Original subtitles

Narrator: TODAY ON "HOW IT'S MADE"...

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: TABLE FOOTBALL WAS FIRST PATENTED

BY A BRITISH INVENTOR IN 1923.

IT BECAME POPULAR THROUGHOUT EUROPE WITH LEAGUES

FORMING BY THE 1950s.

A DECADE LATER, AN AMERICAN WORKING IN WEST GERMANY

BROUGHT THE GAME TO THE U.S.,

TRADEMARKING THE GERMAN WORD FOR IT, FOOSBALL.

IN FRANCE, THE GAME OF FOOSBALL IS KNOWN AS BABY FOOT.

THIS COMPANY PRODUCES READY-MADE,

AS WELL AS CUSTOM-MADE TABLES

LIKE THIS ONE FEATURING BIKER PLAYERS.

PRODUCTION BEGINS AT A FOUNDRY,

WHERE WORKERS MELT DOWN BARS OF ALUMINUM.

AN INJECTION-MOLDING MACHINE SHOOTS THE MOLTEN ALUMINUM

INTO MOLDS IN THE SHAPE OF PLAYERS.

A ROBOT REMOVES THE CASTING FROM THE INJECTION MACHINE.

THE MOLD YIELDS FOUR PLAYERS,

EACH ONE SPORTING THE MANUFACTURER'S NAME

ON THE FRONT OF HIS JERSEY.

A WORKER PLACES EACH CASTING ON A PRESS THEN, WITH ONE STRIKE,

SEPARATES THE FOUR PLAYERS AND CUTS OFF EXCESS METAL.

A COMPUTER-GUIDED MACHINE DRILLS

A HOLE IN THE CENTER OF EACH PLAYER,

THROUGH WHICH THE ROD WILL PASS.

THEN THE MACHINE THREADS A HOLE THROUGH THE PLAYER'S BACK

FOR THE SCREW THAT SECURES THE PLAYER TO THE ROD.

ANOTHER MACHINE SAWS A 2-MILLIMETER GAP

IN THE BACK TO ALLOW CLEARANCE FOR A SCREWDRIVER

TO TIGHTEN THE PLAYER ONTO THE ROD.

ONCE READY, THE PLAYERS MOVE TO THE FOOSBALL TABLE FACTORY,

WHERE A WORKER SPRAYS ON A BASE COAT OF WHITE PAINT.

ONCE THAT DRIES, WORKERS CONTINUE PAINTING THE PLAYERS

BUT, NOW, USING AN AIRBRUSH.

THEY MASK THE PLAYER'S BODY TO PAINT ONLY HIS HEAD.

THE COMPANY OFFERS A SELECTION OF SKIN TONES.

THEN THEY MASK THE PLAYER WITH ANOTHER STENCIL,

COVERING THE SKIN AND EXPOSING THE SHIRT AND SOCKS.

NEXT, THEY MASK EVERYTHING

EXCEPT THE PLAYER'S HEAD AND FEET.

A PLAYER CAN BE BRUNETTE, BLONDE OR REDHEAD.

THEY PAINT THE SHOES BLACK THEN THE PLAYER'S EYES AND MOUTH.

MANUFACTURERS CONSTRUCT THE TABLE OUT OF SOLID BEECH.

A COMPUTER-GUIDED MILLING MACHINE PROFILES

THE WOOD COMPONENTS, DRILLS THE REQUIRED HOLES,

AND ENGRAVES THE COMPANY NAME.

WORKERS THEN ASSEMBLE THE PARTS, STARTING WITH THE FOUR SIDES,

WHICH CONNECT WITH BOLTED STEEL RODS AND GLUE.

AFTER CLOSING UP THE ENDS WITH WOOD PANELS,

WORKERS INSTALL WOOD SUPPORT BARS

WHICH WILL REINFORCE THE TABLE AND,

AFTER A GOAL, DIRECT THE BALL TO THE BALL RETURN TRAY.

THE TABLE NOW GOES TO THE PAINT SHOP

WHERE WORKERS EITHER STAIN THE WOOD OR LEAVE IT NATURAL.

FOR THIS MODEL, THEY ALSO SPRAY RED STAIN

INTO THE RECESSED STRIPES AND LOGO.

ALL TABLES RECEIVE A FINISHING COAT

OF TRANSPARENT VARNISH TO PROTECT THE WOOD.

THEY INSTALL THE SLOPED BALL-RETURN PANEL.

WHEN A PLAYER SCORES, THE BALL ROLLS DOWN THE PANEL

TO AN ALUMINUM BALL-RETURN TRAY.

AFTER SLIDING THE PLYWOOD TABLE BOTTOM INTO PLACE,

WORKERS TURN THE TABLE RIGHT-SIDE UP,

MOUNT THE ALUMINUM GOAL NETS,

AND THE SCORING UNITS RIGHT BEHIND THEM.

THEN THEY LAY THE PLAYING SURFACE,

MADE OF GREEN VINYL ON PRESSED WOOD,

ON TOP OF THE WOODEN SUPPORT BARS.

WOOD TRIM AROUND THE PERIMETER HOLDS THE SURFACE IN PLACE.

A WORKER MOUNTS THE PLAYERS FOR EACH LINE ONTO A HOLLOW

STAINLESS-STEEL ROD.

USING A TEMPLATE TO SPACE THEM CORRECTLY, HE BOLTS EACH PLAYER

TO THE ROD THEN ATTACHES A RUBBER BUMPER

TO THE PLAYERS AT EACH END

TO PREVENT THEM FROM SLAMMING AGAINST THE SIDE WALLS.

HE INSERTS A NARROWER STAINLESS-STEEL ROD

INTO THE HOLLOW BAR TO MAKE IT TELESCOPIC.

AFTER PREPARING EIGHT RODS OF PLAYERS,

A WORKER INSTALLS THEM IN THE TABLE.

THE TELESCOPING HANDLE END OF THE ROD HAS SPRING-LOADED

BEARING THAT FITS IN A HOLE IN THE TABLE.

HE SECURES IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.

AFTER BOLTING THE OPPOSITE END, WORKERS PROTECT THE TOP EDGE

OF THE TABLE WITH A PLASTIC TRIM.

AFTER THREADING PLASTIC HANDLES TO THE TELESCOPIC

END OF THE RODS

AND MOUNTING THE TABLES ON FOUR STURDY, SOLID-WOOD LEGS,

THIS FOOSBALL TABLE IS READY FOR KICKOFF.

Narrator: MARSEILLE SOAP IS A VEGETABLE OIL-BASED SOAP

FIRST HANDCRAFTED

IN THE PORT CITY OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE,

IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

THIS GENTLE HYPOALLERGENIC ALL-PURPOSE BLOCK SOAP

BECAME PRIZED ACROSS EUROPE

FOR WASHING CLOTHES, DISHES,

FLOORS, AND CLEANSING ONESELF.

MARSEILLE SOAP IS CRAFTED FROM JUST

FOUR TRADITIONAL INGREDIENTS

WITH NO ANIMAL FATS, COLORANTS, PERFUMES OR PRESERVATIVES.

IT'S STILL PRODUCED TODAY AS IT HAS BEEN

FOR MORE THAN 600 YEARS.

THE FOUR INGREDIENTS ARE SEA SALT,

WATER, ON THE RIGHT, CAUSTIC SODA

AND EITHER COCONUT OIL,

PALM OIL OR, MOST OFTEN,

OLIVE POMACE OIL,

THE SECOND OIL EXTRACTED FROM OLIVES

AFTER THEY'VE BEEN PRESSED TO EXTRACT VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

FOR CONSUMPTION.

A WORKER RELEASES THE REQUIRED QUANTITIES OF OIL

AND CAUSTIC SODA INTO A COOKING CAULDRON,

THEN BRINGS THE MIXTURE TO A BOIL

WHILE STIRRING FOR 1 TO 2 DAYS.

THE FATTY ACIDS IN THE OIL REACT TO THE ALKALINE CAUSTIC SODA,

PRODUCING A THICK SOAP PASTE CONTAINING GLYCERIN,

A NATURAL COMPOUND.

THIS TRANSFORMATION IS KNOWN AS SAPONIFICATION.

WORKERS ADD MORE CAUSTIC SODA

AND COOK TO 248 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR ANOTHER DAY.

THEY WASH THE PASTE WITH SALTWATER TWO OR THREE TIMES,

EACH WASHING LASTING HALF A DAY.

THIS REMOVES IMPURITIES AND GLYCERIN.

WITHOUT GLYCERIN, THE SOAP HAS BETTER DETERGENT POWER

TO REMOVE GREASE STAINS ON FABRIC.

NEXT, OVER THE COURSE OF A DAY,

THE WORKERS REPEATEDLY RINSE THE BOILING SOAP PASTE

WITH FRESHWATER.

THEN THEY LET IT SET FOR 2 DAYS.

THEY REHEAT THE PASTE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES

AT 158 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

JUST TO RESOFTEN IT ENOUGH TO BE PUMPED

TO A SERIES OF SUPER HEATERS.

THE SUPER HEATERS HEAT THE PASTE TO 230 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

LIQUEFYING IT.

AS THE LIQUID SOAP LEAVES THE LAST SUPER HEATER,

IT PASSES THROUGH A NOZZLE,

WHICH SPRAYS IT ONTO THE WALLS OF AN ATOMIZER.

THE ATOMIZER COOLS THE SOAP UNDER A VACUUM,

SOLIDIFYING IT INTO A DRY MOLDABLE CONSISTENCY.

MOTORIZED BLADES THEN SCRAPE THE DRIED SOAP

FROM THE ATOMIZER WALLS.

THE SOAP FALLS DIRECTLY INTO AN EXTRUSION MACHINE,

WHICH WORKS MUCH LIKE A PASTA MAKER.

THE MACHINE FORCES THE SOAP THROUGH SMALL ROUND DIES

AS REVOLVING BLADES CHOP IT INTO NOODLES.

AS THE SOAP NOODLES FALL INTO THE CONVEYER BELT,

THE SOAP WORKSHOP CHIEF INSPECTS THE QUALITY

BY ASSESSING THE COLOR, THE AROMA, AND THE TEXTURE.

AT THE COMPANY'S IN-HOUSE LAB,

A TECHNICIAN CONDUCTS QUALITY-CONTROL TESTS

ON SAMPLES DRAWN FROM EACH PRODUCTION RUN.

IN THIS TEST, HE MEASURES THE PERCENTAGE OF PURE SOAP.

HE WEIGHS THE SAMPLE, THEN HEATS IT

IN A MICROWAVE OVEN FOR 10 MINUTES

TO EVAPORATE ALL THE MOISTURE.

THIS LEAVES ONLY PURE SOAP WITHOUT WATER.

HE REWEIGHS THE SAMPLE TO CALCULATE THE PERCENTAGE

OF PURE SOAP AS WELL AS THE OIL CONTENT,

WHICH MUST BE 72%.

THE FACTORY SELLS A PORTION OF ITS MARSEILLE SOAP NOODLES

TO COMPANIES WHO MOLD THEIR OWN SOAP BARS.

IT ALSO MOLDS A HOUSE BRAND RIGHT HERE,

COMPRESSING THE NOODLES INTO A HOMOGENEOUS PASTE

THAT EXTRUDING THE LONG CONTINUOUS BAR.

AN AUTOMATED GUILLOTINE SLICES THE BAR INTO THE SELECTED SHAPE.

THE CONVEYER BELT FERRIES THE CUBES

TO THE STAMPING MACHINE,

WHICH STAMPS ALL SIX SIDES.

EACH CUBE BEARS THE COMPANY'S NAME AND LOGO,

THE SOAP'S OIL CONTENT,

AND THE SAVON DE MARSEILLE DESIGNATION,

ATTESTING THAT THIS IS INDEED AUTHENTIC,

TRADITIONALLY MADE MARSEILLE SOAP.

Narrator: FOR CENTURIES, PEOPLE HAVE MIGRATED BACK

AND FORTH ACROSS THE FRENCH-SPANISH BORDER.

THE TRADITIONAL LAGUIOLE POCKETKNIFE IS A RESULT

OF THE MIXING OF THESE CULTURES.

IT'S A BLEND OF AN ARAB-HISPANIC KNIFE, CALLED THE NAVAJA,

WITH A SOUTHERN FRENCH KNIFE, KNOWN AS THE CAPUCHADOU.

THESE ARE NOT POCKETKNIVES FOR CAMPING TRIPS.

THEY'RE HIGH END CUTLERY,

PERFECT FOR SLICING THROUGH DELICIOUS FRENCH CHEESES.

THEY FEATURE THE UNMISTAKABLE WAVY PATTERN OF DAMASCUS STEEL.

TO RECREATE THE LEGENDARY METAL KNOWN AS DAMASCUS STEEL,

A CUTLER, WHO IS AN ARTISAN

WHO SPECIALIZES IN KNIFEMAKING,

STACKS ALTERNATING LAYERS OF NICKEL AND CARBON STEEL.

HE THEN USES A GRINDER TO EVEN THE EDGES FOR THE NEXT STEP.

HE WELDS THE NINE LAYERS OF CARBON STEEL

AND EIGHT LAYERS OF NICKEL STEEL TOGETHER.

HE BEGINS THE FORGING PROCESS BY PLACING THE LAYERS

IN A COAL-FIRED FORGE

WHERE THEY HEAT UP TO 1,472 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

STEP-BY-STEP, THE LAYERS WILL BE FORGED

INTO A SINGLE PIECE OF DAMASCUS STEEL.

AN AUTOMATED HAMMER POUNDS THE LAYERS,

FORCING THEM TO BIND TO EACH OTHER

AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL.

AS THE POWERFUL HAMMERING PROCESS FORCES

THE LAYERS TOGETHER INTO A UNIFIED PIECE OF STEEL,

IT ALSO FLATTENS OUT AND LENGTHENS THE METAL.

THE CUTLER CAN THEN BREAK THE PIECE IN THREE PLACES

AND LAYER THEM ALL TOGETHER.

THIS TRIPLES THE NUMBER OF LAYERS FROM 17 TO 51.

THE CUTLER WILL REPEAT THIS PROCESS AGAIN AND AGAIN

UNTIL THE STEEL HAS AROUND 300 LAYERS.

HERE, A CUTLER PREPARES A SPECIALIZED

MODEL OF LAGUIOLE POCKETKNIFE,

WHICH WILL HAVE A DISTINCTIVE SHAPE.

HE CONTINUES THE FORGING PROCESS OF HEATING AND HAMMERING.

THE CARBON STEEL WILL GIVE THE KNIFE ITS SHARP EDGE,

WHILE THE NICKEL WILL PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY.

THIS MANUFACTURER USES THE FORGED STEEL TO CREATE

SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF BLADES FOR ITS POCKETKNIVES.

A CUTLER PLACES THE FORMED BLADES IN AN OVEN

WHERE THE INTENSE HEAT WILL HELP FLATTEN THEM.

ONCE A BLADE HAS COOLED,

A CUTLER CUTS IT TO SIZE,

DRILLS A HINGE HOLE,

AND USES A BELT SANDER TO REDUCE ITS WIDTH

TO ABOUT A TENTH OF AN INCH.

NEXT, A WORKER WILL HEAT AND RAPIDLY COOL THE BLADES

TO TEMPER THEM BEFORE SHARPENING THEM.

HE THEN DIPS THEN INTO A SOLUTION OF FERRIC CHLORIDE

TO REVEAL THE UNIQUE WAVE PATTERNS

IN THE DAMASCUS STEEL.

THERE'S MORE TO A POCKETKNIFE THAN JUST THE BLADE.

THIS MANUFACTURER HAND CRAFTS EACH COMPONENT OF ITS KNIVES.

TO CREATE THE BOLSTER COMPONENT, A CUTLER STARTS BY HEATING

A THIRD-OF-AN-INCH STAINLESS-STEEL ROD.

ONCE THE STEEL REACHES 1,562 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

HE THEN STAMPS IT INTO A MOLD.

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS CAN STAMP OUT 20 BOLSTERS

IN JUST 12 SECONDS.

ONCE THEY'VE COOLED, A CUTLER SPOT-WELDS THEM TO A BLADE.

TO SHAPE THE SPRING PLATE,

WHICH FORMS PART OF THE FOLDING MECHANISM,

A CUTLER HEATS ONE END UP TO 1,562 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

HE USES A SPECIALIZED TOOL TO STAMP THE TOP PORTION FLAT.

THIS FLAT SURFACE WILL BE THE STARTING POINT FOR CUTLERS

TO CREATE THE BEE FIGURE,

AN EMBLEMATIC FEATURE OF LAGUIOLE KNIVES.

WORKERS START BY REDUCING THE SURFACE

TO A TRIANGULAR SHAPE.

USING A SERIES OF DIFFERENT FILES,

THE CUTLER CAREFULLY SCULPTS

THE BEE'S EYES, BODY, AND WINGS.

IT SEEMS THAT PIERRE-JEAN CALMELS,

THE INVENTOR OF THE LAGUIOLE KNIFE,

USED A BEE SYMBOL IN 1829,

AND THE CUTLERS HAVE BEEN USING EVER

SINCE TO SET THE KNIFE APART FROM OTHER TYPES.

CUTLERS SHAPE THE ENTIRE SPRING PLATE,

AND IT TAKES MORE THAN SKILLED WORK

WITH A FEW FILES TO COMPLETE.

STAY TUNED TO SEE HOW HIGH-TECH INSTRUMENTS

REFINE THE IMAGES

BEFORE WORKERS ASSEMBLE THE REST OF THE KNIFE.

EVEN THE SIMPLEST ONE-PIECE KNIFE

REQUIRES 109 PRODUCTION STEPS TO COMPLETE.

Narrator: IN THE 1820s,

CUTLERS BEGAN CRAFTING LAGUIOLE POCKETKNIVES

IN AUBRAC, FRANCE.

THE TRADITION CAME TO AN END AFTER WORLD WAR I

BUT WAS REVIVED IN THE LATE 1980s.

TODAY, THE ARTISANS OF AUBRAC BLEND TIME-HONORED CRAFTSMANSHIP

WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.

TO CARVE EACH UNIQUE SPRING PLATE, A CUTLER STARTS

BY PLACING ONE IN A VICE.

WITH THE METAL STABILIZED, THE CUTLER CAN FOCUS ON CARVING

WITH THE AID OF POWERFUL MAGNIFIERS.

THE TUNGSTEN CARBIDE DRILL BITS HE USES ARE NO LARGER

THAN FOUR-TENTHS OF A MILLIMETER.

NO WONDER THE DETAILS ON EACH SPRING ARE SO PRECISE.

TO TEMPER THE STEEL, THE CUTLER HEATS IT

TO 1,886 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES.

NEXT, HE COOLS IT SUDDENLY IN A BATH OF OIL.

HE WILL THEN HEAT IT TO 446 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT

FOR 1 HOUR TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS.

THIS MANUFACTURER MAKES THE KNIFE-HANDLES

FROM DIFFERENT MATERIALS,

INCLUDING ANTLERS, WOOD AND BONE.

WHEN MAKING A HANDLE FROM BONE, A CUTLER STARTS BY SLICING IT

INTO SECTIONS WITH A SPECIALIZED BLADE.

HE THEN CUTS THE SLICES INTO SMALLER SECTIONS

THAT APPROXIMATE THE SIDES OF A KNIFE-HANDLE.

CUTLERS CAN USE THE BONE WITH ITS NATURAL COLOR

OR IMMERSE IT IN A STAIN FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

ALL OF THE COMPONENTS FOR THIS LAGUIOLE POCKETKNIFE

ARE COMPLETE.

THE CUTLER USES A BELT SANDER TO GIVE THE SPRING

A LIGHT SANDING.

NEXT, USING THE SAME TOOL,

HE BEGINS WORKING THE BONE HANDLE COMPONENTS.

WITH THE FRAMEWORK OF THE KNIFE AS A TEMPLATE,

HE CAREFULLY REDUCES BOTH OF THE COMPONENTS

TO THEIR REQUIRED DIMENSIONS,

ACHIEVING A PERFECT FIT.

WITH THE METAL AS A GUIDE, HE USES A DRILL PRESS

TO PIERCE HOLES IN THE BONE.

WITH THE PRACTICED HAND OF A SKILLED ARTISAN,

THE CUTLER DRILLS THE FAMED SHEPHERD'S

CROSS PATTERN BY EYE.

THE SHEPHERD'S CROSS IS ANOTHER SIGNATURE OF LAGUIOLE KNIVES.

THE CUTLER CONNECTS THE SPRING

TO THE COMPONENTS KNOWN AS SCALES,

WHICH FORM THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE KNIFE.

TO JOIN THE PARTS, HE INSERTS STAINLESS-STEEL PINS

AND HAMMERS THEM FLAT ON EITHER SIDE

TO HOLD THEM FIRMLY IN PLACE.

HE INSERTS SHORT LENGTHS OF THIN STEEL WIRE

INTO THE HOLES DRILLED TO FORM THE SHEPARD'S CROSS.

HE NOW BEGINS ADDING THE BONE SIDE COVERS,

WHICH WILL FORM THE KNIFE-HANDLE.

HE CAREFULLY SCREWS THE BONE COVERS SECURELY TO THE SCALES

FROM THE INSIDE WITH THREE STAINLESS-STEEL SCREWS PER SIDE.

HE THEN SNIPS OFF THE ENDS OF THE SCREWS THAT PROTRUDE.

NOW, HE CAN INSTALL THE DAMASCUS STEEL BLADE.

HE DOES THIS BY INSERTING A STAINLESS-STEEL PIN

THROUGH THE HINGE HOLE.

TEFLON WASHERS WILL KEEP THE OPENING

AND FOLDING OPERATION SMOOTH AND FUNCTIONAL.

THE CUTLER USES A SPECIALIZED CLAMP

TO GRIP THE KNIFE AS HE INSTALLS THE PIN

AT THE BACK OF THE SPRING.

THIS PIN, TOGETHER WITH THE ONE THAT HOLDS THE BLADE,

ARE THE TWO ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

OF THE LAGUIOLE KNIFE MECHANISM.

WITH THE BELT SANDER,

THE CUTLER NOW REFINES THE HANDLE,

SMOOTHING THE PINS,

AND ROUNDING THE EDGES OF THE BONE COVERS.

A FINAL POLISH GIVES THE BONE A SHINY FINISH THAT HIGHLIGHTS

THE ICONIC SHEPHERD'S CROSS,

AN INNOVATION INTRODUCED TO ALLOW SHEPHERDS

TO CELEBRATE MASS,

EVEN WHEN FAR FROM A CHURCH.

A CUTLER PUTS AN EXTRA FINE EDGE ON THE FINISHED KNIFE

WITH THE HELP OF A BELT SANDER

THAT HAS A FINE-GRIT SANDPAPER.

THE CUTLER MAKES SEVERAL PASSES ON A PIECE OF LEATHER

WITH A PRACTICED HAND

TO GIVE THE KNIFE ITS FINAL EDGE.

THIS KNIFE IS NOW READY TO JOIN THE LEGENDARY COMPANY

OF OTHER LAGUIOLE POCKETKNIVES

AND PEEL A RIPE APPLE OR SLICE SOME AGED CHEESE.

BON APPéTIT.