[Illustration: FIG. 9.--Knife cuts in section.]
[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Diagram of knife cuts.]
Where a very fine line is to be cut, especially if it is on a curve, the outer cut of the V trench should be made first, and then that which touches the line: there is thus less disturbance of the wood, and less danger of injuring the edge of the line.
When the V cut has been made outside all the lines, one proceeds to clear the intervening spaces between the lines of the design by taking tool No. 1 (fig. 5). The large spaces should be cleared first. The safest and quickest way is to make a small gouge cut with No. 1 round all the large spaces close up to the first cut, then, with one of the shallower chisels, Nos. 5, 6, or 7 (fig. 5), and the mallet, clear out the wood between the gouge cuts.
For all shallow cuts where the mallet is not needed, the Japanese hold the chisels as shown in fig. 11. With practice this will be found a very convenient and steady grip for the right hand. It has also the advantage that the chisel can be held against the centre of the body and exactly under one's eyes.
In the diagram (fig. 12), if the wood from A to A1 is to be cleared away, gouge cuts are made at _b_ and _b_1, then the space between _b_ and _b_1 may be quickly cleared without risk to the edge of the form at A. When this rough work is done the little ridge between A and _b_ may be cleared with small round or flat tools, as is most convenient. But this final clearing should not be done until all the large spaces are roughed out.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.--Method of holding gouge.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.--Clearing of wood between knife cuts.]
The depth to which the spaces must be cleared will depend on their width, as, in printing, the paper will sag more deeply in a wide space than in a narrow one. In spaces of half an inch the depth of the first V-cuts is sufficient, but the proportionate depth is about that of the diagram above. The small spaces are cleared by means of small flat or round chisels without the mallet or the preliminary gouge cut: this is only needed where a large space has to be cleared.
There remain now only the placing and cutting of the two register marks or notches for controlling the position of the paper in printing.