The making of parchment:

'Dry, then shave them with a sharp knife, after which, leave for two days out of the sun…'

The skin is now further treated to make the skin even cleaner and more supple and to prepare the parchment for its eventual use. Using a not sharp half moon knife the tensioned skin is firmly scraped in order to remove the remaining water. The same knife is used to make the fleshside as clean and smooth as possible. Chalk is rubbed into the fleshside using a pumice stone. By this means the parchment is kneaded and evened out. The cords are continually being tightened and the parchment gradually becomes thinner with an overall increase in the surface area. The still damp areas are drawn into the chalk as are any still remaining soluble pieces in the skin. The chalk helps to make the colour even. After a few days the chalk and other debris can be removed from the surface using the half moon knife. Finally the half moon knife, sharpened and then given a burr on one side, is used as a scraper to remove a thin horny layer from the surface of the hair side. When this is carried out both sides have the same characteristics and with the parchment being thinner can be used for restoration purposes, a quality also much in demand with calligraphers