Inheritance And Development Of Traditional Leather Making Technology

Splint, awl, hammer, shovel knife, Niang Niu pin, ox horn knife scraper, toolkit, leather gloves, these 8 things constitute the leather making tool of Shuhe cobbler.

Zhang Shaoli said that these tools were able to make leather shoes, Pima boots, leather horses, bells, leather bags, leather belts, leather vests and other leather products.

"The skilled Shuhe cobbler can modify the leather products according to the guests' characteristics and improve the user's comfort," said Bai Zhiyuan, curator of the Shuhe Tea Horse Road Museum.

A pair of shoes and a piece of clothing are made up of many pieces. The coats of Shuhe cobbler skins are commonly used in template technology. These templates carry the experience that has been summed up by generations of cobbler years of practice.

Hair removal, skin kneading, skin drying, skin stamping, painting, cutting, sewing, and sewing, the traditional leather making process of Shuhe cobbler is different from that of different leather products.

In the 60s and 70s of last century, the survival of the traditional artisans met with difficulties.

"In order to live, I have to hide my skin."

Li Jinfeng spoke of the memories of those years.

At that time, the whole leather making process was basically in the evening, and at night, when no one came to Qinglong River,

Originally, the skin must be exposed to the sun, but at that time it could only be smoked in the house, and the price would not be very good, but it would be better than not doing the day.

In the difficult years, Li Jinfeng did not lose sight of it.

From leather to leather, he has a superb craftsmanship.

Nowadays, the cost is high, the leather is too bitter, and many young people are unwilling to learn tanning.

Under such circumstances, the old craftsmanship's traditional skills can hardly be inherited. They have already abandoned the expensive skill, or have not put down the awl for years.

Li Jinfeng, a 74 year old old cobbler, has rarely made leather himself.

Now few people in Shuhe will have traditional leather making methods, starting from a piece of leather until they are made into leather products for at least a month.

Zhang Shaoli said that when he was able to make leather a few years ago, he occasionally made a few things himself, that is, making a memorial for his family and friends.

Traditional tannery technology has long time, many procedures and high cost, and has been gradually eliminated by the rapidly developing commodity economy.

According to historical records, in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, Shuhe imported rice pulp and nitrate to make fur.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, a large number of large scale leather workshops were opened. The Shuhe cobblers began to produce leather goods such as fur robe, fur coat, collar, leather rope, leather bag, round mouth leather shoes, Tibetan high tube shoes, Tibetan belts, wallets and so on. In the 80s of last century, some people spent 300 yuan to customize leather shoes. They said they were of good quality, good skin and comfortable clothes.

Now the shops of old cobbler in Shuhe are hard to see. Li Jinfeng's family is located in the Shuhe fur store in the fifth street of Dayan city.