The leather processing requires precise techniques and tools. Over the centuries, craftsmen have used different tools, so that they could perform every single process in the best way, from cutting to perfecting the leather.
Year after year the techniques have evolved, developing precise and efficient tools. In this article we will try to briefly tell you how these tools have changed and which are the ones most used today by Florentine artisans.
The evolution of tools for the processing of leather
Leather processing has not always been as we know it today. Over the years the processes have undergone different changes, allowing leather workers to work with greater safety and obtain an increasingly precise final product.
An example is the cutting of the leather. In the past this process was carried out only by hand through a blade, not allowing the craftsman to make a precise cut. Nowadays, however, among the tools that can be used there is the shear, a machine that allows the worker to make precise cuts.
Today there are also other advanced technologies to cut the leather, but at Florence Leather market we prefer to continue with more slow and artisanal techniques, which allow us to follow every processing phase, step by step.
Another example that shows how much tools have evolved is that of sewing. This phase, in fact, many years ago was possible only through needle and thread, which in most cases led to a mediocre resistance of the object. Today, however, there are modern sewing machines that facilitate the entire process, still requiring continuous manual work.
Handcrafted leather processing tools of today
Nowadays, due to the excessive technological innovation, lots of leather factories have replaced classic artisan tools with industrial machinery that doesn’t involve manual intervention. This has led, therefore, to the neglect of the true values of craftsmanship and product quality.
Fortunately, even today there are still those who continue to believe in the goodness of manual work and attention to detail. A true craftsman takes care of the leather with great attention and professionalism, using the right old tools.
Among them, a not properly modern tool, which is still really useful is the shearing (mentioned above) which is fundamental for the first cut of the leather. Then the leather is redefined by an edge smoother, whose name is explanatory to its function.
Another important tool is the curved needle, which thanks to its distinctive shape is used for sewing the corners of bags or leather goods in general. The pyrograph allows craftsmen to make engravings and decorations on the leather, even on the stiffest one.
Widely used is also the tools to make holes, which allows you to make various types of changes on the leather. It is use to create holes for belts and shoulder straps.
Florence Leather Market, always an artisan workshop
We are a small artisan leather factory since 2007, the year in which our parents made their very first production of leather key rings. Strong with these values, we still protect craftsmanship today.
We are proud to prefer hot gilding, made by hand on every single piece, instead of prints and decorations performed by a machine. Ours is a small family-run business, with objects passing from one family member to another, depending on the processing phase.
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