s the leather
is cut into strips, wetted, and pared on a stone with a knife shaped
somewhat as at fig. 60, B. When the thin leather is dry the inlays of
the leaves and flowers, &c., may be stamped out with steel punches cut
to the shape of the tools; or if only a few inlays are needed, the
tools may be impressed on the thin leather, and the inlays cut out
with a sharp knife. The edges of the larger inlays should be pared
round carefully. For inlaying a panel or other large surface, the
leather is pared very thin and evenly with a French knife, and a piece
of paper pasted on to the grained side and left to dry. When dry, the
shape of the panel, or other space to be inlaid, is marked on it
through the paper pattern, and leather and paper cut through to the
shape required. The edges must then be carefully pared, and the piece
attached with paste, and nipped in the press to make it stick. When
the paste is dry, the paper may be damped and washed off. The object
of the paper is to prevent the thin leather from stretching when it is
pasted.

For white inlays it is better to use Japanese paper than leather, as
white leather, when pared very thin, will show the colours of the
under leather through, and look dirty. If paper is used, it should be
sized with vellum size before tooling.

When many dots or leaves are to be inlaid, the pieces of leather, cut
out with the punch, may be laid face downwards on a paring stone, and
a piece of paper, thickly covered with paste, laid on it. This, on
being taken up, will carry with it the "inlays," and they can be
picked up one at a time on the point of a fine folder, and stuck on
the book.

"Inlays" of tools are attached after the pattern has been "blinded"
in, and must be again worked over with the tool, in blind, when the
paste is nearly dry.

On vellum an effect, similar to that of inlays on leather, can be
obtained by the use of stains.

CHAPTER XV

Lettering--Blind Tooling--Heraldic Ornament

LETTERING ON THE BACK

Lettering may be done either with separate letters, each on its own
handle, or with type set in a type-holder and worked across the back
as a pallet. Although by the use of type great regularity is ensured,
and some time saved, the use of handle letters gives so much more
freedom of arrangement, that their use is advocated for extra binding.
Where a great many copies of the same work have