"Scraping the péi" is a highly skilled, fully manual step in making glasses. It refers to carefully shaping and smoothing the surface of acetate (sheet material) temple arms. "Péi" is a Cantonese term that means "temple arm"-this hand-finishing is one of the main ways to tell high-quality handmade glasses apart from mass-produced ones.
At Deepward, every temple arm is hand-finished by artisans with 10+ years of experience, with no machines taking over. First, the raw acetate is pressed into a rough shape, then cut to a basic form with a milling machine. Only then do our artisans begin the "scraping péi" process.Our artisans use special knives and files.
First, they examine the rough temple arm under natural light, marking where to remove excess material.
Then, they work with millimeter-level precision:
Shaping: They trim the edges to create a smooth, curved shape that fits snugly behind your ear.
Smoothing: They polish the inner side (which touches your skin) to remove all roughness from the raw acetate, making it feel soft against your skin.
Checking: Finally, they hold the temple arm up to the light again to make sure every line flows naturally, with no sharp edges.
This skill depends entirely on experience and feel. Our artisans have spent years practicing to get every detail right-controlling the pressure, angle, and amount of material removed with every stroke. The result is a temple arm that looks great and feels perfectly comfortable against your skin. Each pair of glasses carries the artisan's personal care and attention-something no machine can copy.
👉 Experience the handmade difference:
If you want to see this craft in person, we invite you to visit our workshop and watch our artisans at work. You can also admire the charm of our finished acetate glasses up close.
FAQ
1. Q: Why is this hand-finishing only done on acetate temple arms?
A: Acetate is a flexible, smooth material that responds well to hand-shaping. Materials like metal or plastic are usually made with molds or machine polishing, which can't create the same subtle, comfortable curves. So this hand-finishing is unique to acetate temple arms.
2. Q: What's the difference between our hand-finished temple arms and machine-made ones?
A: Machine-made temple arms are smooth but have stiff, uniform curves. Our hand-finished arms are shaped to fit the natural curve of your face, with a softer, smoother feel against your skin. Each one is slightly different, giving you a truly personalized fit and comfort that machines can't match.
3. Q: Why do you still use this manual process when machines are faster?
A: Machines are fast, but they can't match the precision and care of a skilled artisan. Hand-finishing lets us adjust every small detail to ensure the best fit and feel. It also adds a unique, personal touch to every pair of glasses-something mass-produced glasses can never have. We believe that only handcrafting can give glasses their true "wearable soul."
