'See the free clog-making demonstration at the Zaanse Schans'
How is a clog made?
At the end of the 19th century, to deal with high demand, special machines were developed for the large-scale manufacture of clogs. Making clogs by hand was far too labour-intensive and took at least two hours per pair. The eighty year-old machines are still used today during our clog-making demonstrations.
1
The machine traces the shape of a model clog.
2
The system is more or less identical to the copying of keys. Based on the model shoe, a block of wood is copied into a clog shape using quickly revolving knives.
3
A second machine uses the same technique to trace and cut out the inside of the clog using razor-sharp rotating drills.
4
The frame with the model and the clog tilts so that the drills can get into the nose of the clog and hollow out the inside.
5
The heel and point of the roughly hollowed clog are cut into the correct shape using a paalmes, a special clog-making tool. This is still done by hand.
6
The inside and outside of the shoe are made smooth using a grinding belt.
7
In order to be able to work with the wood, it must be made up of approximately 60% water.