plow ( plough )
See
illustration A device used for trimming
the leaves of a book, usually one bound by hand.
It consists of two parallel blocks of wood about 4
inches wide and 8 inches long connected by two
guide rods and one threaded rod, with a cutting
blade attached to the lower edge of one of the
blocks. The left hand part of the plow fits into a
runner on the left cheek of the LYING PRESS , while
the other block is fitted with the adjustable
knife. The knife is generally moved inward by the
turn of a screw, cutting into the leaves as the
plow is moved back and forth.
When, where, or by whom the plow was invented is
unknown, but in all likelihood it was not used to
any great extent before the early part of the 16th
century. Its use thereafter, however, was
widespread in all classes of binding until
sometime around 1840, when the GUILLOTINE cutter was
introduced. The plow is now used very little
except in the hest of fine leather binding. (236 , 237 , 339 )