slater#Tools of the trade
{{Short description|Occupation}}
{{other uses}}
File:Slater at work, Rothesay, Isle of Bute.jpg
File:Zwaluwen op dakgoot schaliedak.JPG
A slater, or slate mason,{{cite book|title=Quantities; a Text-book for Surveyors, in Tabulated Form|url=https://archive.org/details/quantitiesatext00fletgoog|author=Sir Banister Fletcher, Herbert Phillips Fletcher|pages=[https://archive.org/details/quantitiesatext00fletgoog/page/n45 23]|date=1888|publisher=B. T. Batsford|isbn= 1561582115}} is a tradesperson who covers buildings with slate.{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Cyclopædia of Useful Arts & Manufactures|editor=C. Tomlinson|date=1852|pages=636|article=SLATE}}
Tools used
The various tools of the slater's trade are all drop-forged.{{cite book|page=289|title=Roofing Handbook|author=Robert Scharff and Terry Kennedy|date=2000|publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional|isbn=0071360581}}
The slater's hammer is forged in one single piece, from crucible-cast steel, and has a {{convert|12|in|cm|0|adj=on}} leather handle. It consists of a claw for drawing nails, a sheer edge for cutting slate, and a head with a sharp point at one end for punching holes in slate and with a hammer head at the other.{{cite book|title=Roofing|author=Taunton Press Staff|page=48|date=1997|publisher=Taunton Press|isbn=1561582115}}
The ripper is also forged from crucible-cast steel and is {{convert|24|in|cm|-1}} long. It consists of a blade and a hook, and is used for removing broken slate. The hook can be used to cut and remove slating nails.{{cite book|last=Kennedy |first=Terry |title=Roofing Instant Answers |publisher=McGraw-Hill |location=New York |year=2002 |page=332 |isbn=0-07-138712-9}}
The slater's stake is T-shaped. The vertical bar of the "T" is pointed to allow it to be driven into a rafter or other woodworking surface. The horizontal bar of the "T" is used to support slates whilst working on them (cutting, punching, or smoothing) with other tools. The long bar of the stake can also be used as a straight edge for marking.
The zax (also called a sack or sax{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=The New American Cyclopaedia: a popular dictionary of general knowledge |year=1862 |first1=George |last1=Ripley |first2=Charles Anderson |last2=Dana |location=New York |publisher=D. Appleton and Company |page=695 |article=Slate}}) is a hand tool for cutting, trimming, and punching nail holes in slate. It consists of a heavy rectangular knife blade with a large point, of square cross section, protruding from the poll (or butt). The blade edge is used to split slate, while the point is used to pierce square holes for mounting the slate on the roof (with square copper nails) or making a series of small holes marking a line where the slate is broken over a slater's iron.
References
Further reading
- {{cite book|title=Practical Guide to the Repair and Maintenance of Houses|author=Peter Mytton-Davies|pages=117–118|date=1988|publisher=Spon Press (UK)|isbn=1850320160}} — further information about slater's tools