Pursemaker: thinning a leather belt (1)

About the sound

The sound of thinning the edges of a leather belt, i.e. reducing the thickness of leather. The sound was recorded in the Pursemaker Shop at 42 Hoża Street in Warsaw (Poland).
Thinning is necessary when the leather needs to be folded, its edges glued and when belt loops are performed – in all actions requiring thin and soft leather. Electrically driven Fortuna machine is used for thinning. Sharp knife cuts off a layer of leather fed on a rotating barrel.
In the shop at Hoża Street, watch and clothes belts are handmade in accordance with the craftsmanship tradition. Watch belts are usually performed from gentle goatskin and calfskin leather while trouser belts from buff leather.

Fortuna thinning machine, Maximilian Gildisch & Co., Berlin, ca. 1910

Sound recordist: Monika Widzicka
Photographer: Iwo Wachowicz
Video recordist: Iwo Wachowicz