beard

In metal type, the beard is the small vertical distance between the bottom of the character face and the shoulder of the shank, where the metal tapers inward. This gap, typically 0.5 to 1 point deep, serves a mechanical function: it allows two sorts to stand side by side without their bodies colliding at the base, even when cast to slightly different heights. Without this relief, even tiny variations in type height would cause adjacent pieces to jam or create visible gaps in the printed line.

The beard exists on the lower portion of the type body only. The upper area, called the counter or inside, contains the negative space of the letterform itself. The beard sits below this, on the outside of the type body, and is distinct from the feet or base of the type. On well-cast type, the beard should be clean and consistent; ragged or irregular beards indicate casting defects.

Why the term and where it appears

The name is old and visual: the beard curves outward from the shank like facial hair, softening the hard angle where the body narrows. The term is dated because it belongs to the metal type era; digital fonts and photocomposition made this physical feature irrelevant. However, printers and type founders still use the word when discussing hand-set metal type or when examining legacy fonts and punches.

A beard that is too deep or too shallow can cause trouble in the chase. Deep beards reduce the usable face area and waste metal. Shallow beards or missing beards (common in cheap or damaged type) allow sorts to catch and bind. Foundry type, particularly display sizes cast in the 19th and early 20th centuries, shows variation in beard depth depending on the type house's standards and the age of the mold.