Wood type is known for its ability to maintain a consistent inking surface even at large sizes. While metal type is traditionally used for smaller-sized printing, wood type can get tiny, too! Master Typecutter George Liesch recently cut a 3L set of Gothic type for the fun and challenge of 'going small'.

Hamilton is able to cut type as tiny as 2L. George thought it would be fun to cut something close to that to see what it was like and how long it took, compared to the larger sizes we usually cut in the Wood Shop. 

George chose a Hamilton collection pattern titled 'Plain Gothic' for her experiment cutting tiny wood type. She had to use much smaller router bits for all three routerings, and extra care was needed during the final hand trimming. 

Overall, George found that cutting tiny type was not too different than cutting larger type. The Wood Shop would be able to cut more 3L tiny type from the 6, 8, or 9L patterns in our collection.

This small but mighty wood type is light, durable, and perfect for use on smaller print projects like greeting cards, and on smaller presses.