All language subtitles for Incredible.Inventions.Series.1.01of10.Swiss.Army.Knife

Narrator: AROUND THE WORLD,
THE RACE TO WIN WARS

AND EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE HAS
CREATED SOME OF THE MOST

INCREDIBLE PRODUCTS
EVER DESIGNED,

AND WE USE THEM EVERY DAY,

UNAWARE OF THEIR
AMAZING ORIGINS.

INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS.

ON INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS:
THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE,

AN ENTIRE TOOL-KIT

IN A POCKET-SIZED RED PACKAGE.

THE WINGLET, A NASA
DEVELOPED DESIGN

THAT NOW HELPS YOU JET
AROUND THE WORLD.

THE ENGLISH SADDLE,

WE SADDLE UP AND EXPLAIN

HOW A HORSE RIDING ESSENTIAL

CREATED THE SHOCK TROOPS
OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

WE REVEAL THE AMAZING HISTORY

AND ENGINEERING BEHIND THESE
INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: THROUGHOUT HISTORY
AN ARMY'S SUCCESS

HAS DEPENDED ON THE QUALITY
OF THEIR GEAR

AS MUCH AS THE TACTICS DEPLOYED

IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE.

Man: ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
FOR EVERY SOLDIER,

EVERY INFANTRYMAN
WANTS TO BE ABLE

TO CARRY ALL HIS KIT WITH HIM.

AND THE LIGHTER IT CAN BE
AND THE MOST FUNCTIONAL IT

CAN BE ENHANCES HIS CAPABILITY
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

Narrator:
FROM THE ROMANS OF ANTIQUITY

TO THE MODERN MILITARY COURSES
OF TODAY,

MOBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY
ARE THE KEY WORDS TO DESCRIBE

THE MOST EFFECTIVE
FIGHTING FORCES IN HISTORY,

AND THEIR EQUIPMENT
HAS TO REFLECT THIS.

IN FACT YOU MIGHT BE
SURPRISED TO FIND

THAT A PRODUCT LIVING
IN A DRAWER

AT HOME WAS DEVELOPED

TO MEET THIS MILITARY NEED.

IT'S THE ABSOLUTE DEFINITION
OF MULTI-PURPOSE --

THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE.

THE IDEA OF INCORPORATING
SEVERAL TOOLS

IN A SMALL, PORTABLE UNIT
IS NOT A NEW ONE.

THE ROMANS HAD THEIR VERY OWN
VERSION OF A SWISS ARMY KNIFE

NEARLY 2,000 YEARS AGO,
COMPLETE WITH SPOON,

FORK, BLADE,

AND THE OBLIGATORY TOOTHPICK.

MADE FROM SOLID SILVER,
THIS LUXURY ITEM

AND THE IDEA FOR A MULTI-TOOL

SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN LOST IN
TIME.

THAT'S BECAUSE FROM THE 1600s
THE BASIC POCKETKNIFE

BECOMES THE HANDY
TOOL OF CHOICE.

THEN, IN THE 1880s,

THE SWISS ARMY REPLACES
THEIR OWN POCKETKNIFE,

GIVING BIRTH TO
A REVOLUTIONARY NEW PRODUCT.

Man: IT WAS DEVELOPED IN ORDER
TO ENABLE THE SOLDIERS

TO DISMANTLE THEIR RIFLE
AND TO CLEAN IT,

AND ALSO TO OPEN
CANNED FOOD.

THEREFORE IT NEEDED
TWO ATTACHMENTS,

A TIN OPENER AND A SCREW
DRIVER.

SO THE SOLUTION
WAS THE MODEL 1890

WHICH WAS A KNIFE MANUFACTURED

BY THE COMPANY VESTA AND CO.

WHICH IS ACTUALLY
A GERMAN COMPANY.

Narrator: SO THE ORIGINAL MODEL
1890 SWISS ARMY KNIFE

IS ACTUALLY GERMAN.

A YEAR LATER BUSINESSMAN
CARL ELSENER

TAKES PRODUCTION OF THE KNIFE
TO THE SWISS TOWN OF IBACH

AND STARTS IMPROVING ITS DESIGN

AND THE NUMBER OF TOOLS
IT CAN CARRY.

Man: CARL ELSENER REFINED
THE DESIGN BY

ADDING A CORKSCREW AND
SCISSORS.

AND THIS MODEL HE CALLED IT

[ SPEAKING GERMAN ]
THE --

WHICH ACTUALLY MEANS
"SWISS OFFICER KNIFE."

AND AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR,

THE [ SPEAKING GERMAN ]

WAS ACTUALLY HARD FOR AMERICANS
TO PRONOUNCE.

SO IT WAS DECIDED TO NICKNAME
IT
THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE.

Narrator: WITH OVER 800 TOOLS
TO
CHOOSE FROM,

THE VICTORINOX FACTORY
IN IBACH PRODUCES

350 DIFFERENT VERSIONS
OF THE KNIFE

WITH AN EYE-WATERING
17 MILLION KNIFE PARTS

BEING MANUFACTURED EVERY YEAR.

THE MANUFACTURING
PROCESS STARTS

WITH A 3 MILLIMETER THICK
COIL OF HIGH QUALITY

STAINLESS STEEL BEING FED
INTO A PUNCHING MACHINE.

THE METAL IS FORCED
AGAINST THE DIE

TO PUNCH OUT THE BASIC
BLADE SHAPES

INCLUDING THE NAIL GROOVE
USED TO OPEN THE KNIFE.

A SINGLE COIL CONTAINS

ENOUGH STEEL FOR 30,000 BLADES

TO BE PUNCHED IN ONE PASS.

THE OTHER TOOLS
SUCH AS THE CAN-OPENER

ARE MADE IN THE SAME WAY.

THE BLADES ARE THEN
FED INTO A MACHINE

THAT CONTAINS
A VIBRATING MIXTURE OF STONES

AND WATER WHICH
POLISHES THE STEEL.

ONCE POLISHED A POWERFUL
MAGNET REMOVES

THE BLADES FROM THE STONE.

THE BLADES ARE STILL
FAR TOO THICK,

SO THIS MACHINE
GRINDS THEM FLAT TO

WITHIN A TOLERANCE OF LESS
THAN THE WIDTH OF A HUMAN HAIR,

TO PREVENT THEM JAMMING

WHEN THE KNIFE
IS OPENING AND CLOSING.

AT THIS POINT
THE BLADES ARE STAMPED

WITH THEIR TRADEMARK
AND THEN ENTER A FURNACE

THAT IS HEATED
TO 2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

ONCE HEATED TO THE CORRECT
TEMPERATURE THE BLADES

ARE QUICKLY COOLED WHICH
HARDENS
AND TOUGHENS THE METAL FURTHER.

ONCE THE BLADE IS SHARPENED IT
IS READY FOR ASSEMBLY.

THE SHAPE OF THE BLADE INCLUDES
A NOTCH AT THE BACK

OF THE KNIFE EDGE
WHICH IS PART OF AN OPENING

AND CLOSING SYSTEM
FOR POCKETKNIVES

THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE
FOR OVER 300 YEARS.

THIS IS CALLED
A SLIP JOINT.

Man: SLIP JOINT KNIVES
HAVE AN INTERNAL SPRING

WHICH IS MORE LIKE
A SMALL PIECE OF METAL

AND THIS SPRING NEEDS
TO BE OVERCOME IN ORDER

TO CLOSE AND OPEN THE KNIFE.

Narrator: THE FLAGSHIP
VICTORINOX KNIFE

IS THE SWISS CHAMP

WITH AN AMAZING NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT TOOLS.

THIS HAND-ASSEMBLED MULTI-TOOL
WONDER STARTS LIFE

WITH FOUR PINS
THAT ALL THE PARTS

WILL SLOT ONTO TO CREATE
ONE BIG METAL SANDWICH.

A MIXTURE OF TOOLS, SPACERS,
SPRINGS AND ATTACHMENTS

ARE BUILT UP
TO FORM THE CHAMP,

WITH METAL FITTINGS
CALLED BUSHINGS MACHINED

ONTO THE PINS
TO FIX THE TOOL TOGETHER.

THE BLADE IS THEN
GIVEN A FINAL FINISH.

THE DISTINCTIVE
RED PLASTIC HANDLES

OF THE SWISS ARMY
KNIFE ARE CALLED SCALES.

THESE ARE MADE IN THE FACTORY'S
INJECTION MOLDING DEPARTMENT

AND ARE EMBLAZONED
WITH THE VICTORINOX SHIELD,

READY TO BE ATTACHED
TO THE FINISHED TOOL.

TWO SCALES ARE PLACED
INTO A MACHINE

AND THE TOOL BUNDLE
IS POSITIONED BETWEEN THEM,

AND THE SCALES ARE PUSHED DOWN
TO FIX THEM TO THE BUSHINGS.

THE ONE INCH WIDE TOOL
IS NOW FINISHED --

BUT ALL 33 OF ITS ATTACHMENTS

STILL NEED TO BE CHECKED
BEFORE IT CAN BE SENT OUT

TO OVER 120 COUNTRIES
AROUND THE WORLD.

WHICH INCREDIBLE INVENTION
ALLOWS US

TO JET AROUND THE WORLD SAFELY

AND WITH LESS DAMAGE
TO THE ENVIRONMENT?

FIND OUT AFTER THE BREAK.

Narrator:
WHETHER IT'S JETTING OFF

FOR A MUCH DESERVED VACATION,

OR TRAVELING FOR BUSINESS,
AIR TRAVEL

HAS BECOME A FAMILIAR PART
OF EVERY DAY LIFE.

WE ASSUME THE AIRCRAFT
WILL PROPEL INTO THE SKY,

BUT HOW MANY OF US ACTUALLY
UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE

BEHIND WHAT KEEPS IT UP THERE?

IT'S THE WINGS OF COURSE --
BUT HOW DO THEY WORK,

AND HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED
WHAT THOSE VERTICAL WING TIPS

ON AIRLINERS ACTUALLY DO?

AND DID YOU KNOW
THEY'RE CONNECTED TO NASA?

THE ANSWERS ALL LIE
WITH UNDERSTANDING

JUST HOW AN AIRCRAFT
WING ACTUALLY WORKS.

WITH WINGS YOU NORMALLY
HAVE A CURVED SURFACE

WHICH MEANS THE AIR

THAT'S GOING OVER
ON A NORMAL PLANE'S

TOP SURFACE OF THE WING
HAS FURTHER

TO GO THAN THE AIR
THAT'S ON THE LOWER SURFACE.

IF THE AIR ON THE TOP SURFACE
HAS GOTTA GO FURTHER

THAN THE AIR
ON THE LOWER SURFACE

THEN IT'S GONNA TRAVEL FASTER

AND THAT GENERATES EFFECTIVELY

A LOW PRESSURE
ON THE TOP SURFACE

AND HIGH PRESSURE
ON THE LOWER SURFACE.

AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY
THE PRESSURE DIFFERENCE

THAT GENERATES
A VERTICAL FORCE.

SO THE BIGGER THE WING
THE BIGGER THE FORCE.

Narrator: THIS AMAZING
AERODYNAMIC PRINCIPLE

HAS BEEN THE SECRET
TO POWERED FLIGHT

EVER SINCE THE WRIGHT BROTHERS
FIRST FLEW IN 1903.

THOUGH THE DIFFERENCE
IN AIR PRESSURES

AROUND A WING ALSO GENERATE
LESS FAVORABLE CHARACTERISTICS,

NAMELY WING TIP VORTICES.

A WING TIP VORTEX IS CREATED

AS HIGH PRESSURE AIR LEAKS

FROM BELOW THE SURFACE
OF THE WING TIP.

THIS HIGH PRESSURE AIR SPILLS
OVER THE TOP

AND INTO LOW PRESSURE
SPACE ABOVE THE WING.

THIS BEHAVIOR CREATES
A PATH OF SWIRLING AIR

THAT TRAILS EACH WING
TIP WITH ITS STRENGTH

AND SIZE DETERMINED
BY MANY FACTORS,

INCLUDING THE AIRCRAFT'S
WEIGHT AND AIRSPEED.

Man: ON A LARGE PLANE YOU MIGHT
SEE REALLY BIG VORTICES

COMING OFF THE WING TIPS

AND GETTING SHED OFF DOWN,

MAYBE STICKING IN THE AIR
FOR A COUPLE OF MILES OR SO.

AND IT ALSO DETRACTS

FROM THE EFFICIENCY
OF THE AIRCRAFT.

YOU CAN GET ADDITIONAL DRAG

FROM THE FORMATION
OF VORTICES AND THE MESS,

THE LOSSES THAT
COME ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

Narrator: DRAG IS NOT THE ONLY
NEGATIVE ASPECT

OF WING TIP VORTICES.

VORTICES ARE ALSO
A COMPONENT PART

OF WEIGHT TURBULENCE,
WHICH IS THE DISTURBED AIR

THAT FORMS BEHIND
AN AIRCRAFT AS IT MOVES.

THIS TURBULENCE CAN POTENTIALLY
BE A DANGEROUS HAZARD

FOR ANY FOLLOWING AIRCRAFT.

Man:
IF YOU IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN FLYING INTO AIR

WHICH IS UNIFORMLY
COMING TOWARDS YOU

AND THEN YOU IMAGINE
FLYING THROUGH A VORTEX

WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY SPINNING.

DEPENDING ON THE SIZE
OF VEHICLE THAT

YOU'RE IN AND THE POSITION

OF THE VEHICLE COMPARED
TO THOSE VORTICES,

THEY CAN HAVE THE POWER
TO FLIP AIRCRAFT OVER.

IF YOU'RE COMING TO LAND
A SMALL PLANE

ON THE SAME RUNWAY,
FOR EXAMPLE,

WHERE A LARGE PLANE HAS EITHER
JUST TAKEN OFF OR JUST LANDED.

THEN THAT CAN BE
PRETTY DANGEROUS.

Narrator:
DANGEROUS TURBULENCE? DRAG?

NOW, THIS IS WHERE NASA
AND THE WINGLETS COME IN.

THE WINGLET IS NOT
A NEW CONCEPT,

WITH THE EARLIEST EXAMPLE
DATING BACK TO 1910.

IN ITS MOST BASIC FORM
A WINGLET IS AN ANGLED
EXTENSION

OF A WING TIP THAT SITS
AT 90 DEGREES TO THE WING.

TRADITIONALLY
THIS EXTENSION SUNK

BELOW THE WING
SUCH AS THE EXAMPLE

ON THIS GERMAN HEINKEL 162A

FROM WORLD WAR II.

SO WHAT ARE THESE DESIGNS
TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

Man:
THE IDEA BEHIND A WINGLET

IS EFFECTIVELY TO PROVIDE
A BOUNDARY FOR THE FLOW

WHICH IS ATTEMPTING TO WRAP
FROM THE PRESSURE SURFACE

OF A WING ONTO THE SUCTION
SURFACE OF THE WING.

SO YOU'RE TRYING TO REDUCE
THE EFFECT OF THIS TIP VORTEX.

Narrator: THE DESIGN
AND PLACEMENT OF WINGLETS

ARE CRITICAL
TO THEIR PERFORMANCE.

IN RESPONSE
TO THE OIL CRISIS OF 1973,

WHICH SAW AN INCREDIBLE RISE
IN THE COST OF FUEL,

NASA ENGINEER
RICHARD T. WHITCOMB

DEVELOPED THE NEAR VERTICAL
WINGLET DESIGN

WE ARE
SO FAMILIAR WITH TODAY.

THROUGHOUT TIME AERODYNAMICISTS
OBSERVED HOW SOARING BIRDS

IN FLIGHT SUCH EAGLES GLIDED
WITH NEAR VERTICAL WING TIPS.

IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH
FOR THE BIRDS,

THEN IT WAS GOOD
ENOUGH FOR NASA.

WHITCOMB CAME UP WITH
SMALL VERTICAL AIR FOILS

AND BY 1976 HIS RESEARCH SHOWS

THAT WINGLETS EMPLOYED
ON TRANSPORT SIZED AIRCRAFT

CAN DIMINISH INDUCED DRAG
BY APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT

AND IMPROVE THE OVERALL LIFT
TO DRAG RATIO

BY 6 TO 9 PERCENT.

TWENTY YEARS LATER,
THE COMMERCIAL AIRLINE INDUSTRY

STARTS TO SEE
THE BENEFITS OF ADDING

A BLENDED WINGLET TO THEIR
OWN FLEET'S WINGS.

THERE ARE NOW A WIDE VARIETY

OF WINGLET DESIGNS
AND MANUFACTURERS

AND IT HAS BEEN
CALCULATED THAT PLANES

WITH WINGLET DESIGNS
CAN SEE FUEL SAVINGS OF BETWEEN

4 TO 6 PERCENT.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WELL, IT'S BEEN CALCULATED
BY ONE MANUFACTURER

THAT THEIR BLENDED WINGS

HAVE SAVED OVER
5 BILLION GALLONS OF FUEL

SINCE THEIR INTRODUCTION
15 YEARS AGO.

AS A RESULT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
HAVE BEEN SAVED

AND TENS OF MILLIONS
OF TONS LESS CARBON DIOXIDE

HAVE BEEN EMITTED
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

THE WINGLET, TRULY
AN INCREDIBLE INVENTION.

COMING UP NEXT,
"INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS"

TAKES A LOOK AT
A SHOCK-ABSORBING MARVEL --

BUT FIRST AN EXPERIMENT TO
PROVE

JUST HOW EFFECTIVE WINGLETS
ARE.

Narrator:
THE INVENTION OF THE WINGLET

IS SAID TO BE SAVING AIRLINES

A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY,

BUT IT'S TIME
WE TEST THE BENEFITS

OF THIS COOL INNOVATION
FOR OURSELVES.

WE'VE COME TO
"INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS"
AIRFIELD

TO FIND OUT.

THE EXPERIMENT BELOVED
BY BORED SCHOOL BOYS

AND FRUSTRATED FLYERS
EVERYWHERE,

THE PAPER PLANE IS THE CLASSIC
LOW COST ENTRY INTO

THE WORLD
OF AVIATION.

TO BEGIN, WE CREATE
FIVE IDENTICAL PAPER PLANES.

EACH FLYER IS MADE
FROM A STANDARD

PIECE OF RED PAPER

USING THE BASIC
FOLDING TECHNIQUE

REFINED OVER MANY GENERATIONS
OF CLASSROOM CHAOS.

NOW, FOR THE WINGLET PLANES,
USING GREEN PAPER THIS TIME --

WELL, THIS IS FUEL
SAVING TECHNOLOGY --

FIVE OTHER IDENTICAL
PAPER PLANES ARE MADE.

THE WINGLETS ARE CREATED

BY FOLDING THE WINGS
IN ON THEMSELVES.

THIS CREATES A HALF-INCH LONG
WINGLET

THAT SHOULD REDUCE
THE AIRCRAFT'S DRAG

AND STABILIZE IT IN FLIGHT --
OR, SO THE THEORY GOES.

ONE FLIGHT AREA
IS LAID OUT WITH MARKINGS

PLACED EVERY TEN FEET.

NOW THE TEST CAN BEGIN.

EACH PLAIN WILL BE
RELEASED 5 TIMES

TO REDUCE ANY INCONSISTENCIES

THAT MAY OCCUR
DURING EACH FLIGHT.

A CONSISTENT RELEASE
IS CRITICAL

AND OUR TESTER EXHIBITS
THE PERFECT TECHNIQUE.

A WIDE STANCE,
SHOULDERS BACK,

PERFECT ARM BENDING ACTION.

THE PLANES ARE RELEASED
AND WE SOON GET TO SEE

HOW THE WINGLET
ADAPTED PLANES

PERFORM AGAINST THEIR
STANDARDIZED COUSINS.

AFTER A HECTIC BARRAGE OF
PAPER PROJECTILES

THE RESULTS ARE IN.

IN THIS SHOT WE HAVE PLOTTED

WHERE EACH OF
THE RED PLANES LANDED.

IF WE OVERLAY THE GREEN FLIGHTS

I THINK WE CAN
SEE A CLEAR WINNER.

THE WINGLETS ARE VICTORIOUS --
WITH ONE GREEN PLANE

ACTUALLY ACHIEVING
THE LONGEST FLIGHT DISTANCE,

A REMARKABLE 40 FEET.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT,
POINT PROVED --

THE WINGLET REALLY IS
AN AERODYNAMIC WONDER.

TODAY'S SADDLE ORIGINATES
IN MILITARY HISTORY.

THE FIRST DEPICTIONS
OF A SADDLE SHOW

THE ASSYRIAN CAVALRY
FROM 700 B.C.

IN THESE EARLY CARVINGS

WE CAN SEE WARRIORS
RIDING HORSES

SEATED UPON A PIECE
OF CLOTH OR LEATHER,

SECURED BY STRAPS
NOT TOO DISSIMILAR

TO THE HORSE TACK OF TODAY.

BUT IT IS THE INTRODUCTION
OF STIRRUPS

TO THE SADDLE THAT CAUSES
A MILITARY REVOLUTION.

A MOUNTED WARRIOR SITTING A TOP
A SADDLE WITH STIRRUPS

NOW GAINS ALL KINDS
ADVANTAGES IN COMBAT.

HAVING THE STIRRUPS ADDED
TO THE SADDLE

JUST CHANGES COMPLETELY THE WAY

YOU CAN FIGHT
ON THE BACK OF A HORSE.

YOU CAN STAND UP,
YOU HAVE A PLATFORM IF YOU
LIKE.

SO SAY YOU HAVE A SWORD
IN YOUR HAND,

FOOT SOLDIERS
COMING CHARGING TOWARDS YOU,

YOU CAN STAND UP IN YOUR HORSE
YOU CAN REACH OUT

AND YOU CAN REALLY GO
FOR THAT FOOT SOLDIER

WITHOUT SLIPPING AND FALLING
OFF
THE SIDE OF THE HORSE.

Narrator: BUT WHAT MAKES
THE MODERN SADDLE

EVEN MORE SPECIAL?
WE FIND OUT

AND SEE HOW IT'S MADE
WHEN WE RETURN.

Narrator: NOMADIC GROUPS SUCH
AS
THE SARMATIANS AND MONGOLS

CONQUERED LARGE SWATHES
OF TERRITORY ON HORSEBACK.

THEN, WHEN THE STIRRUP
IS INTRODUCED

TO A NEW EUROPEAN WARRIOR
CLASS,

AN ULTIMATE FIGHTING
MACHINE ARISES,

THE MOUNTED KNIGHT.

WE THINK OF KNIGHTS,
ARMORED KNIGHTS,

WE CAN THINK OF THE NORMAN
TIME,

THE NORMAN INVASION
11TH CENTURY,

THAT KIND OF PERIOD.

ON THE SPEED OF THEIR HORSE

AND THEIR LANCE
COUCHED UNDER THEIR ARM

THE STABILITY OF THE SADDLE

AND THE STIRRUPS MEANT
THAT ALL THAT POWER

IS TRANSFERRED DOWN
THE END OF THAT POINT.

THEY WOULD DRIVE THROUGH,

PUNCH HOLES THROUGH
THE ENEMY LINES,

A LITTLE BIT LIKE
THE MODERN-DAY TANK.

Narrator: NEARLY 3,000 YEARS
AFTER THEIR INTRODUCTION
SADDLES

ARE STILL BEING MADE
ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IN WALSALL, ENGLAND,
THE SADDLE COMPANY

CONTINUES THE ANCIENT
ART OF SADDLE MAKING.

AS A MASTER SADDLER

WITH 48 YEARS EXPERIENCE
DAVID JOHNSON'S SADDLES

ARE MADE BY COMBINING
TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP

WITH MODERN TECHNIQUES
AND MATERIALS TO IMPROVE

THE PERFORMANCE
OF A SADDLE TODAY.

SADDLES ARE MADE
FOR BOTH THE HORSE

AND THE RIDER IN TERMS
OF COMFORT AND DURABILITY.

LIKE US HORSES
COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES,

AND EVERY SADDLE NEEDS
TO BE TAILORED

TO COMFORTABLY
FIT EACH INDIVIDUAL HORSE.

FOR THIS SADDLE THE FRAME,
KNOWN AS THE TREE,

IS MADE FROM POLYURETHANE.

THE FLEXIBLE METAL STRIP

CALLED A GULLET PLATE
IS ATTACHED TO THE TREE.

THIS PLATE CAN BE ADJUSTED
TO CREATE A TAILORED FIT

FOR THE HORSE
ONCE THE SADDLE IS FINISHED.

NEXT THEY RIVET A STIRRUP BAR
THROUGH THE TREE

WHICH WILL BE USED TO ATTACH
THE STIRRUPS TO THE SADDLE.

AN ADHESIVE IS BRUSHED
ON TO THE TREE

AND A FOAM PAD
IS GLUED INTO POSITION.

ANOTHER THICKER FOAM PAD
IS ADDED FOR CUSHIONING.

A KNIFE IS USED
TO TRIM THE FOAM,

A TEMPLATE IS THEN USED
TO TRACE THE SEAT SHAPE

AND THE FOAM IS ROUGHLY
CUT INTO SHAPE.

A TOOL CALLED A RASP
GRAZES AWAY EXCESS FOAM

AND GIVES THE SEAT
A DEFINED SIZE AND SHAPE.

WHILE THE SADDLE SEAT
IS BEING SHAPED,

ANOTHER WORKER STARTS TO CUT
OUT
THE LEATHER PIECES

THAT WILL MAKE UP THE SADDLE
FLAPS AND COVER THE TREE.

FIRST HE INSPECTS THE LEATHER
FOR ANY DEFECTS.

HE CAREFULLY TRACES
THE DIFFERENT PIECES

THAT MAKE UP
THE SADDLE WITH CHALK.

THE LEATHER PIECES ARE THEN FED
INTO A SKIVING MACHINE,

THIS MACHINE SHAVES
THE EDGES OF THE LEATHER.

THESE EDGES, NOW THINNER,
WILL BE EASIER

TO STITCH LATER
ON IN THE PROCESS.

A GLUE IS APPLIED
TO THE CUT PIECES

TO HOLD THEM TOGETHER
BEFORE A MACHINIST

WILL PERMANENTLY
STITCH THEM INTO PLACE.

THE TWO PIECES
ARE PUSHED TOGETHER

WITH THE AID OF A TOOL
MADE FROM WHALE BONE,

THIS MATERIAL IS USED

BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SCRATCH
OR SCAR THE LEATHER.

A MACHINIST THEN STITCHES
THE PIECES OF LEATHER TOGETHER.

WITH THE LEATHER PIECES
PREPARED AND MACHINED

A SADDLE MAKER STARTS
TO CONSTRUCT THE SADDLE.

TO BEGIN THE WORKER STUFFS
THE PANEL

WITH A MIXTURE OF WOOL
AND SYNTHETIC MATERIALS.

TWO PANELS WILL BE ATTACHED
TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SADDLE.

THE PANELS ARE DESIGNED
FOR THE HORSE'S COMFORT

WITH ONE SITTING
ON EACH SIDE OF ITS BACK.

NEXT, THE LEATHER SEAT COVER
IS ATTACHED TO THE TREE.

THE COVER IS PULLED
OVER THE TREE

AND FIXED IN PLACE WITH
STAPLES.

AN EXPERIENCED EYE
IS ALL-IMPORTANT

AS THE SADDLE MAKER TRIMS

AWAY EXCESS LEATHER AND SHAPES
THE COVER INTO POSITION.

WITH THE SEAT FIRMLY IN
POSITION
ON THE TREE,

THE FLAPS, PANEL, STRAPS,
AND VARIOUS FIXINGS AND BUCKLES

ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER
AND STAPLED INTO POSITION.

THE PANEL IS THE LAST PIECE
TO BE ATTACHED AND AFTER

STAPLING IT TO THE BACK
OF THE SADDLE

THE FRONT IS HAND-STITCHED
TO THE POMMEL.

THIS IS CALLED LACING IT IN.

THE SADDLE IS NOW COMPLETE

AND READY TO BE SHIPPED
NEARLY 12,000 MILES

AWAY TO ITS NEW OWNER
IN NEW ZEALAND.

SO, THE SADDLE,

THOUSANDS OF YEARS
OF MILITARY DEVELOPMENT

USED FOR MORE PEACEFUL
PURSUITS TODAY.

NOW, THAT IS
AN INCREDIBLE INVENTION.

SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT.

A GLANCE THROUGH THE HIDDEN
HISTORY, SUPER SCIENCE,

AND AMAZING PRODUCTS
THAT YOU USE EVERY DAY

BUT YOU MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED

THEIR FASCINATING BACKGROUNDS.

THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE,

THE WINGLET,
AND THE SADDLE.

THEY MAY SEEM COMMON
AND ORDINARY

HOWEVER THESE PRODUCTS
HELPED CHANGE THE WORLD

ONE INCREDIBLE INVENTION
AT A TIME.