The Crispin Colloquy

Some of the pictures show one way to attach the heel block. Hope this would help.
http://www.loksze.com/thoughts/2007/08/27/all-about-my-tango-shoes/
Joe

A picture is worth a thousand words!

That doesn't look good Rick.

Someone ought to add some words here to confirm how bad this is.

It hurts looking at it,Well Paul we can blame it on the fashion industry, the sex/fetish industry or Louis xv with his 5 inch high heels and decorated with battle scenes which i guess in their mind was an improvement on the Kobkob (chopine)especially if one riding a horse,but the pointy stilettos heels are a league of their own,Height=power goes deep, Sexy? Not to my eyes,I see more grace in a 2 inch heel which one can walk some distance,but that can never be done with a 5 inch heel,they are made for walking out of a taxi and into a bar.

Happy new year to you all.

Nasser

Wow..How do you ladies ( and some men) wear these?..And the top off the shelf brands run around $1000 for calfskin.....This pic of the high heel xray could not illustrate better, a point most of you all know by now...something I discovered my first year in business...and has made all difference for me.... The best customers ( those you like to work with , spend the most money, and keep coming back) buy custom shoes and boots because it makes them feel great....if they feel good on their feet thats a plus.

That is how I feel if my shoes have even a one inch heel.

Hi there, I'm currently looking in to making high heeled women's shoes, and have been having some trouble getting them to be stable / stiff enough using the traditional leather insole and metal shank techniques (that i have learned for mens shoes).
I have recently had a go at the plywood idea as shown above here, and it does give me the strength I need, but i fear it may be a little too much effort if I need to make a few dozen of them for a full sized run of shoes.

Can anyone advise me on what to call / how to find the leatherboard looking object with a shank pre-moulded inside that Marcel uses in his red-boot photo essay?

http://handmadeshoes.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/dsc_0222.jpg

I have seen these being used, but dont know how to describe them properly to look at buying them online.

Thanks for any help you can offer!

Steven, You could try utilizing hardboard. It is what the commercial shank makers use I think. You can aquire it at home depot, loews or any do it yourself store. In shoes it looks like pressed paper. at the store it looks brown and comes either smooth or perferated for hanging tools on in your garage.

Here is also an option to obtain it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hardboard%20panels&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm= shop&source=og&sa=N&tab=wf&biw=1878&bih=798

After you have cut the insole shape out, If you steam it a bit, by placeing it on a rack on a pan which has boiling water going, you can soften it slightly for making curves or filling in the arch area. while still damp, you can firm this up with glue while wet. tack and STRAP in place. Don't forget to strap! The tacks will tear the hard board when damp if you do not strap!

You still will need a steal shank reinforcment though.

I totally love alexanders' photo essay and method tho' It seems like a very quality construction. It is sort of a shaped clog like sole.


I think there is also mouldable plastic that podiatrist utilize for making orthotics with that you can use too. It is heat mouldable.


I wonder also if you want to utilize alexander's method of a wood shank if one could use 1/8 " hobby plywood purchased at the hobby store. It tends to be thicker and more stable than vaneer. Yet it can be shaped around long corners such as the arch area, and cut with a utility knife, Maybe an option????? Worth a try if veneer is to woobbly to work with.

Well that is my two cents, and ideas, for what they are worth.

Marlietta

Lastmakingschool.com

(Message edited by Last_maker on May 25, 2011)

Thanks Marlietta, those are some great ideas!

I have found the veneer idea to be 'almost' right for what i want, but having pieces everywhere and glue all over the place makes it seem a bit much for batch production. The heat / steaming a moldable board seems like a pretty smart idea, so i'll try that next... and i might look in to using a thin ply instead of starting from veneer.

I also realised I really should talk to the guy who will be supplying my lasts, as he probably has a million ideas on how to do it instead of me reinventing the wheel each time!

I'll post back when i get it sorted out.

I look forward to hearing what you come up with. perhaps a combo of all the methods????


-Marlietta
Lastmakikngschool.com

Hello.
I am looking for any resources regarding mid - high heel (rather than traditional)clog production, especially guidelines/requirements for the wooden portion.

Any referral to texts or knowledgeable persons would be enormously helpful.
Thanks,
Holly

I'm not quite sure what you are after, but if I can help, contact me!
Trefor Owen a Trad but sometimes a very not Trad Clogmaker. Wales.

treforowenclogmaker.co.uk or clogs@globalnet.co.uk

Thank you, Trefor.
I will try not to ask all 10,000 questions at once.

On this note, does anyone know of or can recommend a good tome on the construction of women's footwear? There are copious compediums on men's footwear and yet, seem to be a distinct dearth on the fairer sex.

Hi there, (mostly) gentlemen, and any fellow ladies.

I am struggling with ankle straps. I would love a referral to any text that deals with placement, shape, grading...you name it. I don't feel that the last provides enough information to produce a product that is acceptable on the range "standard" feet. I can make it work in my own size by using my foot and ankle as a reference, but I find that the strap is twisting, buckling, hitting the ankle bone or otherwise being annoying in graded sizes.

None of my books have quite much info, so I am throwing myself upon your expertise.
Here is the shoe I'm working on, with some much needed help from both Trefor and Tim.

This strap is the solution I have landed on as being non-cutting and secure. I am not married to this shape or style. Any input is appreciated.
Thanks!

Hi there, (mostly) gentlemen, and any fellow ladies.

I am struggling with ankle straps. I would love a referral to any text that deals with placement, shape, grading...you name it. I don't feel that the last provides enough information to produce a product that is acceptable on the range "standard" feet. I can make it work in my own size by using my foot and ankle as a reference, but I find that the strap is twisting, buckling, hitting the ankle bone or otherwise being annoying in graded sizes.

None of my books have quite much info, so I am throwing myself upon your expertise.
Here is the shoe I'm working on, with some much needed help from both Trefor and Tim.

This strap is the solution I have landed on as being non-cutting and secure. I am not married to this shape or style. Any input is appreciated.
Thanks!

Holly.

Do you have pattern cutting books? If so, you can use the topline of a shoe to create your sandal strap. That will keep the buckle out of the way.

Put some reinforcing between upper and lining of the piece that runs down to the insole. That will help it to stand up properly.

Tim

Based on my own experience, it looks like the vertical strap at the heel is too far back. It should be centered directly below the ankle bone for maximum comfort.

Tim,
Yes, I have several pattern making books. It hadn't occurred to me that the topline could translate, thanks! Somewhat adding to my confusion is the fact that the "ankle" of the last is exaggerated, and at least 2" larger than a normal ankle. I don't understand how to handle this in lasting...?
Nori, I appreciate the observation, it makes sense.
Thanks!

Holly

You don't have to pull down very hard when lasting, more just lay them into place and attach. Make sure the back height is correct.

Tim

Holly
Your anklestrap assembly is basically a Y shape with the descending leg lasted and tacked to your wedge sole.(Or on other styles, under the wrapped insole.) You'll have a more consistent fit if you install the Y leg perpendicular to the sole and draft your patterns that way. In your picture the downleg of the Y is rotated slightly to the back. When drafting anklestrap patterns on a flat piece of paper,imagine a circle of 360 degrees. The down leg is at 0 degrees, the backstrap arm at 120 degrees, the ankle strap is at 240 degrees. You may make some deviations from this in the final design and smoothing, but this gives you a consistent framework from which to start or depart.

Where did you find the wooden bottom, or did you make it yourself?

Georgene

Thanks for the input. I will continue to refine and experiment within these helpful parameters.
Georgene, I had these bottoms made by a machinist from my clay original. It was rather a process.

Holly

Dear Al,

just found your excellent description on the covered heel and English stitch on page 1 of this thread (from almost to the day 8 years ago!) - many thanks for that! I was pouring over your translation in Garsault and couldn't really make heads or tails of it but now I think I have a fairly good understanding to continue my "prototype" of a mid 1750s shoe. I call it that since I'm sure it will be more of a learning experience than a shoe once finished, but you've got to start somewhere, don't you? :-)

Best,
Martin

Martin,

Forgive my delay replying. I'm so glad you figured that heel cover out. Garsault was long on words--short n pictures I'm afraid. Wish he'd made a video of the process too *hahaha*

Cheers,
Al

das » Thu Dec 03, 2015 2:42 pm wrote:Martin,

Forgive my delay replying. I'm so glad you figured that heel cover out. Garsault was long on words--short n pictures I'm afraid. Wish he'd made a video of the process too *hahaha*

Cheers,
Al

Do you think he would have posted it on YouTube?

Tioraidh