er and Swiss lever balance staffs differ
only in detail, except that they are sprung under balances. The general
operations for making, however, are similar to those described.

I have not described the method of poising the balance for two reasons;
first, the mere poising of a balance for a cheap movement is so simple
that it needs no explanation; and second, to describe the poising of the
balance of a fine watch is a lengthy task, and can hardly be included
under the heading of staffing and pivoting. The ground has been
thoroughly and conscientiously covered by Mr. J. L. Finn, in a little
volume entitled Poising the Balance,[A] and I would advise all
watchmakers, both young and old, to read what he has to say.

Good pivoting is an art in itself, and although there are many who
undertake to do this work, there are but few who can pivot a staff in
such a manner that it will bear close inspection under the glass. We
often hear watchmakers brag of the secrets they possess for hardening
pivot drills, but I fancy they would be somewhat surprised if they
traveled around a little, to find how many watchmakers harden their
drills in exactly the same way that they do. The great secret, so-called,
of making good drills, is to first secure good steel, and then use care
to see that you do not burn it in the subsequent operations. The fewer
times the steel is heated the better. My experience teaches me that you
can do no better than to select some nice pieces of Stubb's steel for
your pivot drills. Many watchmakers make their drills from sewing
needles, say No. 3 or 4, sharps. The steel in these needles is usually of
good quality, but the great drawback is that a drill made from a needle
will not resist any great pressure, and is liable to break just at the
time that you have arrived at the most important point. If your drill is
made from a piece of Stubb's steel wire, or an old French or Swiss
graver, you not only know that the material in it is first-class, but you
can leave the base of the drill solid and substantial, with enough metal
in it to resist considerable pressure. The part of the drill which
actually enters the pivot is very short, and the end can be turned down
to the desired diameter. Turn or reduce your wire by means of a pivot
file so as to be smooth and conical, as shown at _A_, Fig. 24. The
conical form is given to the drill for exactly the same reason that it is
given to the balance pivots, because it gives addi