or Rentering, a dexterous sewing-up or rejoining the parts of any cloth, stuff, or the like, torn or rent in the dressing, wearing, &c.
It is prohibited to fine-draw pieces of foreign manufacture upon these of our own, as has formerly been practised. See Rentering.
FINE-Stiller, in the distillery. That branch of the art which is employed on the distilling the spirit from treacle or other preparations or recrements of sugar, is called fine-stilling, by way of distinction from malt-stilling; and the person who exercises this part of the trade is called a fine-stiller.
The operation in procuring the spirit from sugar is the same with that used in making the malt spirit; a wash of the saccharine matter being made with water from treacle, &c., and fermented with yeast. It is usual to add in this case, however, a considerable portion of malt, and sometimes powdered jalap, to the fermenting backs. The malt accelerates the fermentation, and makes the spirit come out the cheaper, and the jalap prevents the rise of any musky head on the surface of the fermenting liquor, so as to leave a greater opportunity for the free access of the air, and thus to shorten the work, by turning the foamy into a hissing fermentation.
FINERS of GOLD and SILVER, are those who purify and part those metals from other coarser ones by fire and acids. They are also called parters in our old law books, and sometimes departers.
FINERY, in the iron works, is one of the two forges at which they hammer the sow or pig iron.
Into the finery they first put the pigs of iron, placing three or four of them together behind the fire, with a little of one end thrust into it; where, softening by degrees, they stir and work them with long bars of iron, and expose at different times different parts to the blast of the bellows, in order to refine it as equally as possible, till the metal runs together with a round mass or lump, which they call a half bloom. They then take this out, and give it a few strokes with their sledges; afterwards they carry it to a great heavy hammer, raised by the motion of a water wheel; where, applying it dexterously to the blows, they presently beat it out into a thick short square. This they put into the finery again, and heating it red hot, they work it under the same hammer till it comes to be in the shape of a bar in the middle, but with two square knobs at the ends, which they call an ancony. It is then carried into the other forge called the chaffry.