Cork insulation; a complete illustrated textbook on cork insulation ...

CHAPTER III.
USES OF CORKWOOD AND UTILIZATION OF CORK
WASTE.
10.—Hand Cut <strong>Cork</strong>s.—Soon after the general introduction
of tlie glass bottle, in the se\enteenth century, the manufacture
of cork stoppers consumed the bulk of the corkwood
FIG. 12.~.si'A.M.\RI)S ('L-'rTT.\G CORK BY HAND.
that was harxested. and continued to do so for several centuries.
The manufacture of these "corks" was orginally done
by hand in the producing countries. The slabs or pieces of
cork bark were sliced to a width equal to the length of the
stopper desired, and these strips w^ere then cut into squares,
or "quarters," from wdiich the corks were rounded by hand.
The greatest skill was acquired by the Cktalons, who today
rank as the most adept cork workmen in the world.
The manufacture of bottle corks by hand was ne\er carried