John Neeman, a boutique durable goods maker in Latvia, has produced this lovely video of their process to make a leather belt. Video after the jump.
John Neeman also makes kitchen knives, axes, bows, and various carpentry tools. Their website has some gorgeous photography of some truly fine items.
We are a small crew of craftsmen from Latvia who use our heritage of craftsmanship handed down through many generations to design and create woodworking tools and knives. Our process, our method and mission keep these traditions and crafts alive and well. In this high-tech age, our own traditional craftsmanship is flourishing.
Our company was founded and all the tools designed by Jacob, a carpenter, with a love for traditional woodworking together with his close friend – a local village bladesmith, that has deep knowledge in historical blades and techniques.
We use our hands to produce tools that will live on, telling their story in the hands of the craftsmen after us. Each tool we make is born with energy and personality – a love and care that will be felt daily by each craftsman; a resonance from the heart of the tool.
Towering factories and belching chimneys are not our game. All of our tools are made in our small traditional workshops, using equally traditional methods and techniques. Our focus is on uniqueness and quality, not quantity. We want to help people to remember how to use their hands, to relate their own human energy to their tools – to achieve the true joy of creating something from humble beginnings, as we did.
Our traditions of blacksmithing and woodworking walk step by step together. We are uniting our history, traditions and craftsmanship in one ancient craft – tool making.
