Never attempt to dress a valve down, you
are most certain to make a bad job of it.

And yet I don't like the idea of advising you not to do a thing that can
be done, for I do like an engineer who does not run to the shop for
every little trouble. However, unless you have the proper tools you had
best not attempt it. The only safe way is to scrape them down, for if
your valve is cut, you will find the valve seat is cut equally as bad,
and they must both be scraped to a perfect fit. Provide yourself with a
piece of flat steel, very hard, 3x4 inches by about I/8 inch, with a
perfect straight edge. With this scrape the valve and seat to a perfect
flat surface, It will be a slower process than scraping wood with a
piece of glass, but you can do it. Never use a chisel or a file on a
valve.

LUBRICATING OIL

What is oil?

Oil is a coating for a journal, or in other words is a lining between
bearings.

Did you ever stop long enough to ask yourself the question? I doubt it.
A great many people buy something to use on their engine, because it is
called oil. Now if the object in using oil is to keep a lining between
the bearings, is it not reasonable that you use something that will
adhere to that which it is to line or cover?

Gasoline will cover a journal for a minute or two, and oil a grade
better would last a few minutes longer. Still another grade would do
some better. Now if you are running your own engine, buy the best oil
you can buy. You will find it very poor economy to buy cheap oil, and
if you are not posted, you may pay price enough, but get a very poor
article.

If you are running an engine for some one else, make it part of your
contract that you are furnished with a good oil. You can not keep an
engine in good shape with a cheap oil. You say "you are going to keep
your engine clean and bright." Not if you must use a poor oil.

Poor oil is largely responsible for the fast going out of use of the
link reverse among the makers of traction engines. While I think it
very doubtful if this "reverse motion" can be equalled by any of the
late devices. Its construction is such as to require the best grade of
cylinder oil, and without this it is very unsatisfactory, (not because
the valves of other valve-motions will do with a poorer grade of oil)
but because its construction is such that as soon as the valve becomes
dry it causes the link to jump and pound, and very soon requires
repairing. Whil