Cooper’s bending tool

The « A Possen »” Museum presents, through its collections, the history of various trades in the Moselle valley. Among these 19th-century artisans was the cooper.

Barrel-making is highly technical and requires great skill. Several steps, such as measuring, making the staves (boards that form the barrel’s sides), assembling, bending the wood, and hooping, determine the future quality of the barrel.

To perform his work, the cooper uses several tools, including the bender. During the wood-bending process, the cooper tightens and bends the staves by heating and moistening the wood. The staves are gradually tightened using the bending tool and its cable. The cable is tightened by the cooper using a large handle that operates a screw. This bending step, along with the use of the bender, gives the barrel its characteristic curved shape.