Heated knife, cold knife, scratcher, roller and plane compared on cut cleanliness, wax recovery and filtration load, plus the published figures to check before buying an automatic uncapping machine.

Standard frame spacing is 35 mm centre to centre, but the tolerance around it decides whether powered uncapping works. Reference dimensions, accumulated error, machine acceptance ranges, and the tolerance clauses worth specifying.

Thickness, breathability and puncture figures for goatskin, sheepskin, split leather and nitrile coatings, EN 388 and EN ISO 21420 values you can specify, crew size ratios, and the cost table.