https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/textiles-clothing-fashion/882518-bimsen.html

bimsen

English translation: scouring; pumicing

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:bimsen
English translation:scouring; pumicing
Entered by: AnnS

15:52 Dec 3, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Textiles / Clothing / Fashion / Making shoes by hand
German term or phrase: bimsen
This term appears in a description of how shoes are made. None of the translations I have been able to find (to drill, to fluff) seem relevant here. There must be a correct English term for this process. However, having spent hours on the Internet and searching encyclopedias I'm still none the wiser. Can anyone help? Here's the context:
Das Bimsen bezeichnet das Umschlagen und Verkleben der Laufsohle über die Naht.
AnnS
Local time: 00:31
scouring
Explanation:
I don't think the definition of Bimsen ist correct.

A Bimsstein is a purnice stone, and this site seems to confirm that bimsen refers to some kind of leather treatment:

Leder mit vollem, natürlichen Narben, wie er nach Entfernung der Epidermis sichtbar wird. Der Narben wird weder durch Bimsen noch durch Schleifen oder Spalten verändert.
http://www.halfs.de/Neue_Dateien/lexikonlede.html

IMO, this corresponds to the act of 'scouring' as described here:

· Scouring the edges or bottom
Rubbing it with a rubbing stone [Holme, 1688]


Found this in a truly excellent and very comprehensive research glossary:

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/RESEARCH/G...


The definition of Bimsen must refer to something else, maybe to:

· Inseaming ("The Sewing")
1. "Sewing on the sole" Sewing the Insole to the welt or rand. [Holme, 1688]
2. The sewing together of uppers, insole and welt. [Goubitz, 2001]

from the above glossary.
HTH


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Note added at 1 hr 38 mins (2004-12-03 17:31:52 GMT)
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Sorry, I must have done something to the link, it does not seem to work. Here\'s another attempt.

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/RESEARCH/G...

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Note added at 1 hr 41 mins (2004-12-03 17:34:13 GMT)
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and here\'s the section I quoted from:
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/RESEARCH/G...
Selected response from:

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 16:31
Grading comment
I went for this answer as I found references to scouring machines and so on but couldn't find much about pumicing in this context. I'm extremely grateful for your input and all the references, Johanna, also to everyone else who contributed. I tried ringing up shoemakers and cobblers but got nowhere there either. I have come to the conclusion that the text was probably misleading and scouring/Bimsen perhaps refers to the grinding process described in the last sentence of my extract.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2scouring
Johanna Timm, PhD
1buff
HelenY


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
scouring


Explanation:
I don't think the definition of Bimsen ist correct.

A Bimsstein is a purnice stone, and this site seems to confirm that bimsen refers to some kind of leather treatment:

Leder mit vollem, natürlichen Narben, wie er nach Entfernung der Epidermis sichtbar wird. Der Narben wird weder durch Bimsen noch durch Schleifen oder Spalten verändert.
http://www.halfs.de/Neue_Dateien/lexikonlede.html

IMO, this corresponds to the act of 'scouring' as described here:

· Scouring the edges or bottom
Rubbing it with a rubbing stone [Holme, 1688]


Found this in a truly excellent and very comprehensive research glossary:

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/RESEARCH/G...


The definition of Bimsen must refer to something else, maybe to:

· Inseaming ("The Sewing")
1. "Sewing on the sole" Sewing the Insole to the welt or rand. [Holme, 1688]
2. The sewing together of uppers, insole and welt. [Goubitz, 2001]

from the above glossary.
HTH


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 38 mins (2004-12-03 17:31:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, I must have done something to the link, it does not seem to work. Here\'s another attempt.

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/RESEARCH/G...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 41 mins (2004-12-03 17:34:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

and here\'s the section I quoted from:
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/RESEARCH/G...

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 16:31
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 242
Grading comment
I went for this answer as I found references to scouring machines and so on but couldn't find much about pumicing in this context. I'm extremely grateful for your input and all the references, Johanna, also to everyone else who contributed. I tried ringing up shoemakers and cobblers but got nowhere there either. I have come to the conclusion that the text was probably misleading and scouring/Bimsen perhaps refers to the grinding process described in the last sentence of my extract.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: Hello Johanna. I just searched this page for "pumice" and didn't find it. Now I see you have the typo "purnice". Anyway, a pumice (stone) is the sort of thing you'd rub something with to scour it (get rid of surface gunk); so your suggestion may be right.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks , Richard, for spotting the typo.

agree  trautlady: I agree with Johanna
6 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
buff


Explanation:
I'm not sure about this at all, as I know nothing about shoe making, but the Hohenadel textile dictionary gives "buffing machine" as "Bimsmaschine", so that would fit in with your guess. In hat making, this is a pumicing machine, and "bimsen" is given as to "pounce", but again, I'd have to check if I can find a reference to that, as I've not heard it in this context.

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Note added at 4 hrs 43 mins (2004-12-03 20:36:36 GMT)
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\"Pounce\" can also mean to smooth down by rubbing with a pounce or pumice

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Note added at 4 hrs 57 mins (2004-12-03 20:50:10 GMT)
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Pounce seems to be specific to hat-making: \"In hat manufacturing, the operation of the subjecting the felt hood or body to a mechanical treatment with emery paper to produce a smooth finish.\" (REsil textiles dictionary), so ignore that!

HelenY
PRO pts in category: 4
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