The Crispin Colloquy

All messages posted in this topic prior to 25 February 2002 have been moved to the first Crispin Colloquy CD Archive.

Admin--06 May 2002

All

Although there are others around, I thought it might to useful to mention a new dictionary of shoemaking terms published recently. This one is different because is has over 200 neat little diagrams.

The Concise Shoemaking Dictionary covers both US and UK terms. In small format (6 x 8.5 inches) it is sensibly priced at $16 plus mailing.

Further information and contact details can be seen on

Frank Jones
frank.jones@shoemaking.com

Dear Marc, I hope this is an appropriate place to respond to your review of my book, Crafting Handmade Shoes, in the Winter, 2001, Crispin Courier. I agree with everything you said! I would like to offer a few explanations. I provided the text and made the footwear for the book; by contract everything else was completely out of my control, in the hands of the publishers. I felt a little silly when I read the names and introductions for the shoes, and all the historical "factoids" that had been scattered throughout, but was so pleased with the little watercolors that the art director painted of the historical shoes. (If there are any particularly galling "facts" you would like me to correct when I get my website updated, please let me know.) And, I agree that the shoes are on the "rough" side - I cut leather with scissors, can't skive worth a darn, use a bandsaw - but I was also in an extremely pressurized, rushed situation, with many constraints from the publishers. There are several projects that I would love to re-do, but alas... You understood the spirit in which these projects were offered, Marc, and for that I am very grateful. I consider myself equivalent to a pinch-pot maker in the craft of pottery - I offer something simple and functional, and lots of fun to make! And, hopefully, some readers of the book will be inspired to continue making more challenging footwear, and will learn from postings here on the Colloquy. Regarding the Gallery, I agree that there are many great shoes there, but they were made using a variety of shoemaking techniques, much more complex patterns, and were all lasted. Thank you for your thoughtful and generous review, Marc. I am getting historically-educated myself by reading through your website. Best wishes, Sharon

Sharon,
I don't have a problem with discussing this hear - if the management does, I'm sure they'll move us wherever they feel is appropriate. I'll have to get back to you on the specific factoids (I borrowed the copy of the book I reviewed, and had to return it).

It seemed pretty clear that the target audience for the book _wasn't_ people who'd been making shoes for years, but rather those who were just starting out. Therefore it seemed pointlessly harsh to judge it as though it were being presented for use by 20 year experts in the field.

Since the original target audience for my web page was generally the same, I know what it's like to be judged by people who apparently wouldn't have been happy with anything (for the record, I am NOT referring to anyone that I know to be a member of the HCC). I still keep one unsolicited letter around that I received a number of years ago that begins: "While I appreciate your efforts, your work has little real content, the work is not correct in several parts, is incomplete, many misinterpretations are evident etc, etc." I use it to remind me of how NOT to review someone's work The most useful feedback I've received over the years has been positive, even when disagreeing with something I've said.

Anyway, I'll get back to you on the factoid material as soon as possible.

Good luck with the book.

Marc

All

Further to my earlier posting about the Concise Shoemaking Dictionary, I have an apology.

I have had a number of people come back to me direct, who obviously got the impression that the book was produced by me. That is not the case. The CSD is produced and published by Tony Garley - another Brit. His web site is ‹www.shoe-patter.com› and he can be contacted directly on ‹tony@shoe-patter.com›

The addresses should have been in last time but I did not notice that the posting clipped out the contact details.

Good quality shoemaking reference materials are time consuming and therefore expensive to produce. I feel very strongly that we should support the dwindling number of quality suppliers to our trade. This is a little contribution by me in that direction.

Apologies again to Colloquy readers for not being sufficiently explicit last time.

Frank Jones
frank.jones@shoemaking.com

A quick announcement...for those interested who might beinterested...

I have just finished revising and formatting my first book, Western Bootmaking: An American Tradition, for release on CD. The book includes many colour photos, all the patterns, a measurement chart, a resource list, a glossary, a list of tools and machinery, and is, of course, a comprehensive step-by-step tutorial on making a first pair of boots (along with many advanced techniques).

The book is in PDF format, and will automatically run from the CD when inserted into the CD-rom drive. For those of you unfamiliar with PDF, it is Adobe's (P)ortable (D)ocument (F)ormat. Which means that it is not only cross platform (PC and Mac) but it is true to the software, fonts, formatting, and sizes of illustrations that the creator (in this case, me) intended.

In practical terms, what this means is that the book will display exactly as I intended it in my authoring software and, additionally, will print out exactly as I designed it and to true size (especially important to patterns).

The CD loads a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader upon start-up and opens the book up in the Reader. Done this way, the book is fully searchable; has links from the Table of Contents to the relevant chapters/sections; links from the Index to the relevant words; links from an ever available set of bookmarks to the pertinent sections; and includes links from Trade specific terminology to the Glossary. Additionally, once you actually jump from, for instance, a word to the Glossary, Reader provides an easy 'back' arrow to take you right back to the page you were reading.

I am excited about this. It was a big project but, in my opinion, it really is the future of publishing. Eventually, I hope to have all my books on CD. The publisher (me) has a flexible, easily-updated, document that is relatively inexpensive to produce, and the reader gets a high quality, easily archived book that can be readily converted into "hard-copy" if that is desired. Print out the patterns...or print out a chapter--and if you spill dye on it, print it out again.

For those interested in more information, contact me by private email

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

frommer@bootmaker.com
http://www.bootmaker.com

D.W.,

GOOD FOR YOU!

All I got to say is, "Hurry up with the other two!"

DW
I received your book on packers for Christmas. I have read about half of it. Most is very similar to what I have been taught. The patterns are taking me a little while to go through. I feel like I'm back in geometry. The rest is very clear and easy to find stuff. I really have enjoyed it. Hopefully I will be able to make a pair of packers in the next year. Thanks for the book. The CD sounds great! Maybe that will be my next years present.

Happy New Year, everyone. Let's hope the Dow stays above 10K and the Nasdaq solidifies its position above 2k.

And to ring in the New Year, I'd like to announce that my book on making lace up boots Western Packers: An American Hybrid is now on CD. Published in Adobe Acrobat format (pdf), it includes a self starting version of Acrobat Reader (100% free software from Adobe). This brings several advantages...the book is accessible on a variety of platforms--Windows and Mac, probably Linux, too--and it is independent of printer drivers...meaning that it will print out just as I designed it. This is particularly important for patterns which need to be accurate to a high degree.

The book is a full tutorial through a pair of lace up boots and is chock full of diagrams and colour photos. It is searchable, and has internal links to the text to the glossary, index and TOC to the text, as well as from a special "bookmark" section to pages and photos in the body of the text. This means, for instance, that if you come across a particularly vague word, such as "coad," clicking on that word will take you to the glossary entry that defines it.

For further information contact me via private email at frommer@bootmaker.com

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Is there a shoemaking class or video 101, and
who sells the finest leather in the world...

Thanks

Oops! Sorry...I meant to say that the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader "will not work on versions of Windows earlier than Windows XP"

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Dee-Dubb,

CONGRATULATIONS! I know personally you have devoted countless hours to this book.

I feel confident it will be a "Best Seller"!

Take care!

DW,

Congratulations Indeed!

Gang,

I was there in Redmond when DW was finishing this book and I got to do some proofreading on it, while I was taking his instruction.
The book very closely reflects the way he teaches this full cut style boot. I recommend it highly.

As with his other books, DW writes as he talks. Very refreshing and clear. You might be challenged by vocabulary, but I think that makes it interesting.

I felt that DW was trying to capture the feel of the period in which this boot was popular. And he does a fine job of it.

I look forward to getting a final copy and reading it again.

Now if I could just get my "long boards"!

PK

I hope no one minds but I am posting this announcement again for two reasons: One...to test email notification and two...because I originally posted it just about thye time the board went down prior to its move

Well, I am pleased...and relieved...(as well as a little sad) to announce that my third book--Bootmaker's Choice: Making the Full Wellington is now complete and ready for your viewing pleasure.

Just in time for The Honourable Cordwainers' Company 20th Anniversary AGM.

It is 400 pages long and contains nearly 300 illustrations, photos and lithographs.

It is not perfect. Nor it is the last word on making full cuts. I hope, and fully expect, to go right on learning and evolving new techniques. It will probably be revised in one fashion or another as time goes by. Books such as this all go through revision and further editions.

As far as I know, it is the only book ever written that deals with making this style of boot exclusively.

That said, it is a full tutorial and is grounded in the theories and understandings that have informed my previous books. As such it may not suit everyone. It is aimed at the intermediate to advance maker.

Initially, it will be available on CD, in pdf format, only. And the reader will need to download a pdf reader such as Adobe Reader (absolutely free) or Foxit PDF Reader (also free). In the past, I have included Adobe Reader as part of the CD, but software too evolves and neither the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat nor Adobe Reader will work as a stand-alone from CD nor will they work on software earlier than Windows XP. For those still on Windows 98 I recommend Foxit Reader version 2 and above. A "readme1st" text file is included on the CD with details.

Contact DW via email if you require further information.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

(Message edited by dw on October 16, 2006)

Greetings, I recently received a message from a shoemaker friend currently living in Tasmania(!), informing me that a friend of hers from Australia recently finished a shoemaking book. Information is available at tim@shoemakingbook.com. Apparently it sells for $140.00 plus $10.00 shipping. And while I'm at it, I've added a bit about what I'm up to these days to my website, www.simpleshoemaking.com. I invite anyone interested to take a look. Best wishes, Sharon

Hi Sharon & All
We Have the book in stock and ready to ship .We will be selling and stocking this book in the USA .I cant give you any prices on the forum,but I can tell you it is in stock.Finally a book that gives you all the details on how to actually make a pair of custom made shoes .
Bespoke Shoemaking A Comprehensive Guide To Handmade Footwear. By Tim Skyrme.301 pages 700+ illistrations you can call us and order .
Walrus Shoe & Leather Co.LLC
1.262.882.6006
it will be on the website this weekend visit us at www.walrusshoe.com

Larry Waller at www.walrusshoe.com has the Tim Skyrme book "Bespoke Shoemaking A Comprehensive Guide to Handmade Footwear" in stock and ready to ship! My copy is on the way! U.S. residents will get fast delivery from Larry, a fixture of the HCC community!

I want to commission a skilled shoemaker to make for me a bespoke pair of late 18th century latchet shoes and a pair of late 18th century top boots. I am hoping for a quality job and am expect to pay accordingly. I live in the northwest of England (Cheshire) but am prepared to travel for measuring/fitting. Is anyone out there interested?

David Mitchell

hey Y'all

I was wondering if anyone had any old bootmaking stories, tales, legends from the old west. I have a few and would like to publish a book on them so the old stories get passed on.
Jesse

I don't know if any of you might be interested but I have a couple of backlight Gerber Silhouette drafting tables for sale.

If you know anyone looking, please pass my name along to them.

Here is the link to the items on my site.

http://www.njsekela.com//OSCommerce/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=183&osC sid=859abbba1ba959fdbd85fecdaed45ef9

I have several other pieces of patternmaking equipment (both digital and manual) that I will be putting up for sale in the forthcoming days, so let me know if you have any particular needs.

Sincerely,
Nicholas Sekela
(973) 626-3051

At long last Al Saguto's translation of Garsault's Art of the Shoemaker is available.

The following are some links to more information as well as how to obtain a copy for your own collection:

“Art of the Shoemaker” on the Colonial Williamsburg Web site at:

1. What’s New http://www.history.org/experience/

2. Publications > Featured Book http://www.history.org/Publications/books/index.cfm

3. Publications > Books > History http://www.history.org/Publications/books/index.cfm?subcatid=41

4. Recently Published Books http://www.history.org/experience/books.cfm

5. Added to What’s New RSS Feed http://www.history.org/experience/rssfeed_whatsnew.xml

The book is now sold online, as well.

Also for fuller description see: http://www.amazon.com/Garsaults-1767-Art-Shoemaker-Translation/dp/0896726509/ref =sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251921322&sr=1-1

Congratulations to Al and all plaudits for a long and tedious job well done.

Emmett

Way to go Al!

I just ordered my copy.

Thanks Rick. Enjoy--Al

Al:

Congratulations. My sister-in-law recently had a history book published, so I have some sense of the amount of hard work necessary to get such a book all the way to completion.

I look forward to getting a copy.

[On a side note, I hope you will now have a bit more spare time to participate on the Colloquy.]

Lance

D.A.

I have recieved my copy of The Art of the Shoemaker. Very interesting, and a beautiful book. Seems like a book that will take many years to fully appreciate.

Jon