A technical dictionary of printmaking, André Béguin.


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hammer
  1. Knocking up hammer. Hammer used for knocking up plates are relatively light with a narrow flattened tip on one side and on the other side a widened out bludgeon. The hammering (knocking up) is done with the pointed side while the bludgeon provides the necessary weight. Knocking up is done in order to correct (efface) engraved plates from the back of the plate by raising lines that are too deep or removing lines that are no longer needed. [line engraving].
  2. Another type of hammer is used with a matting-punch or a dotting-punch. This kind of hammer is much like the preceeding one but its bludgeon end is larger and flatter while the pointed end is rounded. This kind of hammer is used to pound the dotting-punches and matting-punches used in punch work (also called gravure au maillet, or "dotted manner"). [punch].
  3. In typographical work an iron hammer is used to lock-up provisionally the quoins and to sink the raised characters into the forme by hitting the planer (a piece of wood with a blancket below it). [typography].

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