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Welcome Jeffrey!

Welcome Jeffrey
I must ask. Did you put the proverbial oar over your shoulder and walk to Oklahoma before some one asked you what that was?
Tom

Welcome Jeffrey,

You don't see too many submariners on the forum, although, it seems like a logical transition to me!
I too was in the submarine service and then later went to engineering school (metallurgical/welding engineering) and designed and built submarine propulsion plants. But, that was my previous life and now I'm doing something way different...
Goldsmithing and cordwaining (almost). There is so much information available here it would take several lifetimes to absorb it. Enjoy the ride.

Craig

Emmett - Had you asked me 5 years ago if I thought I'd be living in Oklahoma, making boots and shoes...I'd have told you that you were daft. Quite a change, but I wouldn't be doing anything different.

Marcell - Thank you. Your shoemaking videos on YouTube have been quite the discussion the last few days by myself and my fellow bootmaking classmates.

Tom - Surprisingly, this side of Oklahoma is busy with watersports...though, most of the folks out here have a motor attached to their canoes.

Craig - I'm always pleasantly surprised to find a fellow bubblehead in the 'wild.' Luckily for us, gone are the days of smelling like amine and diesel fuel--- hello leather!


-Jeff

Hello all, My name is Dan Hickman, I live in ne Okla. I have been to this site a while back and then just kind of lost track of it when I had a computor crash. Well I found it again. I just recently bought an American Straight needle machine. (last Sat) and was searching for a place to buy needles, and Crispin Colloquy came up as a source. Then I remembered what a great place this was. I have been out of the craft of boot making for a number of years. Although I never intended this as a busines, it is a great hobby for me. I have only made boots for my family and myself. And I am by no means a master. I have atended the boot and saddle shows , Brownwood and Wichita Falls, So I have met a few of the people that post here. I know there is a wealth of experiance and knowledge to be obtained here just by asking questions. Which I plan on doing just as soon as I go through as many of the old posts as I can. Thanks for a great site to leran from...Dan

Welcome! I hope you will find your needles!

Welcome Dan!

A post, made today, over in Sources, cites a company that sells American Straight needle hooks and awls.

Emmett

Hello! My name is Jan-Erik Melkersson. I live in Sweden with wife and three kids. I have been in the trade since 1976. Today am I making bespoke shoes and boots and some teaching.

The last pair that left my bench is a dressage boot shown on the photo. It is made as a sample boot for a course I will have in Brooklyn in the end of this month. From New York am I going to Wichita Falls and I hope to see some of you there.

Welcome Jan-Erik,

We're happy to have you amoung us.

Good luck with your dressage course, and enjoy the Roundup!

Paul

Janne:

Welcome back. I hope you will once again be a frequent participant here. If you are in touch with Pelle, please send a 'hello' to him as well.

Lance

Jan-Erik,

Welcome to the Colloquy..

Nasser

For those who don't know, Janne Melkersson is one of the best bespoke shoemakers in the world and he has the generosity of spirit and a confidence that comes of mastery to share and teach.

The forum just became a better place.

Emmett

Hi Janne! Welcome back! Finally...

Many thanks for the welcoming guys!

Emmet, I appreciated your kind words but I can assure you that I consider my self nothing but one of many bespoke shoemakers in the world and far away from the position you mentioned.

Anyway, thank you for welcoming and it will be my pleasure to share as it will be to learn from you all.

Janne,

Well hello there old friend. Glad to see you back!

Cheers,

Al

Janne,
We are delighted to hear from you again. It's a pleasure (if I may say so) to see a boot with no inlays!

Dan

Thank you all for the warm welcoming!

Dan,
well, the boot has no inlays but one row of fancy stitches as you can see on the counter cover :-)

Greetings, My name is John Woodward.I appreciate this site as I've been a visitor for a long time,and benefited a great deal...I'm in San Diego, make boots and other leather products, as well silver and goldsmithing.(woodwardboots.com).I hope I can contribute to our craft here ,and I get to know all of you in the process....John W.

Welcome John.

Glad you've joined us.

Do you still come over to Prescott once in awhile?

Paul

Hi,

My name is Alexandre and I'm a 22 french guy. I have no skills at all for the moment in the art of shoemaking, but I'm interested in it since a long time.
Actually, I'm a student in an engineering school an learn computer science and electronics. This is not the kind of work I'd like to do, but because I and my parents wanted me to have a nice diploma for job security, that's what I'm doing...
I took a year off this year to think about my life and I've been in Australia for 3 weeks. I thought a lot about what I could do, and the only thing that keeps coming to my mind is :" I wan't to be an artisan and to craft shoes". I have this dream for a long time now and couldn't imagine I could achieve it.

Now, after visiting a lot of websites on the subject, contacting a few persons, and watching available videos on the subject, I found this forum.
I won't be able to contribute much, but I'm eager to learn and will read as much as possible

I know it will be hard and will take me some years to be able to live from it but I'm ready now. So, if you have any advise on how to become a shoemaker, let me know!

Regards,

Alex

Alex,

Welcome to the Crispin Colloquy. You are among good company--there are a couple of ex-computer science types here who have seen the light, so to speak.

The main thing to know is that questions generate answers and answers generate conversation and discussion. So without questions...

enjoy and don't be a "ghost."

Emmett

Alex,

First,welcome to the Crispin Colloquy,i was almost your age when i started shoemaking,also my parents wanted me to be an engineer,I am glad you found this forum,i found it by accident too,here you may feel free to ask questions and whatever you need for tools and equipments and more and my advise to you is to be patient in the learning of boot/shoemaking and if you can find a shoemaker in your area to work with,that will be great,but we are here to help you in whatever we want to know.

Nasser

Alexandre,
" I wan't to be an artisan and to craft shoes". I have this dream for a long time now and couldn't imagine I could achieve it. "

Pour faire votre première paire de chaussures, est de trouver l'amour vrai.

Do what you love, life is too short to do otherwise. As a former nuclear mechanic (with a heavy sciences and engineering background), I know how it is to feel trapped it doing something that you're not entirely passionate about.

Do it, make shoes!

Welcome to the boards, Alex.

-Jeff

Thanks a lot for these very positive replies It makes me feel more confident in what I want to do!

I'll do a 1 day work experience in Andrew MacDonald's workshop next week, I can't wait to be there ! Will try to give you a feedback about this day on the forum.

Thanks again !
-
Alex

Hello everyone, I am a new member to this site. I hope to meet some great people and learn a lot about shoe making. I have been looking for a school in South Carolina, but no luck as yet.

Thanks

Sue

Welcome to our new posters. We all wish you well and hope you'll posts lots.

Please allow me to say this; if you'll set a premise to do each step along the way to the best of your abilities, you'll go far. Boot and/or shoe making is a difficult learning curve. And for a long time, the more you learn, the more you'll see there is to learn. Don't be deterred. And have fun.

I wish you well and look forward to your experiences along the way. Don't be bashful. Because really, we're all immune to death by embarassment.

Best Wishes,
Paul

Welcome Sue on the board

Ohh wow Marcell did not know you were a member...

Still hoping to get more people interested in South Carolina to take your course.

Hi everyone,
My name is Carole and I am a shoemaker in Sydney, Australia. I studied custom-made shoemaking for 2 years part-time in Sydney, then moved to Adelaide where I studied it for another 2 years full time with teachers Simon O'Mallen and Alison Smith. I am back in Sydney but unfortunately due to financial constraints have only kept it going as a part time hobby. My dream is to make shoemaking my profession, and am hoping next year will bring me greater steps in that direction. I am especially interested in historical footwear and traditional techniques, but love everything else as well! I feel like a fledgling in terms of my knowledge, but hope to learn more from everyone here.
Cheers, Carole

Welcome to the Crispin Colloquy, Carol. We have several members who are from your part of the world. The time zone is no problem on the Internet.

You'll find you're in good company here we tend to be wildly interested in just about any and all aspects of shoe or bootmaking.

Enjoy!

Emmett

Carole,
Welcome aboard! If you feel like you're lacking in knowledge---there are years...no, really, YEARS of archives awaiting. Happy hunting!

-Jeff

Welcome Carole!

Welcome Carole, sorry for the late greeting. I had a baby and I am in the recovering process

Congratulations Sue, what a special time.

Thanks Jon...

Hello! I Valeriy Mahmutov live in Russia city Nizhnekamsk I am engaged in shoemaking. To me 54 years. It is glad with you to get acquainted.

Welcome Valeriy (I don't know the Russian diminutive). How long have you been making shoes? Who did you learn from?

Where is Nizhnekamsk? How far is it from Budapest?

Here's hoping you'll be a regular and post photos of your work.

Glad to have you on board.

Emmett

Welcome Valeriy.

Emmet: The distance is about Seattle - Texas.

(Message edited by Marcell on November 15, 2009)

Hello. Nizhnekamsk is in river Kama lower reaches. The population 250 000, from us to Moscow on road 1100.
How to place a photo?
Yours faithfully Valeriy Mahmutov.

Hi Valeriy,
welcome to the forum. I saw your nice work on your web page. I liked the riding boots very much.

Janne

ps about posting photos, check the formatting link in the left frame. Then scroll down to images, attatchments and clipart. Just try a couple of times and it will work

Valeriy,

A belated welcome to you,You have joined us from a long distance,I like to hear the state of boot/shoe making in your part of the world, hopefully one of our moderators will explain the posting of photos to you,if they haven't done so already,welcome to the forum.

Nasser

Indeed Valeriy.

Welcome!

Paul

Valeriy,
Welcome, I love the international cast and crew here...more world traditions for those of us hungry to know all!

-Jeff

(Message edited by JKRichard on November 24, 2009)

Hello to All,

My name is Tia, and I am from the East Coast of the US. For far too many years I suppressed my interest in shoes and boots. Deciding, finally, to jump into the craft, and just do it!

It's premature to call myself a shoe and boot maker, but I have constructed semi-wearable prototypes. I've been trying to train on my own but will finally attend a class in January with Koronya in Budapest, yay!

So thankful for the forum!

Tia

welcome Tia!

Welcome Tia,

Glad you could join us.

Sounds like you are on a good path going to Budapset to study with Marcel. Most of us wish we were so lucky.

Emmett

Marcell!!! Can't wait to get to Budapest, thanks for sharing your knowledge of this amazing art!!

Dear Emmett,

Thanks so much and it is a pleasure to meet you! It's been a long time coming and am so very thankful for the opportunity!

Tia

Hey Tia,

Welcome. You'll have a blast with Marcell in Hungary.

You live in Durham? You should come by the shop sometime for coffee.

Bests,
Kieran

Kieran,

Definitely, what is the name of the shop? I live in Northern Durham heading towards Bahama.

T

Greetings!

My name is Qiana Markham. I figured I should re-introduce myself as it has been a long time since I was here. I joined the HCC a little over a year ago and I must say, my life has changed quite a bit since then. I started out learning western bootmaking at Green Country Tech and then moved on to my current apprenticeship with Lisa Sorrell.

Thanks to Lisa, over the year, I have learned quite a lot. She is an amazing person and an incredible bootmaker too! In between making footwear in Guthrie, I produce a blog. My professional background is in advertising and fashion design. Currently, I am working on a portfolio of western inspired fashion footwear.

@qianamarkham

Welcome again Qiana! Say a big hello in my name to Lisa!

Hi Marcell,

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'll be sure to say hello to Lisa for you.

@qianamarkham

Welcome Tia! Sounds like you're on a good path. Enjoy the ride.

Quiana,
It's good to have you over here. Personally I think there's more room for "out of the box" thinking. We will enjoy watching you be yourself. And I can't wait to see more of your portfolio.

Best to both of you,
Paul

Hi Paul, Thanks and it's great to meet you!

Hi Quiana!

T

Hi Paul, Hi Tia!

It's great to be here.

@qianamarkham

Janne hello! Thanks to you I could place a photo. Big to you thanks.

All I thank for warm reception.
I am sorry but I at all do not know English. Therefore I use the automatic translator.
Yours faithfully Valery.

(Message edited by Valeriy on December 01, 2009)

Valeriy,
you are welcome!

The automatic translator works fine and your English will be better as time goes. I know, me Englsih is much better now some 10 years reading forums like this.

All the best
Janne

Hi, I'm Neka Bennett. I've been reading the posts in the forum for a couple of years, but it never occurred to me to actually participate. Go figure.

I live in Brooklyn, NY and I'm a graphic designer in publishing - I design book jackets. I also make shoes in my spare time. I've taken two shoemaking classes at FIT, but learned most of what I know from books, this forum, and Marcell's videos on youtube :-)

I would love to do this full time, so I'm trying to make it happen! I'll post some of my pics in the gallery.

Thanks for being here guys!

Big welcome Neka! We can hardly wait to see those photos!

Neka,

Welcome to the Crispin Colloquy. Glad you decided to "come out of the shadows".

We're getting quite a contingent of people who are interested or specialize in women's shoes. Good deal!

Emmett

Greetings!

My name is Barry Bryson. Thank you for letting me join the group. I'm a retired oil tool technologist with a love for shoe and boot making. I bought out a retiring bootmaker in '91 and began learning the trade by making dance items for teachers and school teams. I was interrupted by a callback to oilwell logging in '96; but now I'm back in the shoe trade for good. I much prefer stretching wet leather to commuting in Houston, TX traffic any day! Dance teachers came to me early on wanting metal toeshoe taps; as they had just disappeared from the market, and things kind of expanded from there. The closing of Selva & Sons (dance taps) and the intrusion of cheap, Chinese vinyl plastic footwear into the dance/drill market opened several doors for a specialty shoemaker. A new shop is almost complete; and I'm chomping at the bit to get the machines out of storage and humming again! I still have a long way to go on the learning curve; but I've found a wonderful resource in this eyepopping website!

Barry

Welcome Barry! Welcome on the board!

Barry,

Glad to have you on board. There's a lot of great folks here and a lot of good information...and all you have to do is read the other 18,000 posts.

Hey, it's better than riding the goat!



Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

I figured that since others are still posting here, it can't be that far out of fashion. =)

I'm Francis Classe, an engineer by trade, but I've been a student of early modern shoemaking for about seven years now. I started with basic hand stitched medieval turn shoes, but about four years ago, I began to study late 16th and early 17th C. shoes/platforms/raised heels and have put together a website detailing my construction attempts at reproducing historical platforms and raised heels (http://aands.org/raisedheels). Although I've done quite a few pairs of shoes, I tend to document only the new attempts in line with the theme. In the past two years I've developed an interest in 17th and 18th century cordwaining, and have been working on shoes and doing research on the same.

Seeing finely crafted extant pieces in museums and admiring the skill of many of the members here, there is a great deal to learn; I look forward to sharing with and learning from you all!

By the way, did I mention that my birthday is October 25? =)

Regards,
Francis Classe



(Message edited by fclasse on February 07, 2010)

Welcome Francis! Happy journey in shoemaking!

Let me add my welcome here too Francis. Sometimes it gets awfully lonesome being one of few archaeological/historical-footwear types here. Believe it nor not, when the HCC was first formed, we outnumbered every other flavor of shoe and bootmakers. Even in the early days of the Forum we were pretty active posting here. if we crank that aspect back up, some of our old comrades will drift back--who knows.

Welcome Francis.

I think all of us benefit from the historical perspective. Sometimes we don't always believe the lessons...even with hard evidence...that the past offers up, but it is a perspective worth considering.

And more importantly, a perspective that we ignore to our own detriment.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Thanks for the welcome! Looking forward to adventures in shoemaking with you all. =)

>> And more importantly, a perspective that we ignore to our own detriment.

DW, truer words are seldom spoken. =)

I'm pleased to have just joined here, and very honoured to have seen all your amazing work pictured in the gallery.

I live in the UK, and have attended a one day workshop to learn how to make a pair of shoes by the stitched down method (pictured on my profile page). Mostly I have learnt from the few out of print books I own.

I have also made a pair of ballet shoes (the soft ones), which I was very pleased with. I need to work on the pleating technique, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any information on making ballet shoes. I have odd sized feet, which is why I am interested in making my own shoes, and I was fortunate enough to have a pair of custom lasts made for me a year ago.

Best wishes,

Jen

Welcome Jen,

Have a good time here.

Welcome Jen. It sounds like you have caught the bug. The ballet shoes, in particular, ought to fit in with your dressmaking.

Emmett

Jen, I started my shoe making with the stitch down method,I have no talent for dress making /tailoring,Hence when i was just 9 years old,I was usually caught sitting in front of the shoe maker shop in my town watching him make shoes instead of the tailor and no idea i will become a shoe maker one day.Welcome to the HCC forum.

Nasser

Welcome Francis and Jen,

You both represent opposite ends of a spectrum of valuable additions to our little community, the Historian and the novice.

You enthusiasm is an important ingredient to the "juice" that keeps us all going.

Thank you for joining us and your contributions.

Paul

Jen..I'm glad to see more of our friends across the pond joining with us.Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the forums Francis and Jen, I hope you'll enjoy the wide range of skills and diverse backgrounds here, as much as I do.

Cheers,
-Jeff
Member, HCC

Thank you all for your messages. It's good to hear that Nasser had an interest in shoemaking from childhood - I think I was influenced by reading "The Elves and the Shoemaker" when I was quite young.

As Emmett mentioned, making ballet shoes did seem to progress from learning dressmaking. I make all my clothes from organically grown cotton fabric, but I'm not sure if shoes made from this would last very long!

I've discovered that there are shoemaking classes very near the college I attend, but at my college we have to study law, which isn't nearly so interesting!

Best wishes,

Jen

Hello,
Just getting stated in Shoe/Boot making. I am interested in making Imperial German Service Shoes/Boots from The Great War Period. Currently no one makes an acceptable (IMHO)Low Boot from this period.
I am having trouble finding a source for Prickwood sole pegs. Does anyone know where I might find them, or do folks generally make their own?
Any help or tips on shoe making is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

Scott,

Welcome to the Colloquy!

I'm not familair with Prickwood pegs. No help here. I've never heard of them actually, but my background is shoe repair, so it's just been lemonwood.

Maintain your determination and enjoy the journey.

Paul

Scott,

I buy my pegs from "WARKOV-SAFEER LEATHER LIMITED" out of Winnipeg,Canada. 1-800-665-8619 they have pegs in size 5/8 and 6/8 they are not the best made pegs as i remember them from 20 or 30 years ago and by that i mean,they are not all cut perfect.

Francis,

A belated welcome to you.

Nasser

Thank you, for the welcome and the info.

Any Goetz dealer will have them(see shoe finders in your yellow pages)they may sell them direct. They all come from a factory in Austria and though my german is rusty they are some type of beech. Welcome to the forum and since I am one of the few makers of Imperial German footwear I await your efforts.
Tom

Hi

I have been looking over this forum for a while and finally decided to join in. I am not a boot or shoe maker - my wife and I specialize in repairing and altering motorcycle leathers - but we are both interested in the subject and some of our equipment is from the shoe trade. Gwen has made shoes for herself and for friends who are re-enactors but there isn't the time to learn a whole new trade - and there isn't the workshop space :-)
Besides motorcycle Kit we also do some harness repair, a bit of belt making and general repairs & alterations. We are in the UK south of Northampton & hope to learn much more from you guys.

John,

Welcome to you and your wife. It sounds like you folks are well establised in your area doing what you love.

I put off concentrating on learning to make boots for years while I was raising my family doing shoe repair. What I learned from the inside out was a great help in becoming whatever I am now. I'm sure you can experience the same thing.

Keep up the good work and join in when you can with questions and comments.

With Regards,
Paul

Hi all,

I live in san francisco and work at a design studio called LUNAR. We help clients problem solve through engineering, industrial design, graphics, branding, etc.

At work I often deal with plastics, electronics and screens, and certainly do not manufacture the final product; so in addition to ceramics, I am adding shoemaking to my list of life-balancing hobbies. I currently have half of my books, half of my tools and materials, and met half of the shoemaking supply stores in my area. We have a saying at work, "We are confused so the user isn't". This means we immerse ourselves in the project domain, gaining knowledge and solving problems, so that in the end the user is presented with a pleasing experience that does not harm or confuse.

For shoemaking I am in that chaotic space of partial knowledge and vision, it's scary but also fun and motivating as I make my way towards my first pair of shoes.

I plan to make low and high top street shoes with slim weight and proportions, lower toe-boxes, and a lot of detail and design put towards support and comfort. I am tall and cannot wear “cool” street shoes with flimsy rubber soles for very long, so I want to make my own with the proper support, strength and cushioning I need.

A quick and dirty sketch :

Hello Nick,

I didn't see that anyone respond to your question about olga down load. As I understand it, olga is not a down loadable program. It is an online program on the global footwear solutions site. You can design lasts in RINO Cad but then you would need a way to out put them. Although rino can be Utilized it is a clunky way of going about designing lasts. If you need lasts, and you can't get a responce from any one Jones& Vining has a catalogue too. if you are looking for a last making set up,there are programs such as lastmaker, Delcam, shomaster & Romans. These all will run in the hundred thousands, dollar wise, not including the CNC Lathe to wip out the lasts.

Hello folks, name is Ruben. I'm in Los Angeles. I'm not a shoe maker but I work with a lot of them - I do full color printing on leather - and then people go ahead and make shoes, boots, handbags - you name it...Anybody interested can check my web site out
leatherfx.com