gaffer "glass blower" -- Origin of term?

[Dan Goncharoff]

I recently visited Corning, NY, which is known for its Gaffer District.

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On Oct 13, 2012, at 6:35 PM, "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at mst.edu> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at MST.EDU>
> Subject:      gaffer "glass blower" -- Origin of term?
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> One of my students asked me about the origin of the term "gaffer" (glass bl=
> ower),
>
> and I checked OED but couldn't find it there with that meaning.  Did I some=
> how overlook something obvious? Would anyone know its etymology?
>
>
>
> Here is an Internet example of its use:
>
>
>
> http://chemistry.boisestate.edu/people/richardbanks/glassblowing/glassblowi=
> ng_history.htm
>
>
>
> Glass blowing of vases and art objects is still done in basically the same =
> way as it was originally done. Glass blowers (gaffers) use a hollow iron pi=
> pe about four feet long. The gaffer dips the pipe in the melt and rolls a s=
> mall amount of molten glass (gather) on the end. The gaffer then rolls the =
> gather against a paddle or metal plate to give it an initial shape (marveri=
> ng). The gaffer then blows into the pipe creating a bubble (parison).
>
> The gaffer controls the shape and thickness by reheating the parison at the=
> furnace and shaping and blowing to create the final form. Wooden paddles w=
> ith holes and wet newspapers held in the hand are all used to shape the gla=
> ss. Shears can be used to cut the softened glass. Additional gathers can be=
> applied and shaped into stems, handles, and other decorative artwork. The =
> hot piece of glassware can be dipped into molten glass of a contrasting col=
> or (flashed). The gather is attached opposite the blowpipe to a solid iron =
> rod called a pontil. After the blowpipe is broken free, the gaffer can then=
> shape and fire polish the open end. After the pontil is broken off, the ro=
> ugh spot that is left (pontil mark) is removed by grinding and polishing.
>
>
>
> ------ Any help would be much appreciated.
>
>
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
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