BUTTON-MAKING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 29 August 1891, Page 327

BUTTON-MAKING.

HOW VEGETABLE IVORY IS MADE INTO ARTICLES OF BEAUTY. Vegetable ivory is a nut about the size of a very large horse-chestnut, and grows in a similar manner on trees. It is very solid and white throughout, and when polished has all the appearance of ivory. The nuts are cut into thin slabs of the thickness of the button wished. These slabs are then put into a lathe, when they are cut by a die, patterned one-half for the face and one for the back, revolving at a speed of 2,000 revolutions per minute. These halves are so arranged that as one half is brought against the slab the other retreats. The face of the button is always cut first, then the back die is brought up and, its edge meeting the circular groove made by the face die, the button drops out. The buttons are then thoroughly dried, and, becoming porous, readily absorb the aniline with which they are dyed. The dyeing process is done scientifically, but is very simple, If a plain button is desired it is simply plunged into an aniline bath, but where a variety of colours are to be applied the process varies. Say it is desired to make a black button with a red design. The design is first stamped upon the white button with shellac. The button is then plunged into an aniline bath, and all parts exposed are coloured. When dry it is washed in turpentine to clean off the shellac, exposing the design in white. A red dye is then made of fustic, as this has no effect upon aniline. An aniline can be made of any colour, but as it will destroy any other dye it must be used only when all parts of the button which it is not wished to colour are protected by shellac. Where a multiplicity of colours are desired they are applied with sponges, much in the manner that a chromo lithograph is made. The gionnd colour is made of fustic and the others of aniline. The sponge is cut into the design wished for a certain colour and another sponge for another, etc., deftness being required to apply the colours accurately. After being dyed the buttons are dried, rolled and polished on spindles. As practically no strength is required, and as girls are more skilful with their fingers than men, more of the buttons are made by girls A good hand can make as many as fifty gross a day. When it comes to drilling the eyes 120 to 150 gross a day can be handled by one girl. The holes are always drilled from the face back. The drill used for this consists of four shafts revolving very rapidly and independently of one another. They are very fine and pass through a guard just before touching the button. The delicate designs so popular this summer are stamped with a steel die with the desired design engraved upon it. The ivory is soaked before being stamped. The wholesale price of this vegetable is about a penny a pound, so that the buttons do not cost much to the producer.