Cane_and_thimbles.jpg Degreasing_with_thimble.jpg Scraping_with_cane.jpg

The raw material procured by the supplier, although it has already been cleaned, still contains grease and a small part of internal sub-mucosa and external serosa, and therefore the increasing tanning (tempra) phases are alternated with phases of scarnitura or scraping: with the back of a knife or with a longitudinally split cane one or more guts are scraped on an inclined board, so as to detach the non-muscular parts and drag them until they come out completely from the gut.

In order to completely eliminate also the fat, which would prevent the subsequent gluing of the various guts, an open metal thimble is used, as in traditional artisan practice: the gut to be degreased passes between the thimble (inserted in the thumb and used as a sharp nail) and the 'index, so as to squeeze out all the residual fat.

In general, various alternating passages of alkaline baths and scraping are required to obtain fili (threads) - that is, whole lamb's intestines, which have become extremely thin after scraping and degreasing - perfectly clean, white and transparent.