Books, Manuals, Publications

[admin]

OK, I have "refreshed" the library page and it now includes the three manuals--the Adler 30 class, the Landis 12 Operator's Manual, and the Landis 12 Assembly/disassembly manual. You can access these downloadable manuals (in pdf format) at:

http://www.thehcc.org/library.htm

The library also has updated information about the HCC Video Collection and the videos made of demonstrations and presentations during previous AGM's. Lot's of information here, folks.

Yr. Hmb. Svt....

[dw]

BTW, anyone who has a good...preferably original...manual for any of the more common machines that might be used in shoemaking, and would like to share it, we'd welcome the addition. If you have a good scanner and access to software that will convert .jpgs to .pdf, so much the better, otherwise contact me and I'll do my best to help you get it into the proper format. If you've ever paid $10-15 for a copy of a copy of a copy off Ebay...well, you know you'd be doing lots of folk a great favour.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[admin]

Bad news...it appears that most of the manuals that we have been discussing and which I posted on the HCC website, may be copyrighted material. I have deleted the links on the homepage and of course deleted the attachments here on the forum. Those individuals who are desperate for a copy of the Landis manuals can contact Ward and Kennedy or maybe even Jake (although he may refer you to Ward and Kennedy.

It's worth mentioning that Singer has a website where you can download pdf copies of manuals for most of their machines:

http://parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/

Thanks to Steve Harris for that link.

I apologize for the confusion...

sweeping the spotlight...

[marc]

Just as a note. It may actually be possible to get -some- manuals online. For example, TM10-262 Shoe Repair Machines (Landis and American). War Department, October 1946 may have some of the same material and is in the public domain.

I pulled a copy from Government Documents and scanned in the Landis 12 pages, but the university's software gagged on the size of the grey scaled document. I'm checking on some other options.

Making these things available is an excellent idea - it just may take some tweaking.

Marc

[tomo]

DW,
how do Proleptic manage to sell manuals (copies)??
http://www.proleptic.net/default.asp
More power to y'awl.
T.

[dw]

Tom,

Beats me. I did a Google search this morning for "sewing machine manuals" and turned up literally hundreds of sites that offer manuals dating all the way from the early '30's to the present--and charging for them, too. I don't think any of those manuals are licenced. Supposedly Singer copyrighted all their manuals but a lawyer friend and member of the HCC has done some preliminary research for me that suggests that if a manual doesn't **say** it's copyrighted, then it isn't.

Bottom line however, is that HQ is worried about having the server shut down in a copyright dispute because we posted something that was in doubt. Better safe than sorry, I guess...although my feeling is that there are few things that a web site such as the HCC Homepage can do...indeed, few things that a Guild can do...that would be of greater service to the Trade and our members than to provide access to hard to find manuals.

Then too, I know what it takes to get this kind of stuff into digital form and I regret that those who went to all that effort, went to it all for naught. But ...such is life I guess. [sigh]

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[tomo]

Mission Impossible
On ebay at the moment there're 7 books on making lasts and patterns up for sale in one lot.
I'm interested, but the 'shop' handling the sale won't take overseas bids or ship out of the US. - Go figure.
Anyway. I tried to c&p the link for you but it wouldn't copy??
I looked under footwear in the books section.
Good luck Jim...
More power to y'awl
T.
Yikes! Here's the Item number: 4505627538

(Message edited by Tomo on November 19, 2004)

[walrus]

Tom
if you buy the books have them shipped to me and I will ship them to you no problem .
Larry Waller
Walrus Shoe & Leather Co.
W8295 Hwy 11
Delavan WI 53115
1.262.882.6006
email larry@walrusshoe.com
We hosted the HCC meeting this year I would be happy to do that .If it goes higher than you want to pay let me know I might pick them up for myself.Keep in touch.
Larry

[tomo]

Larry,
Thanks for the consideration, but I'll flag it.
They've stipulated that the delivery address and where the money comes from must be the same place. Don't know why.
There'll be other opportunities, and besides I think five people are bidding so far...hopefully all CC members so I don't want to queer their (or your) pitches.
Thanks again Larry.
More power to y'awl.
T.

[dw]

This morning I have uploaded Golding's Volume IV to the HCC website. This book is much larger, in terms of files size and download times, than the previous volume. I tried for literally two months to decrease the size of this file...going online repeatedly on several forums to ask how to make it smaller. In the end I reduced the size by over 60% but this is as small as it's gonna get and still be printable (for those who wish to print portions of it out.) I think the quantity and the nature of the illustrations in this volume is the deciding factor. As it is, it comes in at 8 megs and will take over half an hour to download on a dialup connection.

I hope those of you who have been waiting for this addition to the HCC library will enjoy it and find it useful. This volume contains a section that gets my vote for the most useful that I have ever encountered in all the "literature"--the section on The Fitting up of the Last and more specifically Sabbage's Sectionizer.

Enjoy!

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[frank_jones]

DW

Once again I would like to say a personal thank you for the excellent work done to put
Golding's Volume IV in the HCC Library on the web site. As you say, the second half of this book is almost certainly the best treatise on fitting up lasts that has ever been in print.

Regarding the download time, it took me just under three minutes to download and save to my hard disc. However, I am lucky enough to have a broadband connection.

So, thanks for all that hard gruelling work scanning and tidying up, not to mention some of the redrawing you mention in your Complier’s Notes. I know you will regard this as the compliment that is intended - I have had a very quick browse through the pdf file and it certainly looks to me to be absolutely true to the original but clearer.

What an addition to the resources we now have on-line!

Thank you.

Frank Jones
frank.jones@shoemaking.com

[das]

DW,

I haven't dared try to view it here at home, but will tomorrow from work. All I gotta say is t-h-a-n-k you for all the time and hard work on this. Oh boy what's next? Swaysland?

[plugnickle]

Many thanks, DW. While reading this work, I will keep in mind your sacrifice and the boots that would have otherwise had been made, if not for you taking the time to share this book with us.

It is printing as I write this. I want a copy that I can hold in my hand, so there is no risk of losing my copy to the computer grimlins.

Great job,
Steve

[dw]

Frank,

Thank you for your remarks. You are always very observant and acute in your observations. I relish knowing that my efforts mean something to you. And I am dead envious of your broadband connection...took me 45 minutes to upload the thing. Sheesh! And I'm supposed to be enough of a computer geek that I think I'm qualified to be webmaster!

Al,

Not Swaysland. I'm still working on my Full Wellington book...getting much closer and more determined after a bit of an hiatus. If I do any more scanning and such it will probably be Vol I of Golding and then that will be it for me.

Steve,

I'm glad you got it and glad that you feel confidant enough to print it out. Hope it helps.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[jake]

Dee-Dubb,

Let me "ditto" the above remarks. Thanks for ALL you do! Your sacrifice is much appreciated Ol'Buddy!

Like a greedy worm, I just downloaded the file. Thank God for broadband!

Take care!

[plugnickle]

Jake,
I agree, broadband is wonderful. I timed the Volume IV download at 15 seconds. It helped that I just upgraded my cable internet account to 4 mps. I am very proud of it.

Steve

[danfreeman]

And likewise, thank you D. W. It's important to get this to as many people as possible, and you don't find this stuff at bookstores.

[erickgeer]

DW,
These books you have scanned have been most excellent. Much- much- much- much appreciated over here.

Erick

[Lisa Cresson]

Hello Everyone,

Where is the source or repository of DW's digitized texts? I was also trying to find some of the USM shoe/boot manufacturing manuals from before 1950. Searching ABE.com regularly without success.

Thanks!
Lisa

[Lisa Cresson]

OK found the link to the library; but at the bottom is John Baily with disconnected phone and email. Has anyone volunteered to do the job?
I am looking for written instructions, whose detail is painfully exact as in the Handmade Shoes for Men, but focuses on women's footwear construction. Swaysland? The web is big but not that big; and the HUGE NYC public library on 5th - 42nd does not offer the information.

Regards,
Lisa

[Lisa Cresson]

Hello HCC:
Some of you may have noticed my quest for information on the court shoe construction with detail matching the "Handmade Shoes for Men" book. I have located a 19th century text on shoemaking for women, although it is not clear if the author is a woman or a man.
Has anyone here seen the book entitled:
"Every Lady Her own Shoemaker; or, A Complete Self-Instructor in the Art of Making Gaiters and Shoes. By a lady ... "
Published by R. M. De Witt [c1856] in New York,
Descript vi, [7]-39 p. 5 (i. e. 6) fold. diagr. 16 cm.

It is on microfilm at a local university research library. I hope to see it soon. However, member opinions welcome, and any leads to similar information would be greatly appreciated. Or just a few comments on the difference between the glued sole and vs. welt soles.

Does anyone know if better documentation was given at Cordwainer's College in London which was folded into the Fashion College in 2000? I am looking for historical information, and not shoes based on fiberboard et al.

To DW Frommer -- could you reply as to which of your recommended shoe bootmaking texts offers more information on the pump or court shoe?

Regards,
Lisa

[Lisa Cresson]

Dear Admin:
I checked for links at your library page, and noticed the contact listed at the bottom -- John Baily -- his phone and email are no longer working and the Landis and other machine manual links do not appear to be in the latest HTML where DWFrommer added two new .pdfs.
Is there a Library Archive I have missed?

Steering in the right direction is welcomed.

[das]

Lisa,

'Every Lady Her own Shoemaker' was available as a facsimile reprint, I think through Amazon Dry Goods--at least Old Sturbridge Village sold it in their bookshop. For all of that I don't think it's going to be very useful to you for making 20thc court shoes.

[das]

Lisa, any & all,

John Bailey's new e-mail address is:

johnnyb@dandy.net

We might get his new snail-mail address and phone too, and post them permanently over by the HCC reprints link, eh? Sorry for any inconvenience folks.

[anon]

Lisa

For what it's worth (not much) I'd agree with Msier Saguto about "Every Lady". I'm a cobbler, not cordwainer but several years ago I used a (reprint) copy to make a pair of side-laced booties for a friend. The full sized patterns were useful but the directions were written (in my estimation) by a non-cordwainer for non-cordwainers and were not very clear at all in places.

I haven't it in front of me but my recollection is that sewing on the soles - they're turnshoes BTW - was covered in one sentence or maybe two. If I hadn't had a pair made by a real cordwainer in front of me as a model I'd have been in trouble! Now that's partly my lack of knowledge, no doubt, but also very much a function of the book.

It seems to have been written by "a lady" who'd done this and was eager to pass on how to have fashionable shoes at a reasonable cost, but the author clearly isn't a cobbler and not a technical writer either. There are no diagrams or illustrations either, save the pattern. A fun book to pick up but, in my humble opinion, of limited utility as a manual.

My tuppence worth!
Peter Monahan