We have some nice composing sticks already, but if we do get a real printing club going, we’ll need a few more.

This is a hand-held, three-sided tray in which type is set and justified to a specific measure.  Modern sticks are two-sided trays with an adjustable third side called a knee.  The types are placed against the long side of the stick.  We have three different sized sticks in the Watkinson, shown here.  To set type, you stand at the case (the tray of letters, each arranged in little boxes) and set each letter one at a time, backwards.  Depending on the font size, you can do several lines before placing them on the press to be locked in.

Tags: Washington Press