Emmet Flaherty preparing to pre-heat two blank pieces of hollow drill steel. In the background is an automatic oil-fired forge which will bring these blanks to an exact temperature for forging. From the hollow drill blanks, finished pieces of lugged steel are formed for use in rock drills.

Front: "Don single jacking, Glengarry mine" MacDonald knight using a hammer and drilling steel to create holes in rock. From the USDA Forest Service website: "Single jacking involves an individual holding a drilling steel in one hand and hitting it with a hammer held in the other. The single jacks have 3- or 4-pound heads and 10-inch handles. The short handle helps you place blows accurately and resists breaking better than longer handles. Engineer's...