shipping 
any question ? 
If you have already explored our guide on how genuine leather is made and the principles of tanning, you know that transforming a raw hide into a noble material is an art of natural chemistry. Yet in the 19th century, long before heavy mechanization and chrome tanning, this demanding craft relied first and foremost on physical strength and a remarkable set of hand tools. Let us delve into a period tannery workshop through an authentic historical tool plate.
1. The Beamhouse Work: Water and the Blade
Long before the hides ever touched the tanning pits, artisans carried out what was known as the "beamhouse work" (or river work). Everything was done by hand near the riverbank:
- Washing & Soaking: Following initial salting (done immediately to prevent putrefaction), the hides were thoroughly soaked in river water to remove salt, dirt, and impurities. Rotating wooden drums (foulons) only began to appear in workshops after 1850.
- Unhairing & Scudding: Submerged for several days in lime pits to loosen the hair follicles, the skin was then placed over a curved beam and scraped with an unhairing knife to leave a pristine grain surface (except in fur dressing, where the hair is carefully preserved).
- The Fleshing Knife / Beam Knife (A): The centerpiece of the illustration, this long curved blade with double wooden handles required surgical precision. Working on the flesh side, the tanner sliced away fat and muscle remnants without ever gouging or piercing the dermis.
2. Pit Tanning: Time, Oak Bark, and the Tan Basket
In the open courtyard of the tannery, deep pits dug into the ground held between 60 and 80 hides each. Between every layer of hide, tanners spread crushed oak bark ("tan"), naturally saturated with protective vegetable tannins.
This is where the wicker tan basket (L) came in, shown prominently on the plate. Both lightweight and durable, it was used to haul, measure, and evenly distribute the ground tan over the pits. Submerged in water and tannin liquor, the hides would rest patiently for 18 to 24 months before being hauled out, washed, and dried in the shade.
3. Currying & Dressing: Stone, Metal, and Cork Tools
Upon emerging from the pits and drying away from direct sunlight, the raw leather was stiff, harsh, and brittle. The currier’s role was to nourish the hide with fats (tallow, fish, or vegetable oils) while refining its thickness, flexibility, and surface grain. To achieve this, artisans relied on dedicated hand tools:
- The Stone Slicker or Queurse (B and F): Fitted with a smooth slate or polished stone blade, the slicker was pushed firmly across the damp leather on a currying beam to squeeze out moisture, loosen stiff fibers, and compress the grain.
- Stretching & Whitening Irons (E and G): Steel blades set in wooden grips, used to stretch the leather flat, eliminate creases, and even out the surface thickness.
- Hand and Arm Pommels / Graining Boards (J and K): Grooved cork blocks strapped to the artisan's hand or arm. By rubbing the grain vigorously with these cork faces, the currier brought out the natural pebbled texture and suppleness of the hide.
- The Toothed Wood Marguerite (M): A serrated wooden tool carved from service tree wood (cormier), used to soften stubborn leather fibers without scratching the top grain.
The Living Heritage in Our Workshop in Rennes
While modern artisans no longer need to spend two full years waiting beside bark pits, these ancestral techniques serve as an essential reminder: genuine leather is a living, authentic material, shaped by time, skilled hands, and tools created to work with its natural fibers.
In our workshop in Rennes, France, this dedication to durable tools and fine materials guides every step of our craft—from hand-cutting upcycled leathers to traditional hot-stamping on each one-of-a-kind creation.
