Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c21.29

c21.29

The vice is usually ornamented with a little primitive carving. The teeth are now cut, first on one side, small teeth with a fine saw, then on the other, coarse teeth with a thicker saw; these teeth are cut very regularly and with astonishing quickness. Each tooth is next filed back and front to make its edges smooth. Finally the comb is taken out of the vice and a simple pattern incised with a chisel-shaped or with a two- or three-pointed iron tool. Last of all the comb is polished by rubbing with wood ashes and horn shavings.*