TORONTO— The end of an era.  Don Black Linecasting Service is closing .  After almost 50 years in business Don Black now in his 80's has decided to close down. Probably the largest inventory of letterpress and hot metal type in the world. They  will be  officially closing on September 7 th but have until the end of December  to get rid of  all the inventory , when the lease runs out.  In 1964 during a type setters strike Don set out on his own repairing  and servicing hot metal equipment. He got his big break when he bought up all the letterpress equipment of Canadian Linotype when they got out of the hot type business. He  has bought up a lot of shops,  hot metal equipment as they moved over to offset. There was always enough business in reselling hot metal equipment,  some where around the world. At one point he employed a staff of 6. In the last 5 years more of his business has come from the arts community.  What ever is not sold off by the end of December will end up as scrap metal.