Looking at how some old leather brogue shoes have been made, by tearing them apart. These provide lots of insights into how shoes are made, that will be useful for when I make my first pair of shoes.
My suggestion is to take a look at Bedo's Leatherworks. I think Steve is based in Virginia USA. He is a pure artist when it comes to repairing shoes and bags. His humor is easy and I cannot believe I know what gemming is. Just a suggestion Harry.
@@harryrogers I cannot explain why I am fascinated with Steve's work. I will eat my lunch watching him repair/rework/restore objects. Weird right? Just so interesting. Shoes, we all wear them. Who knew there was a steel, wood or plastic counter inside. I now use the same contact cement he recommended. Works well for my small leather projects. Than you for your videos.
Very interesting, Harry. You always come up with the best ideas for projects. I'm not sure how you have the time to do this and keep up with your production work. One of my first jobs was working in a shoe factory. We only made some of the components, the shoes were completed at another plant. After a year of that, I was highly motivated to join the Navy and train for a skill. Thanks for the video and look forward to the build.
I was in physio one day and heard an old guy proudly announcing, (after the physio had remarked on his shoes), how he always had his shoes hand made and took good care of his feet. I asked what his appointment was for and it turned out he was having physio as his, "knees were knackered"! 🤣🤣
There's nothing wrong with pulling things apart. One website (Rose Anvil), cuts shoes and boots in half during every episode just to compare quality and prices so people can decide if they're worth buying. The manufacturers must quiver in fear, waiting for their boots to be featured. When I was a child, I used to frequent the Army Surplus Stores and get all sorts of interesting things to pull to pieces, just to find out how they worked. My favourite things were loud speakers, headphones, wind-up gramophones, telephone bells and hand cranked generators. The Children's Encyclopedia was my reference for pictures and explanations of their function. By having the two resources together I certainly learned a lot by the time I got to High School.
Dav that sounds just like me as a youngster. Neighbours used to donate broken stuff so I could see how it worked...very occasionally I managed a repair. It sounds like you got your hands on some very good bits of kit!
A lot of the way Shoe's are built is to save money. The less used in making the Shoe, the more you could charge, or leave and save on Materiel cost. If you are going to make your Shoes then don't save on Materiel's. Put into your shoe and have a long lasting Shoe. I wouldn't use Cork. Cork is used because it's cheap. Cork will Crush down to nothing and will not support your foot or the Shoe latter when you need it most. Use a piece of Metal as an Arch Support and as a Safety Device in your Shoe. Thanks for the upload mate. Keep'em coming. Good luck in the Shoe making.
Great video. I had a favourite pair of shoes 👞 made for my dad a few years back. As it was a suprise they were not able to take his foot measurements to create the last so what they did was put a plastic bag in the his shoe and pour plaster to make the last. Shoes turned out fab.
About impossible to find a really good pair of shoes these days. I used to to buy from E T Wright. All leather except the sole. They went out of business after a hundred years or so. People could not see that a $150 shoe would outlast four $50 shoes and be more comfortable to wear.
So, I have some old parade shoes that I've worn to death, but are incredibly comfortable, so I'll be taking those apart if ever I actually got around to doing this
definition of an Oxford is that the vamp goes OVER the quarter. For the Derby shoe, its the other way around. 1.5 mm is about max for dress shoes, typically 1.3mm chrome tanned. Alex
I once saw how they pulled apart a pair of Church‘s shoes. Quite impressive. They pulled it apart, to demonstrate that every part of the shoe can be repaired. Unfortunately they did Not explain how they are actually fabricated exactly. Edit: just corrected the mistakes autocorrect made. 😁
Very instructive video on last making and then onto shoes making. It has been all along my passion to make my shoes myself. Thanks. Will be looking forward to your next video.
They have pre-made from compacted leather (sorta like a particle board of leather) or synthetics that can use heat, or solvent to be molded for toe puffs or heel stiffening. and a paste of some sort (only seen it quickly and in german language so no clue exactly what it is I think potato) Hirschkleber, that they spread on veg tan puffs and stiffeners as well as over the cloth/synthetic. I think I can get the paste here in the US from Sorrel or Amazon.
Now the fun starts. Making the upper and fitting it to the shoe lath. good part is you can sew the upper on one of your sewing machines . the sign of a good high end shoe is the wood shank .If it was me I would use cork . use 5-6 oz for the insole and put 3 or 3.5 mil soles... just when you make your uppers give your self ex leather to rap around the lath
Nice! I wonder whether youre overlooking the thickness of the shoe leather itself when comparing last shape to outside of the old shoe. I'm a woodworker so I have no idea, just a thought. Thanks and love your videos.
Good stuff Harry. I appreciate how you take so much care and time in deconstructing/studying. I tend to want things to happen too fast. You remind me to slow down and be more deliberate = better outcomes.
Why is shoe maker a derogatory term, as is butcher? As you are showing, THERE IS A HELL OF A LOT OF THOUGHT & WORK & fine craftsmanship which goes into a single pair of shoes. I am truly looking forward to you crafting a beautiful pair of shoes.
Yes I can see there is so much to learn, I am only scratching the surface, but it is very interesting and it does help me appreciate the skill needed. Thanks.
Made in Italy was inside the shoes made in Gt Harwood Lancashire. My dad in the 1970s we used to repair the aluminium lasts with oxy acetylene (soap mark was used to get the heat correct, too much and you had a puddle ) eventually we had a mig plant and used aluminium wire. ASIDE- In the next town I used to like watching the pet food bag sewing machine in Magnet pet foods in Rishton. We used to repair the chain link belt in the very long ovens (300 long I am guessing). the repair was done while the oven was still in use cooking and the belt moving, just a few Ratchet Lever Hoists and then a bit of brazing. "Just in time" get all the kit off before the belt disappeared in the the small oven gap.
You don't need any special type of Leather mate. Use (VEGETABLE TAN LEATHER) for the entire Shoe build. You can (LAMINATE LEATHER) if you need thicker Leather.