Editing Movable type (section)

=== Stages ===
Type-founding as practised in Europe and the West consists of three stages:

; [[Punchcutting]]: If the glyph design includes enclosed spaces ([[counter (typography)|counters]]) then a [[Counterpunch (typography)|counterpunch]] is made. The counter shapes are transferred in relief ([[cameo (carving)|cameo]]) onto the end of a rectangular bar of [[carbon steel]] using a specialized [[engraving]] tool called a [[Burin (engraving)|graver]]. The finished counterpunch is hardened by heating and quenching ([[tempering (metallurgy)|tempering]]), or exposure to a hot cyanide compound ([[case hardening]]). The counterpunch is then struck against the end of a similar rectangular steel bar—the letterpunch—to impress the counter shapes as recessed spaces ([[intaglio (printmaking)|intaglio]]). The outer profile of the glyph is completed by scraping away with a graver the material outside the counter spaces, leaving only the stroke or lines of the glyph. Progress toward the finished design is checked by successive ''smoke proofs''; temporary prints made from a thin coating of carbon deposited on the punch surface by a candle flame. The finished letter punch is finally hardened to withstand the rigours of reproduction by striking. One counterpunch and one letterpunch are produced for every letter or glyph making up a complete font.
; [[Matrix (printing)|Matrix]]: The letterpunch is used to strike a blank die of soft metal to make a negative letter mould, called a matrix.
; Casting: The matrix is inserted into the bottom of a device called a ''hand mould''. The mould is clamped shut and molten type metal alloy (consisting mostly of [[lead]] and [[tin]], with a small amount of [[antimony]] for hardening) is poured into a cavity from the top. Antimony has the rare property of expanding as it cools, giving the casting sharp edges.<ref>{{ Cite encyclopedia | title = Answers.com page on antimony | encyclopedia = McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology | publisher = McGraw-Hill | date = 2005-01-01 | url = http://www.answers.com/topic/antimony | access-date = 2009-06-30 }}</ref> When the type metal has sufficiently cooled, the mould is unlocked and a rectangular block approximately {{convert|4|cm|abbr= on}} long, called a [[sort (typesetting)|''sort'']], is extracted. Excess casting on the end of the sort, called the ''tang'', is later removed to make the sort the precise height required for printing, known as "type height".