Pt 14. Shoemaking Welting, Boars Bristles and Cordwainers Spinning Top 

I always get excited when I see another shoe video on the Channel

The awesomeness of that video title is because I haven't watched it yet and have absolutely no clue what any of that means lol It's fantastic.

When plying a short length, what I do is overspin the thread, then fold it in half and let it ply itself from the fold back to the tips. This way it is less likely to unply itself, although the adhesive helps with that too.

As always very informative, That bit of stitching looked tricky & a bit of an R sole to do. Well l!!!, someone had to say it.

When i learned to make the lin thread (handsewn shoes) by a old shoemaker he told i had to use 6 treads for kids shoes, 7 for females and 9 for mens shoes. The middle point of the threads were put around a nail on the table and i had the 2 other ends in my hand. I had to put "beg" (the sticky thigs) on the treads so they glued together (newer twist it because it dont last so well) and then i had to lay them on the apron and roll it so they became round and sticked together. After i had rolled the hole cord i had to put the pighair on and then roll the cord with beewax again so it worked. The pighair can hold about 80 kg without breaking if made right. You can also get iron needels instead of pighair for shoemaker sewing. (instead of using the hook witch dont fit thick homemade cord)

Magnificent description and demonstration of the boar's bristle preparation. (Improvised very well!) Thanks so much.

This is a really enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing your learning journey!

Superb Harry. What a labour of love. I'll never again complain about the price of a pair of shoes!

Another great instalment, the shoes are looking good. The stitching method is excellent, a great job. Thank you for sharing, regards, Chris.

Good work Harry, I’m enjoying watching the process. I find that the first stitch joining the welt, is to pull the thread through half way and make sure both ends even up, then continue stitching using the jerk needle, rather than tying a second thread to the first. As you say, there’s many different ways to do it, and you’re doing a great job. All the best 👍

Me wife was thinking I watched some obscure chsnnel. She came running out of the kitchen asking: did he just say a ball's hair? I laughed my ass off before i told her it a boar's hair.

Very interesting as always. Keep up the excellent work.

respect man Welts i remember being VERY hard.

I congratulate you ! Well done. Bravo!! I enjoy watching you progress. Best wishes Tony

So good Harry I was stuned when you said about the bores brissel amazin to see can't wait for the rand All the best ash

I agree with you about Bedo's. He's brilliant - and very amusing. Let's continue . . .

Oh to have half of your patience! Great work as always Harry 👍🏼

Thank you so much for sharing this videos, i feel so relaxed when i watch you working and jealous of your workshoo view haha

Fascinating project Harry.

Neat. Just so. I get such pleasure out of watching your progress and the most interesting bits are when you are firing up your brain to improvise some fiddly bit. And I'm jealous of your tools, if I'm honest.

Regarding the drop spindle for plying, look up drop spindle for wool spinning. I suspect the principal is quite the same with wool as with thread. Great videos! So glad I found them. I’ve learned a lot. Thank you!

Fantastic. Very instructive. One small point, the thread is not flax, it's hemp - marked "chanvre" in French.

interesting historical techniques, these shoe vids are pleasant, i watch bedos leatherworks too

Ah, welts... I can still hear the instructors shouting at my 16-year-old younger self that "I haven't polished the welts" when I joined the Royal Navy many years ago...

Fascinating and informative as always, Harry. Cheers, Steve P.S. On a more flippant tangent, the names of cobbling paraphernalia always remind me of Rambling Sid Rumpo's ditties.

I love watching these videos. You have a unique set of tips & takeaways that you just don’t see anywhere else. I am perplexed on one thing though: I cannot find grooving tool comparable to the one you use here. Unsure what available tool will work. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for sharing

Would be nice if you put this in a separate playlist as shoemaking. I downloaded them offline :) Good tutorials that go in depth are hard to find.

Great project! I don't quite grok the ´'to deep' to much inner edge left? to close to the outside?

Nicely done Harry. Though your twine seems to be hemp, not flax.

Very interesting. Thanks for this video. Where did you source your curved awl and the curved stitcher awl/needle?

Ooooo.. (admiration).. Your groover is much sharper than mine. . Look up "drop spindle " I have done a 2 ply with a drop spindle and of course there is more than one correct way of doing it... I did one line on my thigh from a ball.. the other on the spindle feeding over my spindle hand. Did the twist against the thigh... twist the spindle.. let it drop toward the floor between my knees.. if needed the knees can grab the spindle and give me a chance to regain control before a knink becomes a nightmare.

I really wish I could get my hands on a singer patcher sewing machine. So I can make shoes and handbags on it.

OLD LEATHER SMITH here, GREAT JOB, I make moccasins 4 Ren Faire people, any length asked 4 at the sit down, I purchased a gismo that makes thread 4 rigging on ship models that I use 2 make stronger thread, I also like porcupine quills 4 needles, needles and awls are bent on my anvils round horn, I also use a hook with a rectangled closed handle 4 more control, GOD'S BLESSINGS ✝️⚾🙃

i have tried various thread,s, and all rot when under water, in wet weather conditions. any ideas anyone.

I thing you should probably be looking for information on using a " drop bobbin " to ply tread.

if you spin the thread the opposite way from its first spinning, you don't need a ton of the wax to make it stay.

What is the thickness needed for the welt? can it be any thickness? Thanks.

What thickness is the welt ?

Hey , how are you doing buddy . Where could a youngster learn this Lost trade of Cordwaining and Cobber. I’m talking fine quality material handcraft American Made . Like the good ol days . Where could one learn this trade. I’d pay for this craft . PLEase let me know , get back with me

Harry, try the worshipful company of cordwainers cordwainers.org they may be able to provide the info you are looking for. By the way you are doing an excellent job! I was trained in shoemaking and measuring for bespoke shoes and for a first go you are doing really well.

you're from UK don't you

The number of ads on your videos has increased dramatically recently. There were about 10 ads on this video.I think this has happened on RU-vid generally a precursor to making us all subscribe and pay.