest,, 
 and had the least alkali, were not as good as A 
 and B. B was just a trifle better for color, but 
 not so good a piece, for it was not up to width. 
 These pieces were all of the same style, and the 
 oil used was a mineral oil, with Crown soap. 
 But I have found by experience that better re- 
 sults have been obtained, with the least amount 
 of alkali named, by using a prime white-lard oil. 
 
 Various methods of flocking".— Now, in regard to 
 flocking, there are various ways in which to per- 
 form this operation. It depends considerably 
 upon how much weight has to be made up by 
 flocking; also upon how long the pieces are full- 
 ing, and what is the condition of the flocks. I 
 have used, on fine goods, all clean shear and gig- 
 flocks, taking a half shear, the other half gig, and 
 grinding them fine, then mixing 50 pounds of 
 these with 25 pounds of uncut shear-flocks. They 
 do not sift out of the goods as much as by using 
 all cut flocks. The staple being longer, it felts 
 with a nap on the back and helps to retain the 
 fine ones. 
 
 28 
 
Dry flocking.— Dry-flocking is detrimental to 
 quick fulling, although where 3 or 4 ounces have 
 to be made up in flocks, it is almost impossible to 
 get them heavy enough without so doing. Then, 
 again, the flocks can be put on more evenly. 
 The pieces do not flatten down so much as when 
 wet, and if run for 15 or 20 minutes, every part 
 of them is liable to be covered. 
 
 Rule for flocking. — As for a rule for flocking, 
 I would say : Try a piece ; give it so many 
 ounces to the yard — perhaps part dry and the 
 rest of them after they have been wet down — and 
 run for an hour. If you get it right, make a rule 
 by this trial. For instance : The piece weighs 26 
 ounces. Take 30 ounces for a standard. Find 
 the difference between the two, which is 4 ounces. 
 Multiply the number of yards in the piece by 4 
 ounces and divide by 16 ounces, and this will give 
 the number of pounds to the piece. If the next 
 weighs only 25 ounces, then, of course, we need 
 more flocks ; but by finding the difference each 
 time, especially when there is much variation in 
 the weight or yards, we form a system by which 
 each gets a proportionate amount each time, and 
 at the same time the operator must adapt his 
 method to the goods, the machinery and the 
 flocks he may have to use, and be governed 
 accordingly. 
 
 29 
 
Example in light-weight goods.— I will give an 
 example of flocking in the case of a piece of light- 
 weight goods, cotton weave. They fulled hard, 
 and weighed but 6 r 5 Q ounces off the loom. Fin- 
 ish-weight wanted, 6 t 5 q- to 7 ounces. If I flocked 
 dry, they would full all day; so I let them run 
 until they were within two inches of being up to 
 the required width. Then I put the flocks to 
 them, about 6 ounces to the yard, and got them 
 out in 4 hours, and up to weight. There were 
 more or less waste flocks from the mills, but 
 these we dried and ground over. It took nearly 
 twice as many this way as it would have done 
 had they been flocked dry, and a third more than 
 if I had put them on, the first thing, after wetting 
 them down with the soap. 
 
 Various goods flocked.— Seme Scotch goods 
 which I once had, I flocked just as soon as they 
 were soaped. They weighed 1 o ounces off of the 
 loom. Finish-weight wanted, 13 ounces. I put 
 on about 10 ounces to the yard ; f width. They 
 fulled y/ 2 hours, and came out plenty heavy 
 enough. It was much easier to get the weight 
 of these than that of some Meltons that were in 
 the works at the same time. They weighed one 
 ounce more off the loom. Finish-weight wanted 
 was the same. They fulled 3 hours, and were 
 flocked the same ; but, inasmuch as they required 
 more gigging, it was not so easy to get the weight. 
 
 30 
 
Flocking some union cassimeres that weighed 23 
 ounces off the loom, finish-weight 26^ ounces, I 
 put on 1 2 ounces dry, ran them an hour after 
 wetting down, and put on 4 ounces more. Then, 
 an hour later, I again put on 4 ounces more. 
 The only guide we could have on the goods was 
 to tell by the feeling. If we thought they were 
 not heavy enough after putting on 20 ounces to 
 the yard, we added more, until we arrived at 
 the right point. 
 
 Always have the same grade of flocks, if 
 possible, and always have the pieces in the same 
 condition when flocked. If you do not, it will 
 be almost impossible to get them even in weight. 
 
 Heavy flocking— Where goods have to be 
 heavily flocked, it is a good idea not to remove 
 all the waste of the previous set of pieces, so that 
 this waste may help to fill up the corners and 
 crevices of the fulling mills. This will effect a 
 saving of quite 40 per cent, of the new flocks. I 
 have long pursued this plan and I find that I can 
 actually make such a saving every time. 
 
 Soap and alkali.— Next, soap and alkali per- 
 form an important part in fulling, and it is very 
 essential that they should be uniform in quality 
 and strength. Many use the alkali-tester, and 
 try each tank of soap; but, as I never have been 
 able to purchase one that did not require the test 
 to be made at 6o° temperature, and as I have 
 
never been able to do this with my fulling soap, 
 I should have got just as good a test by sticking 
 it in a tank of mud. With soap having body 
 enough for fulling at 6o°, I could make it stand 
 1° or4o°, as I chose. As I have said before, pur- 
 chase your soap of a reliable company that will 
 always give an even article. I have used, I think, 
 every make of soap in the United* States, and 
 there are many good ones, and many in which 
 there is no material difference. I first find out 
 how much my soap-tanks hold by squaring the 
 diameter or multiplying the diameter by the 
 diameter in inches. Then multiply by the depth 
 in inches ; then by .0034 ; point off the decimal 
 in the product, which will give you the gallons. 
 In making my soap, I boil just enough to dissolve 
 it thoroughly. A tallow-chip soap will need 
 boiling from 4 to 5 hours ; but an ordinary soap 
 needs but about 2 T / 2 hours, stirring well while 
 boiling. Then add the alkali, which it is best 
 to dissolve in a separate barrel or tank, to prevent 
 any hard substances from getting into the soap. 
 Then fill up with cold water, and stir occasion- 
 ally while filling. Let this remain until perfectly 
 cool. 
 
 Curdling Soap. — If the soap curdles after being 
 properly cooked or boiled, see if the hard soap 
 is all right. If it is not it will usually look 
 streaked, and the ingredients will not be properly 
 
 32 
 
mixed. It is wholly unnecessary for me to say 
 more in regard to the strength of soap to use in 
 the fulling mills. I have given examples of 
 different strengths. Use it as light as possible ; 
 at the same time start the grease well. 
 
 Points about alkalies.— If in buying alkali it is 
 impossible to get the same brand, take one pound 
 of soda ash with a quart of water, dissolve, and 
 see what it stands. If you wish, each new lot 
 can be tried in the same way. 
 
 In regard to the different kinds of alkalies, 
 I would say that I have used pure alkali, sal 
 soda, salt, etc., but A No. i soda ash is good 
 enough for me. Many say that sal soda, being 
 a milder alkali, does not make the goods so harsh. 
 There. are other places in the finishing-room to 
 make the pieces harsh besides the fulling mills. 
 I have taken, when a large quantity of alkali was 
 used, sal soda, but did it because I had a quan- 
 tity on hand — as much as for making the goods 
 feel soft. It takes about 2% ounces of sal soda 
 to stand the test of I ounce of soda ash. 
 
 Thin liquor for scouring soap.— For a scouring 
 soap I prefer a thin liquor. I have used the same 
 as I did for fulling, and was successful. I usu- 
 ally make up a tank, say, of 200 gallons. Use 
 about 75 pounds of some good scouring soap 
 and 50 to 62 y 2 pounds of soda ash. Then re- 
 duce it to whatever strength is necessary by 
 
 33 
 
taking it out into a barrel. Then fill up with 
 water, perhaps one-half soap and one-half water, 
 or 12 soap and 6 water — whatever is needed. 
 In scouring woolens, I usually put plenty of 
 liquor on, but use it as weak as possible. To 4 
 pieces, put on a barrel of liquor made by redu- 
 cing the above one-half soap and one-half water. 
 I would run these 20 minutes in soap. Then 
 let on a little lukewarm water — enough to thin 
 the soap somewhat. Run 5 minutes ; then open 
 the gates to the washer and let on a little more 
 warm water. When they have drained off pretty 
 well, give them a little more warm water. Then 
 rinse 45 minutes. Where the pieces have been 
 very dirty, I have first rinsed them off in warm 
 water, then soaped them as before, and taken the 
 above-mentioned time to run in soap and warm 
 water. 
 
 Scouring- before fulling.— If I scoured any of 
 my goods before fulling them, I first wet them 
 enough to make them all moist, then added 
 enough soap, say, half a barrelful, to start them 
 well. They would scour fully as hard as 
 if they had been fulled at first. I have also had 
 goods on which, after they had run about ten 
 minutes, the soap would be all neutralized. I 
 would then rinse this off with warm water and 
 put on more soap. If the grease is well started 
 in the mill, and you raise a good, clean lather in 
 
 34 
 
the washer, there is not much to fear in the way 
 of cloudy goods, or those that will smell after 
 being finished. 
 
 Sometimes, when it is necessary to return 
 pieces to the washer, and have them rescoured, 
 care should be taken that the soap is strong 
 enough and of heavy body, as it will be liable 
 to die out, turn watery, and then it will be an 
 impossibility to get them free from odor. 
 
 Bur, or speck-dyeing —We next have bur or 
 speck-dyeing, which maybe done in several ways, 
 on cheap classes of goods, in the fulling mill ; 
 but I do not consider this the proper way, and I 
 never used it so but on satinets. 
 
 A good dye can be made thus : 200 pounds 
 extract logwood, no pounds soda ash, and 50 
 pounds blue vitriol. This makes 200 gallons 
 of dye that stands about io°, which we reduce 
 to whatever strength is required to cover the 
 specks. Boil in sufficient water to dissolve 
 thoroughly the ingredients, boiling the logwood 
 and vitriol together. Then add the soda ash 
 liquor. Boil as quickly as possible— from one to 
 two hours, sure. Stir well. 3 should be plenty 
 strong enough to cover the speck under ordinary 
 circumstances; and it should be a dark plum 
 color. Take a pine stick and let it remain in the 
 dye a minute. If the shade is too red, it needs 
 more blue vitriol ; if too blue, add more soda ash. 
 
 35 
 
From the fulling mills put the goods into 
 the washer and raise well with soap. When they 
 have run about 10 minutes, if they lather nicely, 
 add 2 pails of 3 dye to each piece, running 
 them in soap and dye 20 minutes. Then rinse 
 well with cold water — say 45 minutes. 
 
 Another method.— Another way is this : After 
 you have scoured and rinsed well with cold water, 
 add 3 pails of 2° dye to each -f piece. Run them 
 10 minutes and rinse 45 minutes. When taken 
 from the gig — which is the best way to bur-dye 
 — use about the same as the others, although 
 i%° would be enough ordinarily; for, as soon 
 as they are done, they can be extracted and 
 dried, whereas, with the other way, they have to 
 lie around wet perhaps two days or more. Then 
 again, the teasels in the gigs wear off much of 
 the dye ; and there are other troubles which 
 come under another part of the wet finishing, 
 and which make it much more desirable to dye 
 this way. 
 
 Blue cast on mixes. — Where a blue cast is re- 
 quired on mixes, I have at times achieved this 
 by making a dye of double the quantity of blue 
 vitriol and taking as much off of the soda ash. 
 It is the vitriol that colors the wool ; therefore 
 use as little as possible ; but at the same time 
 keep a good color on the specks. Always test 
 your dye before using. Put on even quantities, 
 36 
 
and always use it stone-cold, and you will not be 
 troubled with different shades by bur-dyeing. 
 
 Bur-dyeing union cassimeres — Having some 
 light and heavy weight cotton warps, wool filling, 
 or union cassimeres, I tried to use the bur-dye 
 that I used on all-wool cassimeres before I gigged 
 them. But it required so strong a dye to cover up 
 the specks that it gave a red shade to the goods, 
 although the cotton and specks showed a blue 
 shade. It seemed to affect the wool ; and as many 
 of the colors had more or less cotton in them, 
 the whole appearance was changed. I then used 
 the following formula and found it was a success: 
 
 Goods bur-dyed after they were gigged : 
 175 lbs. extract logwood. 
 140 lbs. soda ash. 
 90 lbs. blue vitriol. 
 
 This makes 200 gallons of dye that will 
 stand about I5°;this I reduce to 2° for dark 
 colors and i° for light shades, putting on 
 2^ common pails of dye to each f piece, run- 
 ning from 10 to 15 minutes in the dye and rinse 
 about 20 minutes. If the goods crock any they 
 should be rinsed longer. This depends on how 
 good a stream of water one has to the washers ; 
 but I find with this formula that they can be 
 rinsed very easily, much more so than by No. I 
 recipe. 
 
 37 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 GIGGING. 
 
 Purposes of gigging — New and old gigs — All-wool 
 cass i meres— Various styles of finish and methods 
 of producing them — Fancy colors — The teasels 
 — Goods with a twist — Tender goods. 
 
 Gigging. — Gigging is a process of raising and 
 straightening the felt and burls produced by full- 
 ing, and when they are thus raised they are 
 called the " nap." Various effects in finishing 
 may thus be produced. Different weaves, stock, 
 and combinations have to be carefully regarded 
 at this point of the finishing of woolen cassimeres. 
 It is very essential that this process should be 
 properly performed, fo'r it is impossible to remedy 
 defects on any of the machinery subsequently 
 used. 
 
 Of course a piece can be re-gigged after it 
 has been sheared, but the result will hardly be 
 the same, and there is more or less danger of 
 injuring the goods. 
 
 New and old gigs.— There are various kinds 
 of gigs in use ; but the same results can be ob- 
 tained from almost all of them, from an old style 
 up-and-down*, a single cylinder rotary, or a 
 double cylinder rotary gig. I have often heard 
 
 38 
 
old finishers claim that a better finish could be 
 obtained from the old style gigs, as they thought 
 they could regulate their friction better; but I do 
 not see the philosophy of this assertion, and I 
 know by experience that the new style machinery 
 will do the work as well as, and quicker and 
 easier than, the old. A piece of goods for the gigs 
 should not be exceedingly wet, neither should it 
 be dry, but just moist enough to insure that the 
 flock will not fly about the room. Therefore 
 when the fabrics come from the washers, they 
 should be extracted in a hydro-extractor, say 
 four or five minutes. Then put them on a roll- 
 ing machine with stretcher attached, to remove 
 all wrinkles and straighten the listing if it be 
 curled up, rolling them tightly and evenly. 
 When rolled, lay them down flat upon a bench 
 or rack. Some prefer to stand them on end, 
 but I have always found more or less trouble with 
 uneven moisture. Even when the ends were 
 reversed, the one which was at the bottom last, 
 was liable to be more moist, and this being the 
 case, uneven gigging followed, as the nap on the 
 dry side would not straighten out as well as that 
 on the wet. 
 
 Illustrations. — It is impossible to give a gen- 
 eral rule for gigging a piece of goods, but a 
 few illustrations may supply some instructive 
 ideas. 
 
 39 
 
The principles of gigging are the same, no 
 matter which kinds of gigs are used. It is always 
 essential to commence with teasels that are 
 somewhat worn, or " old work " as it is usually 
 called, for a new teasel at first only injures the 
 fabric and the finish required. Always bear in 
 mind that much depends upon the time employed 
 in fulling ; and I here claim that goods that are 
 fulled on time can be more evenly gigged than 
 those that vary. 
 
 All-wool cassimeres. —We will first take a set 
 of 4 pieces of all-wool cassimeres, made of single 
 yarns, fulled two and one-half hours and shrunk 
 3 inches to the yard. They are firm and quite 
 well felted. We will illustrate on a double 
 cylinder gig. The finish required is close, but 
 not like a worsted. The nap is to lie so that it 
 will be impossible to feel any spring. At the 
 same time the threads must be full and plump, 
 and everyone visible, to show the pattern nicely. 
 We first fill both cylinders with " old work " and 
 run one hour. Then turn the slats over and run 
 one hour. Then put 10, or just one-half of 
 each cylinder with a grade better work. We 
 will call them 2's (twos). Run one hour, then 
 turn them over, reversing those in No. I cylinder 
 or in front. Put on a straight belt, or reverse 
 gears, so that both cylinders will work the same 
 way and run one hour. Then take out the 2's 
 40 
 
and replace the " old work," and, with a very fine 
 perforated pipe, sprinkle the goods for thirty min- 
 utes. Then take off and put them on what is 
 termed a wet or moistening gig, which has a 
 trough of water directly under the bottom roll. 
 Give them three or four runs and extract well. 
 After they are dry give them two runs on the 
 dry gig. This makes one of the finest finishes 
 that can be produced on a fancy cassimere. 
 
 First gigging may have to be increased.— The 
 
 first gigging may have to be increased, as this 
 would depend on the fabric; but after they have 
 been gigged enough, the water finish is added. 
 I will guarantee that it will more than repay the 
 labor expended, as the goods will always give 
 satisfaction. There will be no complaints of the 
 goods catching lint, roughing of the nap, or 
 having that dry and harsh feeling which the trade 
 objects too. And it is at this point, in my opinion, 
 that more harm is done, and more harsh, dry, 
 crisp goods are made, than by the soda ash used 
 in the soaps for fulling and scouring. 
 
 If the goods are gigged too dry, they will feel 
 so when finished. When I make this assertion, 
 I mean goods that full from two to four hours. 
 For instance : I once had some fancy whip-cords 
 or cork-screws. A very poor black was used. 
 It stained the silk which formed the stripe. 
 They fulled three-quarters of an hour. I dried 
 
 41 
 
them, and gave them two hours on " old work," 
 and a half hour straight belt. They looked well 
 and gave perfect satisfaction in the market; but 
 I think they were the only goods I ever handled 
 that did give satisfaction worked in this way. 
 
 Different kinds of finish.— For a velour finish, I 
 should work in the same way as in the first illus- 
 tration, although the goods should full longer, and 
 thus they would need, perhaps, a better class of 
 " work " or teasels and should be run longer with 
 the straight belt. 
 
 A melton finish.— For a melton finish, the 
 method is, of course, different, for the goods are 
 not to be cleared out, neither is the nap to be 
 long and lie flat, but it is to be more like a piece 
 of velvet. To obtain this, if the piece is made 
 of slack twist, which it should be, give 4 pieces 
 two hours on " old work " with the same grade 
 of teasels in both cylinders and the cloth touch- 
 ing both the same. 
 
 If goods full long and have considerable 
 felt in them, it will be necessary to have more 
 than two grades of teasels. I have gigged some 
 that fulled six to seven hours in this way : One 
 hour " old work," one hour 10 twos, each cyl- 
 inder; one hour 10 twos turned. Then put in 
 IO threes (or a grade better), and run an hour. 
 Then to the back cylinders add 5 sharps or 
 42 
 
breakers, and run from one-half hour to one 
 hour as may be necessary. 
 
 A doeskin finish.— For a doeskin finish, we will 
 illustrate on an old style up-and-down gig. 
 Two pieces of black doeskins, made of good 
 fleece wool. They full from ten to fifteen hours. 
 Fill the cylinder with " old work," give them 6 
 runs, reverse the cloth and turn the slats. Give 
 6 runs, reverse the cloth and fill the cylinder with 
 twos. Give 6 runs, reverse cloth and slats ; then 
 6 runs more ; fill again the cylinder with threes, 
 give 6 runs, reverse the cloth, and slats ; give 6 
 runs more ; then remove the piece from the gig, 
 and, after having the goods back-burled, put 
 them on the shear, if they are to be finished so 
 that the twill or weave is to show crop-close. 
 If this is not desired, blur, or leave the nap long. 
 Put them back on the gig and give them a run 
 or two on the same " work " that was used before 
 the cloth was taken off. In the meantime, 
 sprinkle them evenly with water, with a watering 
 pot or a whisk broom, as they will be too dry 
 after shearing for successful gigging. Then fill 
 up with fours, give 8 runs, reverse the cloth and 
 slats and give 8 runs more. Then put in about 
 6 sharps, or breakers, giving from 6 to io runs, 
 which will usually be sufficient. Then put them 
 on a wet gig, give them 2 runs, run them off 
 on a roll, put them into a steam or water-box 
 
 43 
 
and boil eight hours. Take them out and let 
 stand until perfectly cool. Put on the wet gig- 
 again, give them 2 runs and reverse the ends 
 when put on to the roll again. Repeat this 
 operation of steaming two or three times, and 
 more, if convenient, always reversing the ends of 
 the pieces to keep the shades even and to keep 
 both ends alike. Then, when thoroughly cool, put 
 them in the washer and rinse well with cold water. 
 After they have been colored, put them on 
 the gig and straighten out the nap nicely, say 
 three or four runs. Extract well and dry. 
 If dried on the bars, take a hand-brush and 
 smooth out any place that may have become 
 roughed up by tentering ; and when dry they 
 will be ready for the shear. 
 
 Mixed doeskins. — For mixed doeskins, change 
 the gigging somewhat, They full the same as the 
 blacks excepting that one is scoured before full- 
 ing while the other is fulled in the grease. Gig 
 them the same up to the fours, crop and again 
 the same as the blacks. Then dry the pieces and 
 crop again. Put them on the gig and give four 
 or five runs. Then put them on the brushing 
 machine and give them two or three runs, at the 
 same time giving them a little dry steam. Then 
 press hard. 
 
 After this run them on the wet gig so that 
 they may be rolled for the steam box. Lay 
 
 44 
 
them in the box flat, on cleats nailed to the box, 
 taking precaution that they do not touch each 
 other or the sides of the box. Steam six to 
 eight hours ; take them out and cool ; put on gig 
 two runs, reverse the ends of the pieces, and 
 when taken out to cool, be sure and reverse the 
 ends of the rolls or the colors will be uneven. 
 
 Steam again eight hours with the leader 
 or ticking used to sew the pieces on the gig, 
 wrapped round the roll. Take out, and when 
 perfectly cool, put them in the washer, and wash 
 with fuller's earth, one pail of the earth to a bar- 
 rel of water, and enough of this to wet thor- 
 oughly the pieces. Then give them a few runs 
 on the wet gig. Extract and dry. 
 
 Fancy colors.— Fancy colors, such as oranges, 
 lavenders, mixes, etc., will stand about 140 dry 
 steam. Blacks, or black and white mixes, will 
 stand either wet or dry steaming. If dry, lay 
 them on cleats ; if boiled or wet steamed, stand 
 them up squarely in the box ; 180 will not harm 
 them. 
 
 Scotch goods.— For a finish on Scotch goods 
 that fulled about four hours, and were heavily 
 flocked, " old work " in both cylinders, cloth 
 striking each the same. Run a half hour only, 
 but have the peculiarity of the finish made on 
 the shear. 
 
 45 
 
Hair-line finish.— A hair-line finish on cotton 
 warps, illustrated on an up-and-down gig : Cyl- 
 inder filled with " old work " ; six runs ; reverse 
 slats and cloth ; six runs more ; reverse cloth, 
 put in the twelve twos, give six runs, take them 
 off and crop say half way down. Put them on 
 the gig again, give six runs, reverse cloth and 
 add six sharps or breakers. Give twelve runs. 
 The goods full six hours and are heavily flocked. 
 Finish required is clear, but soft and velvety. 
 
 Fancy cotton warp finish.— A fancy cotton 
 warp finish, all cotton, filling all wool : Six runs 
 "old work"; reverse slats and cloth; six runs, 
 again reverse cloth, add twelve fours, give ten to 
 eighteen runs, as may be necessary. The goods 
 full five hours and are heavily flocked. 
 
 Worsted finish. — In a worsted finish the goods 
 should not have excessive fulling. Raise the nap 
 slowly at first with " old work." Then gig them 
 one way. It may be necessary to put in iotwos 
 in the finishing cylinder. The more they are 
 worked one way, the higher the luster that will 
 be obtained. 
 
 Care must be taken not to streak the goods. 
 
 Always use a fine teasel. If using iron slats, 
 
 have them set with three rows. If set properly 
 
 they should break joints, or the same as shingles 
 
 are put on. Also see that they are all of the 
 
 same size. 
 
 46 
 
The teasels.— In order to keep the teasels, or 
 " work," as it is called, always the same, some 
 system should be used, in adding new slats, and 
 at the same time, not to alter the finish of your 
 goods. I have always found the following to 
 work well, although this might possibly be im- 
 proved upon. 
 
 Goods with & twist.— If you have goods with 
 twist in them, or a good strong fabric, work in 
 breakers or new teasels when finishing up, so as 
 to have plenty to throw into fours, or sharps, for 
 more delicate goods that may follow, which will 
 not require as good work to finish up with. Take 
 three slats from the fours you have been using, 
 and lay aside until there are nine thus thrown 
 out. Then take nine from the finishing cylinder, 
 and replace them with the old fours. Then take 
 from the first cylinder's nine, and replace them 
 with those taken from the finishing cylinder. 
 This leaves nine slats rejected, which should be 
 reset with new teasels, always taking the poorest 
 to change from one to another. It is not safe to 
 work in more than three sharps or breakers at a 
 time, unless it is a 24-slat cylinder; then I should 
 use four at a time; but in an 18-slat cylinder 
 three are enough. Always have them divided 
 evenly ; and put on the brakes gradually, not all 
 at once. Even if the goods will stand such treat- 
 ment, it only breaks down the points of the teasels. 
 
 47 
 
Practice needed for good work —I wish all of 
 the readers of this article to understand one 
 thing, and that is this : I do not claim in any of 
 the above illustrations, that they can put a piece 
 of goods on the gigs and give it just so much 
 time or so many runs, and have the piece 
 gigged all right. This can only be determined 
 by practice and judgment. To find out when a 
 piece of goods is gigged nearly enough, take the 
 goods firmly over the fingers of the left hand, 
 and, with thumbnail, part the nap. If the threads 
 look clear, and show up round and full, they are 
 nearly gigged. Or a pen-knife inserted under 
 the nap, if it enters freely, will give .you an idea, 
 with a little practice, as to about what condition 
 they are in ; also what we term the " feel " or 
 handle of a piece of goods makes another guide 
 to go by. They should feel pliable and soft and 
 the nap lie smoothly and straight. 
 
 Tender goods. — One more thing I wish to say 
 before drawing this chapter to a close : It is in 
 regard to tender goods. Many are made on the 
 gigs ; at the same time it may be necessary to 
 make them so, in order to obtain the finish 
 required. If a worsted finish is wanted, and the 
 goods have fulled eight or more hours, I defy 
 almost any man to obtain it on single yarns. 
 When a certain finish is required it should be 
 regulated before it gets to the gigs. Always 
 
 4 3 
 
look and see that your goods are strong before 
 they go on the gigs. I have seen goods that 
 had all double and twist filling which were like 
 pulp. After fulling four hours it would be im- 
 possible to gig them at all and have them strong. 
 Tender goods can be caused by tender wool, by 
 using an excessive amount of sulphuric acid in 
 the dye-house, by the wool being cut on the cards, 
 by not having enough twist in the yarn, by long 
 fulling, and by excessive gigging. Always see 
 that the fulling and gigging are properly done. 
 Then, if you have tender goods, look elsewhere. 
 
 49 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 DRYING. 
 
 Drying machines or tenter-bars — The best methods 
 of drying worsteds and woolens— practical hints 
 — Troubles with the flocks. 
 
 Drying machines or tenter-bars. — When woolen 
 or worsted goods come from the gigs they should 
 be thoroughly extracted before putting them on 
 the drying machine or tenter-bars. There has 
 always been more or less discussion as to which 
 is the better way to dry goods. Many claim 
 that a piece of cloth will look and handle better 
 dried in the open air, on the tenter-bars, than on 
 a drying machine. I have never been able to 
 discover the superiority of one way to another. 
 I have employed both methods with the same 
 class of goods, and also on very particular work. 
 I have used several different styles of drying 
 machines, but not all of them ; and I prefer a first- 
 class machine to tenter-bars for almost all classes 
 of goods, and for several reasons. Take a large 
 mill that will produce from twenty to thirty 6-4 
 pieces per day on fancy cassimeres or worsteds. 
 One man with a machine and good steam will 
 easily dry these, and I have dried from forty to 
 fifty pieces per day. 
 
 50 
 
This work is all done by one man. He is 
 responsible if the goods are damaged by negli- 
 gence. They are more likely to come out uni- 
 form, both in width and the natural stretching 
 they receive lengthwise. Then, again, if it should 
 happen (which it often does) that there is a hurry 
 for any particular style, it does not take more 
 than fifteen or twenty minutes to dry a piece, 
 whereas on the bars it would take possibly half of a 
 day before the fabric would be ready. I consider 
 it fully as cheap, if not cheaper, to dry on a ma- 
 chine as on the bars out of doors, and the goods 
 will look as well. There will be many readers 
 of this article that have not forgotten the time 
 (and many that are obliged to do it now will best 
 realize how pleasant it was) when it was neces- 
 sary to shoulder a wet piece of goods and start 
 out for the tenter-bars with the mercury below 
 zero. It is by no means agreeable to leave a 
 warm room to do this work, but it must be done 
 just the same ; and after the fingers have become 
 almost numb with the cold, the workman may 
 accidentally receive a cold tenter-hook in the ball 
 of the thumb or finger. I know just how pleasant 
 this is. I have been through the experience, and 
 if Ihad followed it up much longer, I doubt if I 
 should have been a finisher. 
 
 Tentering.— One man stands at the head of the 
 bars and hooks on the end of the piece, while 
 
 5i 
 
another carries it along ; still another placing it 
 on the arms or pins at each upright post, keep- 
 ing it all straight. When they come to the end 
 they pull it up taut, that there may be no slack 
 or wrinkles throughout the piece. I usually put 
 the face of the goods inside or next to the bars, 
 as it does not rough the nap up so much as it 
 does with the other side out. 
 
 A patent tenter-hook has been produced, or 
 rather a clothing, which comes in strips often or 
 twelve feet, which consists of a steel wire driven 
 through from the flat side and coming out on a 
 bevel of this strip of wood. This is firmly 
 nailed on to the bars, and for durability and con- 
 venience I never have seen its equal. When 
 stripping the bars of the goods, they come off 
 much easier and are less liable to damage the 
 piece than the old style of hook. 
 
 Then, again, one can tenter about twice as 
 fast. One great inconvenience, where there is 
 not work enough to keep two men busy all of 
 the time, is that it is often necessary to take out 
 most of the force in the wet finishing-room. 
 This rather demoralizes things, and not as good 
 results are obtained. 
 
 The dry-house. — I now have a large dry-house, 
 two stories high, with a large cupola for ventila- 
 tion. Two rows of inch-and-a-quarter steam 
 pipe go the whole length of the bars. One, six 
 
 52 
 
inches above the lower edge of the cloth, the 
 other about twelve above this. We put a piece 
 on each side of the bars ; this encloses the heat. 
 I have been able to take off three sets of pieces 
 per day. We run an independent boiler for 
 heating, which enables us to have steam and 
 enough of it whenever necessary. Two men do 
 all of the work, and the production is about 6,000 
 yards per week as 6-4. 
 
 Troubles with flocks.— One disadvantage which 
 has been claimed by several manufacturers (al- 
 though it might have been more the fault of the 
 finisher), is that of drying union cassimeres that 
 are flocked heavily and have more or less cotton 
 mixed with the wool ; it is almost impossible to dry 
 them fast, or rather as quick as they should be. 
 On the drum cylinder dryers, when the radiators 
 or coils of pipes are enclosed within the drum, 
 the flocks, dropping from the goods, soon fill 
 them up and prevent the heat from escaping 
 readily. I never have had any trouble of this 
 kind where everything was kept clean and I had 
 all the steam I wanted. One trouble I did have 
 once, and which may serve to keep some one out 
 of difficulty, was the damaging of the goods on 
 the side. When they were going over the 
 stretchers there would be small three-cornered 
 holes made by blocks. This I easily remedied 
 (when I found out what the trouble was) by setting 
 
 53 
 
the receiving roll just as close to the drum as 
 possible, then setting the stretching blocks up as 
 close as possible to the receiving roll. It is very- 
 simple after one knows how, but I have seen many 
 finishers bothered by this simple affair. Dry 
 your goods as quickly as possible ; do not let 
 them stand and bake, and I will guarantee they 
 will be just as good dried on a machine as in the 
 open air. Get your goods clean, and that will 
 do more towards improving the feeling and ap- 
 pearance of the cloth than the difference in the 
 modes of drying. 
 
 54 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SHEARING. 
 
 Back-burling — The shears — Don't tinker at the 
 Shears — Difficulties — Arranging the shears — 
 Grinding, etc. — Oiling the swab frequently — 
 Refusing to cut — Shearing the goods — Shearing. 
 
 Back-burling. — Before the goods are put 
 upon the shear, they should first be carefully 
 back-burled. See that every bunch and knot 
 is removed. Do not take the burling-irons to 
 remove them, but with the point of a pair of 
 scissors, carefully raise the bunches or knots and 
 clip them off. If the irons are used, there is a 
 liability that too much will be taken out. This 
 only makes work for the sewers, and it is not 
 the proper way to remove them. 
 
 When the goods are put on the shear, care 
 should be taken to make a good, fine sewing. 
 The saving on the ends will more than repay for 
 the time it takes to do this, and it will enable the 
 attendant to finish the ends of the piece as nicely 
 as the middle, whereas if a poor sewing is made, 
 the goods will be all streaked for a yard or more. 
 
 Setting the screws. — Set the screws or notches 
 on so that you just trim the nap lightly. On a 
 heavy-weight piece 24 notches are none too many 
 
 55 
 
to set off, and after giving the piece a run let 
 down two or three, and so on, until they all 
 have been let down. Then give the piece five 
 or six runs to smooth it nicely. Of course any 
 piece of goods with a thin or short nap, would 
 not require so many runs ; but fancy cassimeres, 
 unions and doeskins, that full from three to five 
 or more hours, should all be cut very slowly, for 
 then they look better. The face will not look as 
 though half the nap were pulled out, and what 
 was left dragged and pressed down over the 
 other colors, looking like so many spider legs. 
 And, moreover, your shears do not need grinding 
 so often ; and the less grinding done the better, 
 for every time a shear is sharpened chances are 
 taken of its getting out of true. 
 
 The shears. — Of all finishing-room machinery, 
 the shears need the most particular attention. 
 Not only is it necessary to have them started up 
 right, but they require a constant supervision. 
 A little neglect on the part of the attendant will 
 undo in a moment that which will require hours 
 to remedy. Neglect to oil the swabs will soon 
 draw the temper on the ledger blade or at least 
 will soon rough it so that the cutting quality will 
 be spoiled, causing them to rattle and ring. Neg- 
 lect to oil the revolver-bearings will soon wear 
 them out, as the revolver runs fast, making from 
 
 56 
 
900 to iooo revolutions per minute, to say noth- 
 ing of the minor troubles, which will arise unless 
 well looked after. 
 
 Don't tinker at the shears.— At the same time 
 I have often thought that too much, as well as too 
 little or not enough, is frequently done around 
 the shears. Some are never satisfied unless they 
 are tinkering half of the time. If a few pieces of 
 goods come along and do not shear out perfectly 
 even, away they go for a file, or a wrench, and 
 everything has to be changed. Not half of the 
 time do such men know why they make a change, 
 but one must be made, so they try this thing and 
 that to see if it does not help the matter. Nine 
 times out often, the trouble is not with the shears 
 but is really caused by uneven fulling, or flocking, 
 poor listing, too tight or too loose, bad work on 
 the dresser, or by numerous other things, which 
 cannot be made right on the shear, even if it be 
 working to perfection. 
 
 Find the cause of the trouble.— There are trou- 
 bles to be sure, that belong to the shear, such as 
 poor brushes or when the brushes are set uneven 
 by imperfect friction on the cloth, the blades not 
 cutting, the carriage set too high or too low, the 
 rest loose, streaks made by the brushes being 
 filled up with greasy flocks, and also made by 
 rough places on the revolver causing the oil to 
 
 57 
 
flow freer from the swab, or by a poor swab, or un- 
 even oiling of the same ; also by an uneven blade. 
 But with all of these difficulties, we must first find 
 the cause. Filing the rest, or grinding out the 
 ledger blade, will not remedy the defects made in 
 some of the other machinery, for should we fit 
 the shear for the imperfection of some other ma- 
 chine, when we did get a piece right our shear 
 would be as far off as ever; and we should again 
 have to tinker, to get it right. 
 
 Above all things, never file the rest, as it is 
 impossible to replace that which has been removed. 
 If the rest be out of true, send it to the shop and 
 have it put in order. Then leave it so. 
 
 I admit that there are difficulties which will 
 arise, that require good judgment and patience to 
 overcome them ; but^ don't have a " howling*' 
 shear in the room. 
 
 Arranging the shears.— We must first take 
 into consideration, that every machine should be 
 placed on a solid foundation and set perfectly 
 level, and especially one that runs as fine as a 
 shear. To begin with, see that the frame sets 
 solid and level, that the brushes rest and carriage 
 are level, and in their proper place. 
 
 We will suppose that we go into a new shop 
 and find that the shears are working badly, that 
 the ledger blade is about worn out, that the revol- 
 ver or fly blades are out of true, and that the bear- 
 
 58 
 
ings of the revolver are badly worn, but the rest 
 we find is perfectly straight and true. We first 
 turn down the bearings, and fill the boxes with 
 Babbit metal. Then put the revolver upon a 
 grinder, traverse, or solid lead cylinder, and grind 
 until it is perfectly true. If the revolver is hollow 
 or smallest in the middle, set both ends up 
 carefully so that they just touch, and grind 
 slowly until the hollow place is reached. Even 
 then grind until a keen edge is obtained all 
 along the revolver. If the middle should be the 
 fullest, set it up to the cylinder so that it just 
 touches, being careful not to set one end up 
 faster than the other. Grind until a keen edge 
 is obtained all along. 
 
 Then remove the revolver, and replace it in 
 the bearings of the carriage. If the ledger blade 
 is not so far gone that a new one is required, 
 place this on the grinder, and what we term, 
 face it, or make a new, broad bevel on the front 
 of the blade, striking back somewhat on the old 
 bevel, so that when the edge is reached the bevel 
 will not be so short as to prevent a free operation 
 of the cloth between the rest and the blade. 
 Place the ledger or blade-bed into the carriage, 
 and with the lower middle screw raise it until 
 you have obtained about the right pitch. Then 
 with the upper middle screw, draw the blade up 
 to the revolver until it just touches. Then bring 
 
 59 
 
the ends up in the same way, and tighten the 
 screws midway between the center and ends. 
 
 Next see that the blade is parallel with the 
 revolver, and nearly up to the center. Most 
 manufacturers now put a center-mark on the 
 revolver, so that it is quite easy to set the blade 
 even. But if this is not done, center the boxes, 
 marking them on the inside. Then set them 
 midway of the screw that operates them up and 
 down ; with a straight edge or rule place it on 
 the face of the blade and even with the edge, 
 extending it out to the arm of the carriage. 
 Then with a rule kept parallel with the center 
 line made on the box, measure down to the rule 
 on the blade. 
 
 Or take a try square ; put the thick part in 
 the box, and with the thin edge kept parallel 
 with the center mark, with a rule on the upper 
 edge of the blade, extend it out to the square. 
 Either way will show plainly whether the blade 
 is even to center or not. 
 
 Always try both ends and have them as 
 near alike as possible and nearly up to the center 
 before starting. 
 
 We then replace the revolver in the bearings, 
 screw down the caps, and see if the blades will 
 cut dry paper. If at any point they refuse to 
 cut, tighten up a trifle on the upper row of screws 
 in the bed. 
 
 60 
 
After it is all set evenly, we shall have to run 
 the revolver backwards a little to fit them together 
 nicely, adding some flour of emery and oil. 
 Be sure and put this on evenly. A piece of old 
 belting for a strop works well. Be sure that the 
 blades are loose enough not to cause any ringing 
 or scratching while grinding, as they will burn 
 or draw the temper very quickly while this 
 operation is being performed ; but they should 
 be gradually set up together, so that when they 
 are all ground they will not spring apart when 
 the nap of the goods is pressed into them. 
 They should run at least one hour in oil, to polish 
 and smooth them, as they run much nicer and 
 longer by so doing. 
 
 After grinding.— After the grinding has been 
 in progress a short time, remove the revolver, 
 and see if there is an even bevel on the back of 
 the blade. Also see that the fine bevel made by 
 honing on the face of the blade is not ground out. 
 Care should always be taken not to grind this 
 entirely out, as the blade wastes away very fast 
 when this is gone. To make sure of this, always 
 give it a few turns across with the hone before 
 grinding, as it will brighten it up, and will be 
 more readily observed while grinding. 
 
 If all is right, replace the revolver and pro- 
 ceed until finished. Then clean all of the emery 
 and oil out of the blades. Again rub the ledger 
 
 61 
 
blade carefully with the hone (or oil stone), keep- 
 ing the lower part of the hone about an inch from 
 the lower part of the flat side of the blade. 
 Always when honing the last time, run the hone 
 straight across, from one end to the other, never 
 up and down, or in a rolling manner, as this 
 destroys an even keen edge. 
 
 After cleaning the machine, put in the re- 
 volver, tighten the cap screws with the fingers, 
 and turn the revolver with the hand to cut off 
 the wire edges made by honing. Then tighten 
 up the caps, put on the swab and oil it evenly 
 and well. 
 
 Frequent oiling of the swab.— I would say here, 
 that I always oil the swab every time I put on a 
 new piece. I once took a room in a large mill ; 
 the finisher had been there for years, but was 
 always troubled more or less with oil streaks on 
 his cloth, and he did not oil his swab more than 
 twice or three times a day. There were three 
 shears, and it took almost half the time to sharpen 
 and keep them in order. The trouble was 
 that they ran too dry. The blades when warm 
 would expand, running very tightly together. 
 They soon got burnt and roughed up, and would 
 not do good work. When I found time I went 
 over them all in the manner I shall speak of soon. 
 The result was that they ran four months con- 
 tinuously on hard cutting goods. I honed the 
 
 62 
 
ledger blade once in two or three weeks. I 
 met this finisher some time afterwards in my 
 room. Very likely some one told him of the 
 change I had made. Stepping up he addressed 
 me as follows : 
 
 " Mr. , I have taken care of shears a 
 
 good many years, but I must admit that you can 
 discount me. I always had to grind once a week, 
 two weeks at the longest, and they tell me you 
 do not grind more than once in three or four 
 months. Will you please tell me how you do it ? " 
 
 I replied : " Certainly. Your shears were 
 well set up when I found them. There are only 
 two things of any consequence that I have 
 changed about them, viz.: — I cut slow, I make 
 my shear attendants do their hurrying when they 
 are changing their pieces, and I oil the swab, 
 every piece, lightly, but evenly. " 
 
 He thanked me and said that was where he 
 had made a mistake. I only speak of this to illus- 
 trate the importance of slow cutting, and the oil- 
 ing of the swab properly. I then put on a piece 
 of goods, cutting the nap very slowly at first ; and, 
 if the blades, after running a short time, are 
 inclined to pull, I draw the revolver up J of a 
 turn of the screw. This draws it a trifle more 
 upon the edge of the ledger. 
 
 Refusing to cut.— If after running a week or 
 more the blade refuses to cut, press up all along 
 
 63 
 
the upper row of screws in the bed a trifle. 
 This will usually remedy the trouble. But if, 
 after long usage, the blades become dull, remove 
 the revolver from the boxes and insert a piece of 
 cardboard, to throw the revolver off from the 
 ledger blade. Replace it and run backwards, 
 holding the hone directly on top and perfectly par- 
 allel. Slowly and lightly run from one end to 
 the other, being careful not to give one part 
 any more time than the other, at the same time 
 adding flour of emery and oil to the stone. When 
 a keen edge is obtained clear across, remove the 
 cardboard, replace the revolver, setting off the 
 ledger blade, by operating on the upper tier of 
 screws, until it nearly cuts dry paper, and proceed 
 as I have before stated. 
 
 • Grinding the revolver with a hone —I would 
 say in regard to grinding the revolver with a 
 hone, that many might suppose after they had 
 ground awhile and observed that the ends of the 
 revolver were sharp, and the middle was yet quite 
 dull, that they ought to cease on the ends and 
 only grind in the middle. But bear in mind 
 that the middle of the revolver is always the 
 dullest inasmuch as the cloth never goes to the 
 extreme ends of the blades. Therefore after the 
 ends are sharp and keen, proceed just the same, 
 running the stone to the extreme end. If not, 
 you will soon have the revolver out of true, or 
 
 64 
 
hollow in the middle. After this clean and re- 
 place the revolver, etc., and with proper care, 
 occasionally honing, they should keep sharp for 
 three or four months, even with constant use and 
 a little cotton worked in the stock. 
 
 Heating* and scratching.— There are times 
 when it seems almost impossible to keep the 
 blades from heating, scratching, or roughing up. 
 But if a close observation be made, it will usually 
 be found that the iron on the back part of the 
 fly blades is as high as the steel. As it is much 
 softer it rolls or draws over the steel, and running 
 between the blades causes them to rough up (as 
 we term it). When this is the case, the revolver 
 should either be sent to the manafacturers or 
 placed upon a planer and backed off, afterwards 
 being smoothed with a fine file, should there be 
 any places that are not quite taken out. 
 
 Shearing the goods.— In shearing a piece of 
 goods do not have the blades too high or above 
 the rest, as this injures the cloth. If the listings 
 are anyways poor it will cut them ; also every 
 little knot or pimple will be cut off. Draw the 
 carriage down so that when the last notches have 
 been dropped, there will be a slight tremble, or 
 jar, on the cloth, caused by the revolver touching 
 it lightly, but this will not be perceptible when 
 the piece is finished. This is for woolens or 
 cassimercs only ; for worsteds the revolver should 
 
 65 
 
not be allowed to touch the cloth, as it is liable to 
 injure the threads. 
 
 Scotch finish on the shear.— The peculiarity of 
 the Scotch finish I have spoken of, was obtained 
 on the shear. The carriage was drawn down -J 
 or one turn of the screws, from where fancy cas- 
 simeres had been shearing. It being so low that 
 the strike or tremble on the goods was obtained, 
 when the nap was y 1 ^ of an inch long, the revol- 
 ver kept picking the nap up, and when finished, a 
 thick upright nap was obtained, perfectly square, 
 and not at all dragged out, as the brushes were 
 set off the last three runs. On the velour finish 
 the raising brush should be set off. If the nap 
 is required to lie straight, nothing should be done 
 to disturb that which has been obtained on the 
 gigs ; but in this case I did not let the revolver 
 strike the cloth, as it was inclined to disturb the 
 lay of the nap, and make it curly. 
 
 Uneven shearing— Sometimes pieces that are 
 flocked and shrunk considerably, will be inclined 
 to shear out uneven, when it is known that the 
 shear is perfectly right, and has been shearing 
 certain styles (that have been treated different) all 
 even. I have at times remedied this trouble by 
 making the back friction-roll perfectly tight ; 
 that is, I would not depend upon the friction, but 
 lay, or cover with cloth, the delivering roll in 
 front, until it delivered the cloth to the rest as 
 66 
 
fast as the back roll took it away, and by drop- 
 ping the carriage, so that there was no danger of 
 cutting or the cloth being forced into the blades, 
 it would usually shear out more even. 
 
 Now, the philosophy of this is easily ex- 
 plained. If the cloth draws tight over the rest, 
 the thin places are so drawn down that the blades 
 do not cut the nap but simply clear off the part 
 that comes nearest to them ; whereas, if the 
 cloth goes over loose, it is more liable to cut 
 even, as the heavy places are usually on the back, 
 caused by more felt and flock taking in better. 
 
 Tight listings.— Sometimes the listings are 
 dressed and woven so tight that the sides of the 
 cloth hug the rest, while the middle perhaps is 
 loose or just slack, and will shear out the quick- 
 est. This may be remedied by first shearing the 
 middle about as low as required ; then drop J 
 on the rest and J- on the carriage, letting down 
 one or two notches. This will shear out the 
 opposite side. Then raise the notches say 5 or 
 6, and raise the carriage and rest J of a turn of 
 the screw. This will shear out the remaining 
 side; then drop J on each. You will have the 
 carriage all even again for the next piece. At the 
 same time, goods should not come so uneven as 
 to oblige you to resort to this plan. I merely 
 mention these points so that in case it did happen, 
 they could, with a little care, be sheared out even. 
 
 67 
 
Keep the shear clean. — I will add a fourth word 
 of advice Keep all of the parts well oiled and 
 clean, even if driven with work. It is never 
 economy to run day after day with an unclean 
 shear. 
 
 68 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 CHINCHILLA FINISHING. 
 
 PECULIARITIES OF THE CHINCHILLA FINISH— METHODS 
 OF OPERATION— THE CHINCHILLA MACHINE— SETTING 
 
 the machine— Rubbers and followers— Speeds, 
 
 ETC. 
 
 Peculiarities of this finish— The manipulation 
 of goods in the producing of the chinchilla 
 finish necessitates a departure from the old rules 
 of ordinary cassimere finishing; brings into op- 
 eration some special machinery ; and opens up 
 new ways to exercise the judgment, and to try 
 the temper and patience of the finisher. Two 
 methods are employed in the portion of the 
 process before the nubbing, which methods are 
 governed by the supply of machinery, the grade 
 of goods and time. 
 
 In the first place, the fabric should be 
 specially designed to produce the best effects in 
 the finishing. The face yarn should be of a 
 nature to produce a full nap ; the weave should 
 be smooth and free from any pattern-effects pro- 
 duced by the weave; and the fabric, as a whole, 
 should have no stiffness, but rather a tendency 
 towards sponginess. 
 
 If the previous processes have been intelli- 
 
 69 
 
gently manipulated, the fulling (which should 
 not be a very lengthy process), will leave the 
 goods well felted, yet with an absence of hard- 
 ness or stiffness. Where the goods are wool- 
 dyed, the usual care has to be taken to keep 
 the colors good, as every finisher understands. 
 We will take the goods of the class named, and 
 "put a piece through. " 
 
 Methods of operation— After fulling and wash- 
 ing, it should be freed from wrinkles so as to 
 avoid any appearance of streaks due to gigging. 
 Gig thoroughly: the writer approves of double 
 cylinder gigs as producing the best results, and 
 all the time should be occupied that the quality 
 of goods and amount of machinery will admit of. 
 
 Should the conditions admit of it, the piece 
 should be cropped, the nap straightened, and 
 then dried in whatever manner the equipment of 
 the room provides for. After drying, the nap 
 should be softened up, and then it is sheared. 
 
 Right here appears a variation from the 
 usual method as regards this process, in which, 
 instead of the ordinary raising brush, a wire 
 brush is substituted which more thoroughly and 
 evenly raises the nap. When the required close- 
 ness of shearing has been attained, one or two 
 runs are given with laying brush off, after which 
 it is ready for the nubbing or frizzing machine. 
 
 At this point, we will retrace our steps and 
 
 70 
 
show wherein a variation from the above method 
 takes place, and also introduce a machine which 
 plays an important part, or can be made to do so. 
 After the gigging process, the piece may be 
 cropped— supposing that we are going to handle 
 it this way— then the nap straightened, after 
 which it is run through a " whipper," face down 
 and "whipped" on the back, which process pro- 
 duces an erect position of the nap; after which, 
 the piece must be dried as quickly as possible, 
 and the finisher must avoid as much as possible 
 matting the nap down. After drying, the piece 
 may be sheared as before mentioned, and taken 
 to chinchilla machine. 
 
 There are different makes of machines which 
 are capable of producing good work. Each kind 
 has its admirers ; but where a man takes charge 
 of a room to finish this class of goods, he takes 
 what machinery he finds in the room and gets 
 all the good he can out of it. The writer, of 
 course, has a preference. 
 
 The chinchilla machine.— The chinchilla ma- 
 chine is one having an oblong surface about two 
 feet wide by five feet long, placed in a frame about 
 three feet from the floor, over which the cloth 
 passes very slowly face upward. Over this is a 
 strong cast-iron " follower " of about the same size 
 and shape of the " bed," through each end of 
 which an upright shaft passes and is movable 
 
 7i 
 
up and down by means of a handle. On the 
 under side of this " follower" is a plate of solid 
 rubber securely fastened to it, which, on being- 
 lowered, rests on the face of the cloth. On the 
 upright shafts is a mechanism for producing a 
 rotary motion to the " follower " which rubs on the 
 cloth, twisting the nap into spiral points. Other 
 mechanism is also provided to transform the 
 rotary to a reciprocal motion, either forward and 
 backward, from side to side, or diagonally. The 
 upright shafts are geared to the main shaft which 
 passes through lower part of machine, and which 
 receives motion from main or counter-shaft by 
 means of a belt. The rotary mechanism is capa- 
 ble of being increased or diminished, thereby 
 varying the " sweep." 
 
 Setting" of the machine. — The setting of the 
 machine is, like the rest of the different processes 
 of finishing, dependent more on judgment than 
 upon any arbitrary rule that can be advanced as 
 sure; but the amount of " sweep" should not, in 
 the opinion of the writer, be excessive. The 
 pressure of the " follower " on the cloth is also 
 a matter on which the judgment must be exer- 
 cised. 
 
 It is important that the rubbing material be 
 kept free from any tendency to gum up and glaze. 
 The writer has taken the " follower " from its 
 position at intervals of a week, and with a mod- 
 
 72 
 
erately rough substance removed any accumu- 
 lated grease or glaze. 
 
 Rubbers and followers.— It is of great import- 
 ance that the surface of the rubber be absolutely 
 true. If not true, it may be due to the wood which 
 forms the back being warped, which if the case, 
 the rubber must be removed and the surface 
 planed. The same also applies to the bottom 
 surface, which is covered with a good grade of 
 Brussels or velvet carpet. All tendency on the 
 part of the " follower " to depart from the motion 
 required to produce the finish and effect desired, 
 should be reduced to a minimum ; such as when 
 a " Whitney" finish is being produced, the ten- 
 dency to describe a round motion should be 
 checked, and the motion be directed in a straight 
 line. The same with the " Petersham " or round 
 motion ; the motion should be round and not 
 elliptic. 
 
 Speed of the main shaft.— The speed of the 
 main shaft of machine should be not over 145 
 turns a minute, which will produce a speed of 
 the rubber of about 500 turns. Fine goods have 
 been run through the machine once, leaving (on 
 Petershams) a spiral nub, taken to shear, cropped, 
 and put through a second time. 
 
 Cheaper grades have been treated as before, 
 only omitting second nubbing. There are other 
 effects which can be produced, such as a rolling 
 
 73 
 
up of the nap caused by a cross motion of the 
 machine operating on long napped goods, diag- 
 onal effects, etc. The chinchilla machine is used 
 to good advantage on goods with a woven pat- 
 tern, on what are termed "cut beavers," where 
 there are certain threads which are cut off in the 
 gigging.process, thereby developing the pattern, 
 the machine bringing up more distinctly the cord, 
 rib, diagonal, or any of the numerous patterns 
 which have been produced. From the machine, 
 the transit to the roll should be as brief as is 
 possible; and while awaiting shipment the rolls 
 should be stood on end, and avoid crowding in 
 case. 
 
 The writer in the above brief sketch has 
 endeavored to give an idea of a process which 
 has stood the test of experience; but to lay out 
 any line of details, or to give any rules to govern 
 one is impossible, for the intelligent finisher well 
 knows that his experience and success are due 
 to careful study of conditions, and his observation 
 of effects and their causes. Good success can be 
 obtained without the use of the " whipper," but 
 probably the use of one will produce the best 
 effect. 
 
 74 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 INSPECTING AND PRESSING. 
 Inspecting the fabric — Specking or fine burling 
 — Sewing or fine drawing— Pressing the goods 
 — Differences in pressing — Inspection — The 
 perch— Shading with sample— Finishing-room 
 book and how to keep it. 
 
 Inspecting.— After the goods have been 
 sheared, we have the first opportunity to inspect 
 them thoroughly, and to see if all has been done 
 right since they left the looms; for there are 
 many things in the weaving that do not show 
 until the fabric is finished, and should be re- 
 ported at once. There are also many things in 
 the finishing, which, for the first time, we 
 have* a chance to detect, such as improper 
 attention in the mills, in the gigs, the cloths 
 not stretched and dried properly, and still 
 further back, not burled and sewed as they 
 might have been. We certainly should avail 
 ourselves of this opportunity, and carefully in- 
 spect the goods over a perch, comparing with 
 the original samples for colors, finish, etc. Should 
 we find any troubles arising from any negligence 
 of the operatives or machinery, see to it at once. 
 If we have been keeping a correct account of the 
 
 75 
 
gigging, fulling, etc., and have been obliged to 
 make changes ; if we have noted these changes 
 on the books, which should be kept at each point 
 of the work, we shall know at once what it is 
 that has caused a change in the finish. 
 
 For instance, we may have a certain style 
 coming along, that we think may be improved 
 by shrinking a little more, or perhaps they have 
 been unable to put in the number of picks that 
 there should be, on account of poor work, or 
 they are coming too light, or a trifle too heavy. 
 If this is noted on the fulling book, we shall be able 
 to refer back, and see what has caused a change 
 in the appearance of the goods. It saves time if 
 notes have been made of the changes as we go 
 along from one machine to the other. It is 
 always bad enough to have accidents and 
 mistakes happen, but it is much worse to have 
 goods damaged, and not to know how, when or 
 where this was done. 
 
 After pulling over the perch carefully, the 
 goods are ready for the speckers. 
 
 Specking or fine burling.— Much depends on 
 what is to be taken out or covered up, and how 
 we shall proceed in this. If the goods are full 
 of wool-specks, they should be removed with 
 the burling irons ; also the large burs, etc., 
 should be removed in this way ; but cotton-speck, 
 small burs or shives can successfully be covered 
 
 76 
 
with a dotting-ink or bur-dye, which is better 
 than picking them out, as the speckers are liable 
 to injure the threads ; and on light weights espe- 
 cially there will be small holes left by specking 
 with the irons. Even when the ink or dye is used, 
 care' must be taken not to get on too much or 
 the cloth will be spotted. In inking, use a well- 
 sharpened, hard-wood stick. Let each specker 
 have a needle, with some light-colored yarn or 
 thread, and mark each imperfection that is found 
 by sewing the thread near it, leaving the end out 
 long By so doing the fine drawers can spend 
 their time fixing the imperfections, instead of 
 searching for them. Keep each specker's work 
 in a book, so that any bad work can be located 
 Also add it up at the end of the week, to see if 
 this part is being kept up, and that each specker 
 is doing a fair proportion of the work. 
 
 Sewing—The sewer's or fine drawer'sbusiness 
 
 is carefullyto inspect the cloth, replacing or sewing 
 
 all that is possible. A skillful hand at this work 
 
 can often more than save her wages in about 30 
 
 minutes. Small threads left out by the other 
 
 sewers, little imperfections made in the weaving or 
 
 the finishing, coarse threads, imperfect twist, 
 
 should all be mended nicely at this point, as it can 
 
 be done much better before pressing than after. 
 
 I have always had the best results by using 
 
 yarns taken from the goods we were at work upon. 
 
 77 
 
If the yarns are not washed, they surely will 
 not shade alike; and many times the other 
 colors have some influence in changing the 
 shade, s*o that it is almost impossible to wash by 
 hand the yarns and have them the same as in the 
 piece. I therefore cut off an eighth or a quarter of 
 a yard, or take a small strip off the side, saving 
 it to mend others that may be coming along, of 
 like colors. 
 
 After carefully looking the face over, pull 
 them back over the perch and through light, 
 closing all small holes or light places, either on 
 the face or on the back. It is impossible to give 
 any more information in regard to sewing. 
 Always have, if possible, a first-class workman. 
 After leaving the perch, the goods should be 
 brushed clean on the back and face, and then 
 they are ready for pressing. 
 
 Pressing.— This part of the work is very es- 
 sential, but not so difficult to manage as the 
 shearing, since we now have the improved rotary 
 presses. With the old-style press it is more 
 tedious than complicated to have to paper up all 
 of the cloth, and to lay up with warm plates. 
 Then three or four men had to take hold of the bar 
 and w^rk for ten or twenty minutes turning 
 it down. Even with the hydraulic presses the 
 cloth has to be papered sometimes twice, as in 
 the old screw press, to avoid the folds made by 
 
 78 
 
the papers on the edge of them. This is now 
 done away with. There may be a few that have 
 not made improvements, but a man would see 
 that if he only intended to run his mill two years, 
 he would save money and do the work better. 
 
 It is unnecessary for me to dwell upon the 
 use of the old style press. Neither can much 
 be said of the new ; it is so simple and practi- 
 cable that a boy is able to do the work, where 
 before it has taken two or three men. If any- 
 thing breaks about the machine, which seldom 
 happens, it can easily be fixed or sent to the man- 
 ufacturers for repairs. The " Gessner Press," I 
 think, is the best for all purposes, and considered 
 as the most efficient by all practical men. 
 
 Differences in pressing.— If I had a cheviot 
 finish or anything similar, I always pressed them 
 face to the cylinder; but fancy cassimeres, wor- 
 steds, etc., with the face to the bed, and for these 
 reasons : With the face next to the roll, the curl 
 to the nap was not disturbed or dragged out, but 
 with the nap cut close and nothing to disturb it, 
 I could get more luster the other way. Either 
 way, I always try to put the most pressing on the 
 back, by having the pressure on the back the 
 warmest. It does not leave the fabric so, .harsh, 
 dry and crispy, but helps give it the cool, damp 
 feeling which is always desirable. The goods 
 should be well dry-steamed, and put upon a roll 
 and let lie there until they are perfectly cool 
 
 79 
 
before being removed. Put them into a rack. 
 Never pile them up, or let them lie on the floor. 
 
 Inspecting.— At this point of the work a good, 
 capable man should be employed, one that can 
 be depended upon. A few strokes of the pen or 
 pencil, crayons, etc., will save many dollars. In 
 a small room the finisher might find time to do 
 this, but in a 10 to 15 set mill he will have business 
 enough without being tied to the perch. An 
 inspector, with an assistant, should be able 
 carefully to look over all the goods, measure 
 them, keep the books, shade, roll and case up 
 for a 10 or 12 set mill on fancy cassimeres. 
 
 The best light that can be obtained should 
 be used ; also all of the conveniences procurable, 
 as this is the last time we shall be able to inspect 
 the goods before they go to market. 
 
 A few years ago it was not necessary to 
 take so much care. The goods were usually 
 pulled over a table, measured and inspected, and 
 a sample laid on to see if they were of the right 
 style before putting on a ticket. But those times 
 have gone by, and everything is being done to 
 make the goods as nearly perfect as possible. 
 
 The perch.— The best way to inspect goods is 
 to pull them over a perch. Have it as high as 
 possible, for a much better view can be obtained. 
 Have a board covered with zinc, to make a good, 
 smooth surface, directly back of the cloth, about 
 80 
 
as high up as convenient to work upon. Below 
 have a box to pull the cloth into, to keep it off 
 the floor, or it may be run upon a roll again, it 
 being very easy to apply power from below and 
 have a lever to operate on with the foot ; but it 
 is just as well to pull them into a box and pull 
 them over the table, measuring and rolling at 
 the same time. 
 
 In order to have some system about the 
 work, those goods that are measured to-day, 
 leave on the rolls in the rack until to-morrow 
 morning. Unroll and at the same time fold them 
 (if they are f goods), then roll them upon a 
 board and place on the table, putting all of the 
 same style together. Unroll the ends about 
 a yard, and lay them over the end of the pieces 
 in layers or folds. Then place the original 
 sample on them and see how near they match, 
 or shade. 
 
 Shading with sample.— If buyers purchase a 
 case of goods, they expect that every piece shall 
 shade with the sample. They have no idea how 
 difficult this is, neither do they care. If they 
 have got a bargain, they will not often think or 
 be so critical about the shade ; but this makes 
 no difference. The manufacturer that can best 
 please his customers is the one that will get 
 along best. Now it is almost impossible to make 
 every piece look alike, and the man that invented 
 
the cutting machine, where from one to a dozen 
 thicknesses of cloth are cut at once, has done as 
 much to cause unhappiness for the finishers as 
 the dull trade has. 
 
 But we must do something to remedy this 
 trouble. A, B and C each want 10 pieces of a 
 certain style. We shade the pieces with the 
 original, and find that they are not all alike ; that 
 perhaps six pieces shade all right, but two are 
 off shade, but not very bad. We will cut off 
 a sample from one of the two and mark it -^ 
 (one-tenth) or thus, " Style 748 1 ." Next morn- 
 ing when we shade up this style we may find 
 some of each, that is, of 748 and 748 1 . Perhaps 
 another piece may come along that does not 
 shade with either sample. We then should have 
 to call it 748 2 , cutting a sample off as before. 
 Now, if A gets 10 pieces of 748 1 , he will not 
 usually find much fault; but if he gets some of 
 each, he has reason to complain. In a lot of 30 
 pieces, there would not likely be more than two 
 or three shades at the most ; and when a cus- 
 tomer wants 5 or 6 pieces, there should not be 
 much trouble in giving them to him all alike by 
 this system. 
 
 I have been successful with it, and never 
 have had any serious claims for not shading 
 together. I also know of many others who fol- 
 low it. 
 
 82 
 
After shading, box and invoice if packed 
 endwise. If laid down flat in the box, it will be 
 necessary to invoice first. 
 
 Finishing-room book.— It is very essential to 
 keep an account book, or what we term the 
 
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 83 
 
" finishing-foom book," one which covers the 
 weaving account as well as the finishing. I will 
 give a form of a very simple and convenient book. 
 The numbers of the pieces are put on in the 
 weave-room, and the same are used for the 
 finishing-room on the tickets. 
 
 They may not come along in rotation, but 
 can be filled in as fast as they are measured up. 
 We shall be able to tell at a glance whether we 
 have a piece of a new lot of yarn ; whether the 
 imperfections have been discovered in the weave- 
 room ; how they hold out for length, etc. 
 
 84 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 WHY GOODS DO NOT FINISH ALIKE. 
 
 Variations in the filling— Oils used upon the 
 stock— Twist in the yarns— Wrong shades in 
 the dye-house — differences in fulling varia- 
 TIONS IN THE GIGGING AND SHEARING. 
 
 Differences in finish.— There are so many rea- 
 sons why woolen goods do not finish alike, and 
 look alike when finished, even when they are 
 of precisely the same style, that it is almost 
 impossible, at times, to tell just what the trouble 
 is. There is likely to be less difficulty on black, 
 or even fancy, worsted than on fancy cassimeres, 
 as the former do not have to go through so long 
 a process in finishing. At least, they escape the 
 fulling mills, which do more to change a piece 
 of cassimere than any other machinery in the 
 room. 
 
 In the finishing-room.— Usually, the first place 
 in which to look after any trouble of this kind is 
 the finishing-room. Those that have an over- 
 sight of the work before it gets to this depart- 
 ment, are generally positive that they have made 
 forty or fifty pieces so exactly alike that there 
 can be no difference in the stock, or in the way 
 in which they are woven. Stop for a moment, 
 
 85 
 
and see how easy it is to have two lots of filling 
 — especially black, and of the same stock — vary, 
 for some reason, a quarter or half a run in size. 
 We are in a hurry for this particular style. It 
 is ordered into the goods. (I have known this 
 to happen.) When finished they do not look 
 alike. At the same time, the finisher cannot tell 
 why this is so. How often does the superintend- 
 ent tell him what it is that makes the trouble ! 
 He may not be to blame ; but, at the same time, 
 these little vexations are a source of much 
 inconvenience. 
 
 A supposed case. — Without any doubt, seven 
 times out of ten the trouble of ''off shades " is 
 caused in the finishing-room. But we will first 
 go outside of this department and see if we can 
 find any difficulties that may have a bearing on 
 the case. We will take good, clean, all-wool 
 stock and make a hundred pieces, or thirty-two 
 hundred yards, of a certain style. Fifty of these 
 must be put through the works immediately, to 
 fill early orders. The others we can put in a 
 month or two later, inasmuch as we have other 
 styles to fill in with, to keep the works moving. 
 We are " driven up," and it is impossible to 
 color and card the whole lot at once ; or, even if 
 colored, the stock for the fifty pieces may lie 
 around quite a length of time. 
 
 Now, there is one trouble that may arise 
 86 
 
from this. If the filling is colored black, and 
 not done properly, the longer it lies, the more 
 tender it will get. I have seen nice, strong, clean 
 wool, good staple, etc., after being colored and 
 put in the stock-house two months, taken out as 
 tender and soft as pulp. If this went immediately 
 through the works, it would probably not be 
 noticed. At the same time, it would be impos- 
 sible to finish these two lots alike. They would 
 not take the same gigging. If so, one must 
 come out tender ; and this would never do. 
 
 Oiled stock.— Then again, when the stock is 
 oiled, and lies around, no matter whether in the 
 yarns or any other condition, the goods do not 
 work as well in the mill as those that have come 
 directly through. 
 
 I have known of tests being made of oils by 
 putting through a small lot of stock or goods 
 that would work first-rate. It would be adopted, 
 and in six months the mill was completely bunged 
 up. The cards were so badly gummed that it 
 was impossible to get good work. The finisher 
 had made numerous second-quality pieces, full 
 of splits, unclean, uneven or cockly. All the 
 finisher could do was to use an excessive alkali 
 to cut this gummy substance, and this had a 
 bad effect on the colors. Again, off shades 
 were made. 
 
 Variations in yarns. — Many times, when the 
 87 
 
superintendent gives his orders for yarns to be 
 spun a certain size, the spinner finds, with the 
 stock which has been given him, an utter im- 
 possibility to spin so fine. The result is heavier 
 yarns. 
 
 More or less twist in the yarns also has a 
 bearing on the finishing. I have seen the same 
 stock, sorted by the same sorter, but dyed, 
 carded, spun and woven in different mills, then 
 finished by the same finisher, and pieces from 
 one would full two hours longer than the other 
 (the same style at that). I have also seen stock 
 taken from the same bin in the wool-room and 
 treated as above. One mill would give perfectly 
 strong cloth ; the other was as tender as paper 
 pulp, dry, harsh and crispy. Would any one 
 question why goods do not finish alike, with such 
 difficulties as these ? There must be a fault 
 somewhere. In this case, it was in coloring the 
 wool. Sulphuric acid is all right in its place, 
 but too much of it makes bad work. 
 
 This covers the difference in workmen of 
 different departments before the finishing. There- 
 fore, it is not impossible that there be a difference 
 under one man's management. Different card- 
 ing and spinning machinery, tops and bottoms of 
 the finishers in the card-room — all of these points 
 have their bearing upon the results in the 
 
 finishing. 
 
 38 
 
Oils and oiling.— Oiling the stock for the cards, 
 and the kind of oils used, are very essential 
 matters. Care should be taken to use only 
 the best. There is nothing saved, and many 
 times is a great loss, by using a cheap or an in- 
 ferior article. To illustrate this : I once had some 
 fine all-wool cassimeres. I had my soaps all 
 regulated on my selling samples, and was run- 
 ning safely, or just strong enough to start the 
 grease and still preserve my colors. Everything 
 worked nicely in the mills for a month or two, 
 when, all at once, I began to have cockly goods. 
 They were uneven, and in places the grease did 
 not start. The cockles were not confined to a 
 single bobbin, but were perhaps from half a 
 dozen to a dozen where the grease did not start. 
 They did not look as though they were made in 
 the weave-room. This trouble was at once placed 
 in the finishing-room. As there had been no change 
 whatever in the stock, I overcame the difficulty 
 with strong soaps in the fulling mills, so as to 
 start the hard places at once, that they might 
 commence fulling and felting with the rest of 
 the piece. 
 
 After this had been accomplished, the super- 
 intendent told me that they had bought a job- 
 lot of oil alleged to be the same as that they had 
 been using. Inasmuch as it could be bought 
 20 per cent, cheaper, they considered it a bargain. 
 
 89 
 
It was — to the man that sold to them. It was 
 an inferior lot, and the result was that the yarns 
 got mixed with new and old oil. One started 
 well ; the other did not. Why did not these 
 goods match the selling samples ? Why did they 
 not finish like or with the goods that came around 
 for the first month or two ? The superintendent 
 could conscientiously say that the stock was the 
 same, and that he was doing just as he had been 
 at first, and that the fault must be in the finish- 
 ing. At the same time, that did not help the 
 matter any. 
 
 The colors.— One more trouble which I wish 
 to speak of before I commence to find fault with 
 the finishing-room, is in regard to colors. How 
 easy it is to get wrong shades from the dye- 
 house ! I had taken particular care to get out a line 
 of selling samples, and they were pronounced A 
 No. i for design, fabric, finish and colors. Many 
 of the styles w T ere ordered into the works, and 
 all were coming out first-rate, matching or shad- 
 ing with samples. I was positive just how long 
 each and every piece fulled ; how strong both 
 fulling and scouring soaps were; just how they 
 were gigged and generally treated. All at once, 
 one particular style came wrong. There was 
 considerable green (of a dark shade) in the filling. 
 It was all turned to a yellow. The finisher must 
 be to blame this time. The superintendent was 
 
 90 
 
positive that it was the same lot that the sample 
 was made from. 
 
 The dyer was positive that this same color, 
 made in exactly the same way, was being used 
 by numerous mills successfully. The agent and 
 owners were convinced that it must be in the 
 finishing ; and things began to look rather inter- 
 esting for the finisher. There were four or five 
 to one, and all as positive as he was that they 
 were right. 
 
 As soon as the goods were sheared, I in- 
 spected them carefully over a perch, and after 
 looking over several, I came across one in which 
 the colors were all right for three or four yards 
 on the end of the piece ; then a few yards were 
 wrong ; then there would be a few bobbins right; 
 then pick-and-pick alternately (the green was 
 woven on two shuttles), and so on throughout the 
 piece. 
 
 This was the evidence I was looking for, 
 but had hardly expected to find. The green in 
 the goods was not made the same as that in the 
 samples, and was not properly colored, or it 
 never would have turned as it did with the 
 treatment it received in the finishing. In fact, it 
 was proved by getting another lot around claimed 
 to be colored the same way, which came out all 
 right with the same treatment. 
 
 I have mentioned these facts to show that 
 
 91 
 
even before the goods or stock have been started 
 twenty-four hours, something may occur that has 
 a bearing upon finishing them all alike ; and no 
 matter how positive we are that everything is 
 right and made exactly the same, we are liable 
 to be mistaken. And little things will occur that 
 have a very important bearing upon finishing 
 forty or fifty pieces of cassimere so that they all 
 finish alike, and shade alike when finished. 
 
 Various causes of difference. — There are many 
 times when a finisher thinks that he has every- 
 thing all right, and sees no reason why every 
 piece should not come out exactly alike, when in 
 fact, by some negligence on the part of his help, 
 they are not all being treated exactly alike, or 
 near enough to look alike when finished. 
 
 For instance, we will put two pieces in the 
 fulling mills, one on each side. There may be 
 two or three yards difference in the length. If 
 the same amount of soap be used on each piece, 
 the short one must have the most. If one piece 
 is exceedingly wet, and the other just moist 
 enough to full and felt properly, this must make 
 a difference. Or if one fulls from a half hour to 
 an hour longer than the other ; or if one is taken 
 out 54 inches and the other 55^ inches width, 
 even if both are stretched out the same on the dry- 
 ing machine, there must be a difference. If one 
 piece has the picks put in on the loom, and the 
 
 92 
 
other in the fulling mill ; if there is more friction 
 on one side of the mill than on the other, or if 
 one side heats more than the other; or even 
 take separate mills and let any of the above 
 conditions occur, they are not being treated 
 exactly alike, and there is a chance for variations 
 in the shade. 
 
 Changes in the soaps will, of course, have a 
 very decided effect. A piece of goods fulled in 
 a perfectly neutral soap, and one in a fair alkali, 
 will not look alike. Leaving aside colors, they 
 hardly look as though they were made from the 
 same stock. The piece fulled in neutral will be 
 firmer, more even on the face, and not so dry 
 and crispy as the other. 
 
 If one piece is light in weight, and has to be 
 flocked, there is a difference. With the scour- 
 ing, if one set runs 20 minutes, the other 30, 
 they are not being treated alike. Or if one is 
 washed with warm water, the other with cold, 
 we are again running chances. Or a variation to 
 any great extent in the rinsing with cold water 
 will be noticed. 
 
 Variations in the gigging by having the 
 pieces too wet or too dry ; some sets done with 
 old teasels, others with new or sharp ones in the 
 cylinders, must have an effect later on. The 
 same with the shearing. Any difference in the 
 nap or length of it; whether cut evenly or 
 
 93 
 
pulled out ; whether the revolver strikes hard on 
 to the cloth, or the carriage is set high enough to 
 escape this; a difference in the pressure, or heat 
 or dry steaming when pressed — all have an im- 
 portant part in regard to shades. But there 
 should be no difference in the least, if the goods 
 are made and finished exactly alike. 
 
 94 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 SOME PRACTICAL RECIPES AND TWO 
 
 FORMULAS. 
 
 TO FIND THE CONTENTS OF A TANK— To FIGURE SPEED— 
 TO REMOVE BUR-DYE CROCK— To TEST WOOLEN 
 GOODS. 
 
 To find the contents of a tank.— To find the con- 
 tents of soap, bur-dye or water tanks ; Multiply 
 the diameter by the diameter in inches, then by 
 the depth ; then multiply by .0034 ; the answer 
 will be the number of gallons in the tank. 
 
 Example. — Tank 50 inches in diameter and 
 40 inches deep; 50 X 50 = 2500 X 40 = 100,000 
 X .0034 = 340 gallons. 
 
 Good specking ink can be made from the 
 following: 
 
 4 oz. soluble blue, 
 1 oz. extract fustic, 
 y 2 oz. oxalic acid, 
 i^ oz. chrome, 
 1 gallon water. 
 Dissolve fustic ; add the acid, blue, and chrome ; 
 boil until thoroughly dissolved ; stand 24 hours 
 before using. 
 
 To figure speed.— 1. Given speed of shaft, size 
 95 
 
of driving pulley and size of driven pulley, to 
 find speed of machine : 
 
 Example. — Speed of shaft, 80 revolutions 
 per minute; size of driving pulley, 10 inches; 
 size of driven pulley, 8 inches; So X 10 = 800 
 -f- 8 = 100, or speed of machine. 
 
 2. Given speed of machine and size of driven 
 pulley, and speed of shafting, to find required size 
 of driving pulley : 
 
 Example. — Speed of shaft, 100 revolutions; 
 speed of machine, 175 ; driven pulley, 12 inches; 
 175 X 12 = 2100-^100=21 inches, or size of 
 driving pulley. 
 
 3. Given speed of machine, size of driving 
 pulley and driven pulley, to find speed of 
 shafting : 
 
 Example. — Speed of machine, 200 ; of 
 driving pulley, 20 inches, and driven pulley, 
 8 inches; 200 X 8 = 1600 -*- 20 = 80, or speed 
 of shafting. 
 
 To find circumference of pulleys, etc. : Mul- 
 tiply the diameter by 3. 141 592. 
 
 Example. — A pulley is 12 inches in diame- 
 ter; what is the circumference? 12 X 3. 14 1592 
 = 37.6991+. 
 
 To remove bur-dye crock.— Sulphuric acid re- 
 duced so it is just a trifle sour, will remove bur- 
 dye. If it takes out too much color, rub lightly 
 with ammonia. 
 
 96 
 
To test woolen goods.— Take caustic potash, 
 put in a small piece of goods, and let boil five or 
 ten minutes ; rinse out well with cold water. The 
 potash will eat the wool, and leave the cotton, 
 wool being an animal substance. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 97 
 
IMPROVED WOOLEN SHEAR, 
 
 
 (SEE OPPOSITE PAGE.) 
 
 9 S 
 
Curtis & Marble, 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 Cloth Finishing &W00I Burring Machinery 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 SHEARING MACHINES 
 
 For Wool, Worsted and Cotton Coods, Plushes, Velvets, 
 Carpets, Smyrna Rugs, etc. 
 
 SINGEING, 
 
 GIGGING, 
 
 NAPPING, 
 
 BRUSHING 
 
 MACHINES. 
 
 Cloth Winders and Measurers, Shear Grinders, Patent 
 Reversible Flock Cutters, etc. 
 
 SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 Gessner's Patent Rotary Cloth Press. 
 
 Improved " Goddard " Burring Pickers. 
 
 Steel Ring Burring Machines and Feed Rolls for Wool Cards. 
 
 Spur Tooth Pickers, Shake Willows, etc. 
 
 Particular attention paid to Repairing and Grinding Shear 
 
 Blades and Bur Cylinders. 
 
 SEND FOR ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE. 
 
 WEBSTER SQUARE, WORCESTER, MASS. 
 
 (SEE OPPOSITE PAGE.) 
 
 99 
 
NEW UNIVERSAL FULLING MILL 
 
 Designed and constructed on the latest and most approved plans. Adapted to Felting 
 and Flocking all kinds of Woolen Goods. Contains points of special merit found in no 
 other. Has only to be seen to be appreciated. Before buying examine ou.'S Send for 
 Circulars, Prices, etc., to the Sole Manufacturers, 
 
 A, HOPKINS &CO., 
 
 PASCOAG, R. I. 
 
 Providence Office, 48 Exchange Place. 
 
 IOO 
 
HOPKINS' IMPROVED CLOTH WASHER. 
 
 Patented March 17, 1874. Improved 1885. 
 HAS NO EQUAL FOR THOROUGH AND RAPID WASHING. 
 
 !§ 
 
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 HOPKINS & CO., - - - - PASCOAG 
 
 PROVIDENCE OFFICE, 48 Exchange Place 
 
 IOI 
 
THE ILLUSTRATION REPRESENTS 
 
 J. E. WINDLE'S 
 
 New and Improved 
 
 Cloth Folding and Rolling Machine 
 
 OF 1886. 
 
 TT7HIS machine has all the requirements necessary for doubling and rolling all kinds and 
 I classes of both Cotton and Woolen Goods in a most satisfactory and thorough manner. 
 
 It will fold the goods more evenly than any other machine, and requires very little 
 attention in operating. We guarantee perfect satisfaction in each and every case, and will 
 place it upon its merits against any and all others. 
 
 For further information address the Manufacturer, 
 
 J. E. WINDLE, Worcester, Mass. 
 
 I02 
 
The Heathcote 
 
 Improved Tentering v Drying 
 
 Machine. 
 
 These machines have been greatly improved within 
 the last six months, and will recommend themselves to manu- 
 facturers who intend furnishing their mills with improved 
 machinery for Tentering and Drying Purposes. They have 
 been arranged so as to take up much less room in height 
 than formerly, and have an entire new heating apparatus, 
 by which the drying is largely increased, and will guarantee 
 perfect satisfaction in every particular. We build various 
 sizes, and they are adapted to all kinds of woolen or worsted 
 goods. It takes less room, less power and steam than any 
 other machine in the market. 
 
 JOHN HEATHCOTE, 
 
 SOLE MANUFACTURER, 
 
 PROVIDENCE, R. I 
 
 Send for Circular. 
 
 103 
 
io4 
 
KINYON'S FULLING MILL, 
 
 With Rubber-coated Rolls. 
 
 Fulls rapidly, and will not damage the goods. 
 
 Manufactured by 
 
 KINYON BROS., 
 
 RARITAN, N. J. 
 
 Central R. R. Division of Philadelphia and Reading R. R. 
 
 105 
 
JAMES FOLEY & CO., 
 
 Manufacturers and Dealers in 
 
 Textile Soaps, 
 Wool-Scours, 
 
 Chemicals, etc. 
 
 For the Uses of Manufacturers of 
 
 Woolen, Worsted, Silk and 
 Cotton Goods, 
 
 127 MILK STREET, BOSTON, MASS. 
 
 An experience of over twenty years with mill soaps in the 
 mills of New England, is a sufficient guarantee of our 
 ability to answer any questions that may arise 
 on the use of soaps under varying condi- 
 tions. Address as above. 
 
 1 06 
 
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This is the only 
 
 Shearing 
 
 Machine 
 
 with 
 
 Self-Operating 
 
 List Savers 
 
 made. 
 
 PARKS & W00LS0N MACHINE CO., 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT, 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 Cloth Finishing Machinery 
 
 OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. 
 
 Send for Circular. 
 
 C. E. RICHARDSON, Treasurer, 
 
 A. WOOLSON, President. 
 ADNA BROWN, Gen'l Superintendent. 
 
 Ill 
 
MEASURING 
 
 AND 
 
 Inspecting Machine. 
 
 Measuring Machine that cannot measure wrong and 
 needs no care or adjustment, 
 
 Doubling and Rolling-up 
 Machine 
 
 For Both Cotton and Woolen Finishing. 
 
 Tillinghast Sewing Machine I Supply Co. 
 
 PROVIDENCE, R. I., 
 
 Dealers in 
 
 Factory Sewing Machines, Factory Twines 
 And Sewing Threads t 
 
 AND 
 
 Special Machinery for Cotton & Woolen Mills- 
 Doubling and Rolling-up Machine by which a boy- 
 can do the work of four men, and ioo per cent, 
 better than it is possible to do it by hand. 
 
H3 
 
CONNOR BROTHERS, 
 
 Holyoke, Mass. 
 
 Manufacturers of all Grades and Colors of 
 
 Woolen Shoddies 
 
 AND 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 
 Stock Picked and Carded to Order. 
 
 Also Manufacturers of all Grades of 
 
 WOOLEN FLOCKS 
 
 114 
 
THE BRIDESBURG 
 MANUFACTURING CO. 
 
 OFFICE, 201 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 BUILDERS OF 
 
 Cotton, Woolen and Worsted Machinery, 
 
 CARDING, SPINNING, WEAVING, 
 
 AND ALL OTHER MACHINERY USED IN COTTON, 
 WOOLEN AND WORSTED MILLS. 
 
 We respectfully invite attention to the recent improvements made by us 
 upon all our Machinery, and especially to our 
 
 POWER SAVING RING SPINNING, 
 
 For Cotton and Worsted, the bobbins driven positively, spindles will 
 run at any required velocity. 
 
 SELF-ACTING MULES FOR WOOL, 
 
 Bobbin Winders or Quillers, with spindles driven at variable speed, 
 giving greater production and saving waste. 
 
 LOOMS 
 
 For Cotton, Jean and Worsted Goods, running two hundred picks per 
 minute, and our recently improved and superior 
 
 FULL LIFT AND FULL DROP BOX LOOMS, 
 
 For Ginghams, Checks, as well as Broad Looms for Shawls, etc. 
 
 STOCKTON BATES, President. CHAS. W. POTTS, Treasurer. 
 
 JOHN ROMMEL, Jr., Vice-Pres. WILLIAM D. SHUBERT, Secretary. 
 
 1 1.5 
 
Practice in Wool Carding. 
 
 I.— Carding Fine Wools. 
 
 2.— Difficulties in the Card Room, and how to 
 Overcome Them. 
 
 By JOSEPH BROWN, Master Carder. 
 
 A complete, concise and helpful handbook for the card 
 room, by a carder of more than forty years' experience. 
 
 More than 2,000 copies of this little book have been 
 sold since its recent announcement. 
 
 Price, 50 cents ; five copies for $2.00. Sent post free 
 upon remittance to 
 
 THE TEXTILE RE CD RE, 
 
 425 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. 
 
 116 
 
$3.00 A YEAR. 
 
 THE TEXTILE 
 RECORD 
 
 CONTAINS MORE ORIGINAL, PRACTICAL 
 INFORMATION FOR ACTUAL WORKERS IN 
 TEXTILES, THAN ANY OTHER JOURNAL IN 
 THE WORLD. 
 
 llllliHBWr'^HESjallj^'-^^aBI 
 
 
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 THE TEXTILE RECORD IS WRITTEN FOR 
 PRACTICAL MEN BY PRACTICAL MEN. 
 SAMPLE COPIES UPON APPLICATION TO 
 
 THE TEXTILE RECORD, 
 425 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 117 
 
BROWN'S 
 QUADRUPLE GIG. 
 
 Having four applications of the cloth to the cylinder, with an 
 attachment for cleaning the teasels without taking them off the 
 cylinder. The slats are held on the cylinder in a way that enables 
 them to be placed close together, increasing the capacity of the gig. 
 This gig is a favorite with the finishers, doing more work than any 
 other gig sold for the same money, and takes up but little room, 
 which is desirable in many mills. 
 
 PARKS & W00LS0N MACHINE CO., 
 
 SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT. 
 
 118 
 

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Bleaching, Dyeing, Drying 
 
 and 
 Finishing Machinery. 
 
 HUSK, PAPER AND COTTON ROLLS, 
 CALENDERS, MANGLES. 
 
 Dyeing md Drying Machines 
 
 For Cotton, Woolen and Worsted Cloth 
 and Chain Warps. 
 
 DRYING MACHINES, 
 
 TENTERING MACHINES, 
 
 HYDRAULIC PRESSES, ETC. 
 
 Granger 
 
 Foundry and Machine 
 
 Company, 
 
 PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. 
 
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