the knife, which is fastened in by a knock of
the hammer on the wedge inside, which is made so as to fix the edged
knife at any distance from the bottom of the plane, either for thin or
thick shaving. A very little direction from the carpenter will enable
the young carpenter to fix his knife properly; and a knock on the end of
the plane with a hammer will loosen it in a moment. The knife should be
sharpened from time to time on the stone or hone. This should be done
with great care, so as to preserve a proper angle at the edge and great
evenness in every part, otherwise, the planing will be very imperfect.

In planing, the wood to be planed is either laid flat on the bench, with
its end against the little pin, to prevent its moving, or fixed in the
screw of the bench, and the plane being brought upon the top or edge of
the wood, is pushed carefully, but somewhat sharply along. The shaving
comes through the hole in the plane, and must be cleared away, from time
to time, out of the way of the knife. Everything planed should be planed
perfectly level, smooth, and even.

[Illustration]

THE CHISEL.--The use of the chisel is to cut square or sharp-cornered
holes in wood, especially mortices. A _mortice_ is the hole cut in a
post or other piece of wood, in which another piece of wood cut to fit
it, called a _tenon_, is put. The tenon and mortice should both be cut
exactly, and so that they fit at right angles, firmly and securely.
Tenons and mortices are of perpetual use in carpentering, and the young
carpenter should learn as quickly as possible to make them.

THE MALLET is to be used instead of the hammer for a variety of
purposes. In cutting mortices, it is the mallet and not the hammer that
is used, and in almost all cases where the chisel is employed, the
mallet should be used. Were we to use a hammer to knock the end of the
chisel, we should soon split its handle, or so bruise it, as to make it
unservicable.

THE GIMLET AND BRADAWL.--The gimlet is used to bore awls with, so that
nails when they are driven in may not split the wood. Bradawls are used
for the same purpose, before smaller nails, called _brads_, are put in.
A bradawl is sometimes called a nail-piercer. There is a thread gimlet
now come into use, but this requires much care in handling: it must be
very gently put in, and very gently taken out, or it will snap like a
piece of glass; but it is a very useful tool, and is a great improvement
upon the old