All language subtitles for How.Its.Made.S13E11.Flatware.and.Cow.Bells.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-SLAG_track4_[eng]

--Captions by VITAC--
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CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
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Narrator: VAL GARDENA,
A VALLEY IN THE ITALIAN ALPS,

IS RENOWNED FOR WOODCARVING.

THIS CRAFT BEGAN THERE
IN THE 17th CENTURY

AS A WAY TO PASS THE TIME DURING
THE LONG MOUNTAIN WINTERS.

AT FIRST, WOODCARVERS
MADE PRACTICAL ITEMS,

BUT BEFORE LONG,

THEIR MASTERFUL HANDS
WERE CREATING WORKS OF ART.

FROM PASTORAL SCENES
TO RELIGIOUS THEMES,

THESE MAGNIFICENTLY CARVED
WOOD SCULPTURES

SEEM ALMOST LIFELIKE.

AFTER SKETCHING THE FIGURE
ON PAPER,

THE CARVER SCULPTS
A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL

FROM A BLOCK OF PLASTICINE.

USING HIS HANDS
AND AN ARRAY OF TOOLS,

HE METICULOUSLY FASHIONS
ALL THE INTRICATE DETAILS

HE'LL LATER RE-CREATE IN WOOD.

FOR THIS FLUTE-PLAYING ANGEL,

HE POSITIONS A REPLICA
OF THE INSTRUMENT

TO GET THE ANGLE OF HER ARMS

AND OPENING OF HER HANDS
JUST RIGHT.

NEXT, USING THE PLASTICINE MODEL
AS A REFERENCE,

HE DRAWS THE FIGURE
ONTO A BLOCK OF WOOD

ROUGHLY THE SIZE AND SHAPE
OF THE SCULPTURE.

USING A MALLET AND CHISELS,

HE BEGINS CHIPPING AWAY
AT THE BLOCK OF WOOD.

THIS IS STONE PINE WOOD,
A RARE SPECIES THAT GROWS

IN THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN VALLEYS
OF THE ALPS.

PINE IS A SOFT WOOD,
SO IT'S IDEAL FOR CARVING.

WHEN IT COMES TIME
FOR THE FINER WORK --

CARVING THE DETAILS
AND SMOOTHING OUT THE SURFACE --

HE SWITCHES
TO A FINE PARING CHISEL.

FROM THE FINISHED WOOD MODEL,
THE FACTORY CASTS A BRONZE COPY

TO USE FOR PRODUCING THE FINAL
SCULPTURES OUT OF MAPLE WOOD.

WHEN THE MAPLE PLANKS
ARRIVE AT THE FACTORY,

THEIR MOISTURE LEVEL,

AS THIS HYDROMETER READING
SHOWS,

IS TYPICALLY
BETWEEN 70% AND 80%.

IF THEY CARVE THE WOOD
WHILE IT'S STILL WET,

THE SCULPTURE
WOULD EVENTUALLY CRACK,

SO THEY LOAD THE WOOD INTO
A GIANT DRYER FOR ABOUT A WEEK

TO BRING THE MOISTURE DOWN
TO AN IDEAL 6%.

WHEN THE WOOD COMES OUT
OF THE DRYER,

THEY TRIM OFF THE BARK
WITH A CIRCULAR SAW

THEN CUT OFF ALL
BUT THE BEST PART IN THE MIDDLE.

THEY TRIM THOSE MIDDLE PIECES
INTO UNIFORM BLOCKS

JUST SLIGHTLY LARGER
THAN THE SIZE OF THE SCULPTURE.

20 BLOCKS AT A TIME GO ONTO
A MACHINE CALLED A PANTOGRAPH,

A SHARP CARVING HEAD
OVER EACH BLOCK.

THOSE 20 CARVING HEADS ARE
LINKED TO A BLUNT MASTER HEAD.

A TECHNICIAN SLOWLY MOVES
THIS MASTER HEAD

OVER EVERY INCH
OF THE BRONZE MODEL.

THIS SIMULTANEOUSLY MANIPULATES
THE 20 CARVING HEADS

TO SHAPE THEIR RESPECTIVE BLOCKS

INTO FAIRLY UNREFINED COPIES
OF THE MODEL

IN HALF THE SIZE.

THE MACHINE CAN'T REPRODUCE
THE FINE DETAILS,

SO THE ORIGINAL CARVER
RETURNS TO PERSONALLY CARVE

EACH AND EVERY SCULPTURE
TO COMPLETION.

BY THE TIME HE'S DONE,

WHAT ONCE WAS AN ORDINARY BLOCK
OF WOOD IS FOREVER TRANSFORMED.

NOW THE SCULPTURE
TRULY COMES ALIVE

IN THE TALENTED HANDS
OF AN ARTIST.

WITH HER PALETTE OF OIL PANTS,
SHE DRESSES THE BARE WOOD,

ALTERNATING BETWEEN
DIFFERENT BRUSHES

TO CREATE VARYING TEXTURES.

TECHNIQUE IS EVERYTHING HERE.

SHE MUST APPLY ENOUGH PAINT

TO COVER THE BARE WOOD
AND ENHANCE THE CRAFTSMANSHIP,

YET NOT APPLY TOO MUCH PAINT.

OTHERWISE, THIS
EXQUISITELY CARVED SCULPTURE

COULD LOOK LIKE CHEAP PLASTIC.

ONCE THE PAINT DRIES,

THEY GLUE A METAL DISK
WITH THE COMPANY NAME

INTO A HOLE UNDER THE BASE.

THEN THEY PACKAGE THE PIECE
WITH PROTECTIVE WRAPPING

AND A CERTIFICATE
OF AUTHENTICITY

THAT GUARANTEES THIS IS
A GENUINE CARVED-WOOD SCULPTURE

FROM VAL GARDENA, ITALY.

Narrator:
THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES,

MAN FASHIONED EATING UTENSILS
OUT OF VARIOUS METALS.

THE 1840s SAW THE INVENTION
OF SILVER PLATING

OVER INEXPENSIVE BASE METALS.

STERLING SILVER AND SILVER PLATE

REMAINED THE NORM
UNTIL THE EARLY 1950s,

WHEN STAINLESS-STEEL FLATWARE
MADE ITS DEBUT.

STAINLESS STEEL FLATWARE
IS DURABLE

AND, UNLIKE SILVER PLATE,

DOESN'T DULL, TARNISH,
OR WEAR OFF.

THIS FLATWARE STARTS OUT
AS THICK WIRE CALLED COIL.

TO MAKE KNIVES, THE COIL
GOES INTO A HEADING MACHINE

THAT CUTS PIECES
TO BLADE LENGTH,

THEN FORMS THEM
INTO BLANK SHAPES

WITH A HEAD AT ONE END.

THIS BOLSTER, AS IT'S CALLED,

WILL CONNECT THE BLADE
TO THE KNIFE HANDLE.

A FURNACE SOFTENS THE METAL

FOR THE FINAL SHAPING
IN A FORGING PRESS.

THREE DIES
PROGRESSIVELY FORGE THE SHAPE

AND TRIM OFF THE EXCESS METAL.

AFTER GRINDING
THE END OF THE BOLSTER FLAT,

THE NEXT MACHINE
WELDS ON THE TANG,

WHICH FITS
INSIDE THE KNIFE HANDLE.

NOW AN AUTOMATED GRINDING WHEEL

TAPERS THE BLADE
THINNER AT THE FRONT.

A SECOND GRINDING WHEEL
SCALLOPS THE FRONT EDGE.

THIS IS THE KNIFE'S SERRATION.

THE THICKER BACK END
GIVES THE BLADE STRENGTH

TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE
YOU APPLY WHEN CUTTING FOOD.

FOR THE KNIFE HANDLES,

THE FACTORY USES STAINLESS STEEL
WITH A HIGHER NICKEL CONTENT.

IT HAS GREATER
CORROSION RESISTANCE

AND IS EASIER TO FORM,
WHICH IS CRITICAL,

GIVEN THAT HANDLES OFTEN FEATURE
VERY INTRICATE DESIGNS.

HANDLES, TOO, START OUT AS COIL

THAT GOES THROUGH
A SERIES OF DIES.

EACH FINISHED PIECE
IS HALF A HANDLE.

A SPOT-WELDING MACHINE
TACKS THE TWO HALVES TOGETHER,

FORMING A HANDLE SHELL.

TO FUSE THE HALVES COMPLETELY,

THIS MACHINE CUTS
A PIECE OF COPPER-BASED WIRE

AND DROPS IT INSIDE
THE HOLLOW HANDLE.

A FURNACE MELTS THE WIRE

SO THAT IT FLOWS INTO THE
CREVICE BETWEEN THE TWO HALVES,

SOLDERING THE SEAM THOROUGHLY.

AN ETCHING MACHINE
GRINDS THE SOLDER LINE

UNTIL IT BLENDS IN WITH
THE SURROUNDING STAINLESS STEEL.

WORKERS POUR LIQUID CEMENT
INTO THE CENTER OF A CAROUSEL

ON WHICH THEY MOUNT
50 HANDLES AT A TIME.

AS THE CAROUSEL SPINS,

THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE
SHOOTS THE CEMENT OUTWARD,

FILLING THE HANDLE CAVITIES.

THEN WORKERS INSERT A BLADE
INTO EACH ONE.

A 10-MINUTE SOAK IN HOT WATER
CURES THE CEMENT.

WORKERS SCRUB OFF ANY EXCESS
CEMENT THAT OOZED OUT.

ON THE SPOON LINE,
A PRESS CUTS STANDARD STEEL

INTO PAINTBRUSH-SHAPED PIECES.

THEN HEAVY ROLLERS
STRETCH THOSE PIECES OUT,

THINNING THE END
THAT'LL BECOME THE SPOON'S BOWL.

A TRIM PRESS THEN CUTS
THE SPOON'S PROFILE.

NEXT, A MACHINE
CALLED A COINING PRESS

PUNCHES THE PATTERN
INTO THE HANDLE

THEN FORMS THE BOWL
TO ITS ROUNDED SHAPE.

FORKS GO THROUGH
THE SAME STEPS AS SPOONS

THEN THROUGH A PRESS THAT CUTS
THE TINES IN TWO STAGES.

A SUPPORT BAR
KEEPS THE TINES FROM MOVING,

WHILE A COINING PRESS
PUTS A SLIGHT BEND IN THEM.

THE NEXT MACHINE
SLICES OFF THAT BAR

AND STACKS THE FINISHED FORKS.

THE LAST STOP
FOR ALL THE FLATWARE

IS THE BUFFING EQUIPMENT.

CLOTH WHEELS POLISH THE SURFACE
WITH LIQUID BUFFING COMPOUND

UNTIL THE STEEL SHINES.

THE CASUAL PATTERNS
ARE NOW READY FOR PACKAGING.

THE MORE FORMAL ONES
GET DRESSED UP

WITH FULL OR PARTIAL PLATING
IN SILVER OR GOLD.

Narrator:
IN THE SWISS COUNTRYSIDE,

THE COWBELL IS
A TRADITIONAL SIGHT AND SOUND.

AT ROUNDUP,
AS THE COWS START WALKING,

THEIR BELLS CLANG
AND WAKE UP THE SLEEPING COWS,

TELLING THEM IT'S TIME TO MOVE.

AT PASTURE, IF A COW
WANDERS OFF FROM THE HERD,

ITS BELL ALERTS THE FARMER.

SWISS COWBELLS ALSO PLAY
A CEREMONIAL ROLL.

FARMERS ADORN THEIR
PRIZE LIVESTOCK WITH THEM.

THE LARGER AND MORE ORNATE
THE BELL,

THE GREATER THE FARMER'S PRIDE
IN THE ANIMAL.

FINER COWBELLS
ARE MADE BY ARTISANS,

LIKE THIS ONE IN SWITZERLAND.

HE STARTS BY LAYING A TEMPLATE
ON A SHEET OF STEEL

THAT'S 2 TO 3 MILLIMETERS THICK,
DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF BELL.

WITH THE PLASMA CUTTER,
HE CUTS TWO PIECES.

EACH WILL FORM HALF THE BELL.

WHILE EACH PIECE IS STILL FLAT,
HE ENGRAVES A DESIGN

USING A HAMMER
AND BURINS OF VARIOUS SIZES.

A BURIN IS HANDLED BLADE
WITH A BEVELED TIP.

NEXT, HE HEATS A SPOT

THEN STAMPS HIS LOGO
AND THE BELL SIZE,

ACCORDING
TO A SWISS NUMBERING SYSTEM.

NEXT STOP, A GAS-FIRED FURNACE.

THE 1,800-DEGREE-FAHRENHEIT HEAT
SOFTENS THE METAL,

WHICH HE THEN LAYS
IN A FORGING PRESS.

THE PRESS CLOSES, SHAPING
THE PIECE INTO HALF A COWBELL.

HE REPEATS THIS PROCESS
WITH A SECOND PIECE

TO MAKE THE OTHER HALF.

THEN HE REFINES
THE SHAPE AND THICKNESS

USING A VARIETY OF HAMMERS.

FORGING EACH FLAT SHEET
INTO A HALF-BELL

MADE LINES ON THE SIDES.

HE NOW WELDS AND THEN
GRINDS THOSE SEAMS FLAT.

HE HAMMERS EVERY CENTIMETER
OF EACH BELL HALF

TO REFINE AND PURIFY THE SOUND.

IT'S TIME TO WELD
THE TWO HALVES TOGETHER.

HE TACKS THEM IN PLACE
THEN WELDS THE ENTIRE SEAM.

LATER, HE'LL GRIND THE WELD LINE
FLUSH WITH THE BELL'S SURFACE.

NEXT, HE WELDS A STEEL HANDLE
TO THE TOP OF THE BELL.

THIS WILL HOLD THE LEATHER STRAP

FROM WHICH THE COWBELL
WILL HANG.

BENEATH THE HANDLE,
ON THE INSIDE,

HE WELDS ON A V-SHAPED ROD
TO HOLD THE BATTLE,

THE SWINGING HAMMER THAT STRIKES
THE BELL'S INNER WALLS.

ON EACH SIDE,

HE PIERCES TWO HOLES FOR RIVETS

WHERE THE BELL HALVES
CROSS OVER EACH OTHER.

WITH A TORCH AND A FORGING TOOL,

HE SHAPES EACH TOP RIVET
UNTIL IT'S NICE AND ROUND.

THEN HE HAMMERS
EACH BOTTOM RIVET FLAT

TO MAKE THEM UNNOTICEABLE.

HERE HE MELTS A BRASS BULLET
CASING RIVETED AREA.

THAT WHITE POWDER IS BORAX,

A MINERAL THAT HELPS
THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

ADDING THIS LITTLE BIT OF BRASS
SOLIDIFIES THE FOLD

AND IMPROVES
THE BELL'S SOUND QUALITY.

THE COWBELL'S CONSTRUCTION
IS NOW COMPLETE.

HOWEVER,
ALL THAT FORGING AND WELDING

HAS LEFT DARK SPOTS
ON THE STEEL.

SO, THE BELL NOW GOES
FOR A 15-HOUR BATH

IN HYDROCHLORIC ACID.

THIS CLEANING MAKES THE BELL
EVEN-TONED AND SHINY.

A THOROUGH WASHING
REMOVES THE ACID RESIDUE.

THEN IT'S INTO A BASIN
OF SAWDUST TO DRY.

SAWDUST ABSORBS WATER
FASTER THAN CLOTHS DO.

THE ENGRAVED DECORATIONS

DON'T SHOW UP WELL
ON THE SHINY SURFACE,

SO THE ARTISAN BRUSHES ACID
ON STRATEGIC SPOTS

TO OXIDIZE THE STEEL AND CREATE
THE ILLUSION OF RELIEF.

IT TAKES TREMENDOUS SKILL
TO MILK A BEAUTIFUL COWBELL

OUT OF AN ORDINARY
SHEET OF STEEL.

BUT THERE'S STILL
THE DECORATIVE LEATHER STRAP,

WHICH IS THE JOB
OF A SADDLEMAKER.

SOME BELLS ARE SIMPLE,

OTHERS ELABORATELY DECORATED
WITH BAKED-ON ENAMEL COLORS.

EITHER WAY,
A FINE, HANDCRAFTED COWBELL

WILL LAST FOR GENERATIONS.

Narrator: THE FOUNTAIN PEN
WAS INVENTED IN 1884.

UNTIL THEN, PEOPLE WROTE
WITH QUILLS OR STEEL PENS,

WHICH REQUIRED REPEATED DIPPING
IN A BOTTLE OF INK.

THE FOUNTAIN PEN
WAS REVOLUTIONARY

BECAUSE IT HELD ITS OWN INK
IN A BUILT-IN RESERVOIR.

DISCRIMINATING WRITERS
STILL CONSIDER THE FOUNTAIN PEN

THE ULTIMATE WRITING INSTRUMENT.

THESE HIGH-END,
ITALIAN-MADE FOUNTAIN PENS

HAVE A TUBULAR MIDDLE
CALLED THE BARREL,

WHICH HOUSES THE INK RESERVOIR.

THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES
OF MECHANISMS

FOR FILLING THE BARREL.

THIS ONE IS CALLED
THE FILLER PUMP.

IT WORKS JUST LIKE A SYRINGE.

YOU UNSCREW THE END,
WHICH DRAWS A PISTON UPWARD,

CREATING A VACUUM
THAT SUCKS UP THE INK.

WHEN YOU WRITE,

THE INK FLOWS THROUGH
A SPEED-REGULATING FEEDER

TO THE NIB OF THE PEN.

NIBS ARE MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL

OR, IN LUXURY PENS LIKE THESE,
SOLID GOLD.

TO MAKE THE NIB,
ROLLERS FLATTEN A PIECE OF GOLD.

THEN A PRESS CUTS OUT
A STARTING SHAPE,

WITH A STRESS-RELIEF HOLE

TO KEEP THE NIB FROM CRACKING
WHEN IT FLEXES.

ANOTHER PRESS STAMPS THE
CARET MARKING AND COMPANY NAME

THEN BENDS THE PIECE
TO ITS FINAL SHAPE.

A WORKER CUTS THE INK PATHWAY

USING A DIAMOND CUTTING WHEEL
THINNER THAN A HUMAN HAIR.

TO FORTIFY THE NIB'S TIP,

THIS MACHINE WELDS
ON A TINY GLOB OF IRIDIUM,

A DURABLE METAL
IN THE PLATINUM FAMILY.

WORKERS GRIND THE IRIDIUM TIP
TO A PRECISE SIZE AND SHAPE.

THIS IS WHAT DICTATES
THE THICKNESS OF THE PEN'S LINE,

FROM FINE TO BROAD,

AND THE LINE'S STYLE,
SUCH AS ITALIC OR OBLIQUE.

POLISHING IS THE FINAL STOP
ON THE JOURNEY

FROM PLAIN PIECE OF GOLD
TO ORNATE NIB.

THE FEEDER THAT TRANSFERS INK
FROM THE RESERVOIR TO THE NIB

IS MADE FROM A CYLINDRICAL PIECE
OF EBONITE,

WHICH THEY CUT TO A POINT.

THESE BLADES CARVE
GROOVES DOWN THE SIDES.

WHEN YOU WRITE,
THESE GROOVES FILL WITH INK,

REGULATING THE RATE
OF THE INK FLOW.

ONE END OF THE FEEDER
GOES INTO A HOLDER.

THE OTHER END SLIPS
BEHIND THE NIB.

THIS MACHINE PUSHES THE NIB
INTO ITS FINAL POSITION,

WHICH TECHNICIANS VERIFY
UNDER A MAGNIFIER.

ELSEWHERE IN THE FACTORY,

THEY PRODUCE THE PEN'S
EXTERNAL PARTS.

HERE, PRESSES
AND METAL DRAWING MACHINERY

SHAPE STERLING-SILVER DISKS
INTO PEN CAPS.

THE CAP PROTECTS THE NIB,
OF COURSE,

BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES
DECORATIVE FLARE,

OFTEN HAVING GUILLOCHE,

AN INTRICATE,
DIAMOND-CUT ENGRAVING.

THE FACTORY'S COMPUTER-GUIDED
ENGRAVING EQUIPMENT

DECORATES THIS MODEL
WITH SUBTLE STRIPES.

A ROLLING ENGRAVER
THEN APPLIES THE COMPANY'S NAME.

EVERY CAP HAS A CLIP
MADE OF BERYLLIUM COPPER,

A STRONG YET FLEXIBLE METAL
WHICH THEY PLATE IN GOLD.

THE BARREL AND OTHER PARTS
FOR MANY MODELS

ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC RESIN.

AN INJECTION-MOLDING MACHINE
MELTS RESIN PELLETS INTO LIQUID

THEN SHOOTS IT INTO MOLDS.

WHEN THE RESIN SOLIDIFIES,

THE MACHINE EJECTS THE MOLDED
PARTS READY FOR POLISHING.

THE PIECES JOIN TO EACH OTHER
WITH METAL CONNECTING RINGS.

THE PEN ASSEMBLER
CAREFULLY MEASURES

THE PLACEMENT OF THE RESIN
PISTON WITHIN THE BARREL.

ONCE THE PISTON'S INSERTED,

THE EDGE OF THE BARREL
GETS A THIN COAT OF SEALANT

TO PREVENT INK LEAKS.

THEN THE ASSEMBLER
SCREWS ON THE ENDPIECE,

THE SAME ONE YOU UNSCREW

TO DRAW UP THE PISTON
AND FILL THE PEN.

THE FINISHING TOUCH
IS TO MOUNT THE NIB.

FINALLY, EVERY PEN GOES THROUGH
A SPECIFIC SET OF WRITING TESTS

TO ENSURE ITS PERFORMANCE

MEASURES UP
TO ITS STYLISH GOOD LOOKS.