One "Last" Question

[das]

Many thanks!

[dw]

Yr. Hmb. Svt.

[SharonKudrle]

IMG_1292[1] by Sharon Kudrle, on Flickr[/img]

Al suggested a visit to the Hardwick MA Historical Society to view the Ruggles 18th century lasts to several people, Ms. Bancroft kindly let me take a few photos of the lasts.

[SharonKudrle]

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[SharonKudrle]

Here are more photos:

[das]

Ah, the Ruggles' lasts finally. Tell us a bit about Ruggles, and the dates we're looking at? Wasn't Ruggles a loyalist who fled MA in c.1776, so presumably pre-1776? How many lasts are men's versus women's? These are all excellent and well preserved examples of last architecture of the day: straight backs (very hollow cuboid to create "clip" in quarter top-line, etc.); very shallow insteps to be used with instep leather fittings, creating a 2-piece form, etc.

[SharonKudrle]

I was not told that Ruggles fled MA in 1776, but I will ask for more details about Mr. Ruggles. I know that you said you heard that they were a run of mid 1700’s women’s lasts. What I can add is that the run is small sizes, as you can see from the photos on graph paper. My time at the Hardwick Historical Society was extremely limited due to my time constraints, only ½ hour to 45 minutes. Four of the three lasts were children’s sizes and only three would fit an adult. The largest size was the most used, I would guess a 7 or 8 women’s size allowing for the pointed toe, and is the one photographed from the bottom. One of the children’s lasts has a more pointed toe instead of the rounded point the rest of them had. I slid a heel under the largest last that was a Louis heel from 1900s ~ 1 ¾ high, and the most, I think the last would accept, and a higher one I brought was not workable. There wasn’t much toe spring. The Hardwick Historical Society in Massachusetts is very accommodating, and welcomes visitors.

[das]

I, and I'm sure other readers here, would love to get the straight story on Mr. Ruggles, a loyalist(?) who fled(?) around 1776(?). This would better date the lasts. 18thc women's lasts for covered (wood) heels are as rare as hen's teeth in the US--this is a very important collection. Since you're "right there", local, can you follow-up with Hardwick Hist. Society maybe by phone, on the Ruggles' story? Lots of surviving 18thc women's shoes carry heels that were too high for the last they were made on (by modern standards)--I guess they figured the wearer's foot would press the sole down where it needed to be, and excess vamp wrinkles were not considered the eye-sore they are today?

[SharonKudrle]

Thank you for leading us all to the Ruggles lasts, I hope other people will follow up on it too. I will ask the Hardwick Historical Society about Mr. Ruggles story.
It would be nice to see photos of European women's high heel lasts made for fashion, not work. I think I've seen shoes made on flat lasts where the back seam was altered after the shoes were made.

[ArborCW]

I searched the forum for "Tebbutt" but only got your post and an earlier one on vices used for lastmaking. I did find an ancient internet post saying it was available from the HCC library in photocopy, is this still the case?

I am seeking some books on last making. I recently unearthed a copy of Hannibal and am almost done reading it, but unless there is a surprise in the final 25 pages, it hasn't been terribly informative. Tebbutt is next on my list but besides being near-impossible to locate I came across a post on the forum questioning it's value as well.

Is the Tebbutt a good guide for last making?
Are there any resources on the subject worth seeking out? (beyond the online reprints at the HCC, which are incredible)

Many thanks in advance; your help is much appreciated.

Regards,

Av M.

[ArborCW]

A copy of Hannibal's Last Fitting and Pattern Cutting (1888), in case anyone is seeking one:

hannibal last fitting and pattern cutting 1888.pdf

[dw]

Thanks....

[das]

While Hannibal's book is product of its day (1888), likewise his insights and observations are a window not only on our past but on the "decision tree" of how ageless issues have been addressed. Thanks for posting this.

[ArborCW]

While Hannibal's book is product of its day (1888), likewise his insights and observations are a window not only on our past but on the "decision tree" of how ageless issues have been addressed. Thanks for posting this.

Happy to share. I have been seeking books on the subject of last making and based upon how difficult this book was to locate I figured I would make it available here. I keep returning to the same questions: what is the proper radius (curvature) for a last bottom, what is the correct shape for the top (comb) of the last, height of the arch, acceptable amount of deflection of big toe to midline, and others.

I do also have a scan of Thornton's Text book of Footwear Materials, and with permission from our moderators, I would be happy to share that PDF as well.

On the topic of a window to our past... readers be forewarned - there's at least one section of the Hannibal text that is rather blatantly racist.

[SharonKudrle]

Av. M. (ArborCW)
I am a little uneasy about clicking on a link from an anonymous source. It does sound interesting though! (except for the racism)
Sharon

[ArborCW]

Av. M. (ArborCW)
I am a little uneasy about clicking on a link from an anonymous source. It does sound interesting though! (except for the racism)
Sharon

Yeah sorry about that, I just included it as an attachment but completely understand your hesitation.

Often servers automatically inspect uploaded files with antivirus so others cannot download infected files, but I'm not sure if that's how ours operates here.

[SharonKudrle]

I'm sorry if offended you Av. M. (ArborCW), but generally it isn't a good idea to click on links from anonymous posters.
Sharon

[admin]

In a very real sense, files downloaded from the CC (and the HCC website) are not from "unknown sources." In a very real sense ArborCW is not an "anonymous poster." And in a very real sense, this is not a link to some random site.

The 'link' (if you can call it that) is internal--it goes nowhere but to the HCC server where Arbor has uploaded the file and the server has it stored.

ArborCW is a registered member of the Crispin Colloquy and as Admin, I vet potential members individually.

If this file is infected...and I DL'd it and opened it with Adobe Acrobat...then every file on the server is potentially infected. From the Thornton and Golding volumes to potentially every photo in the Gallery.

At one point, just opening the Crispin Colloquy, itself, is a risk.

In a very real sense, anyone who is that worried, should not be a member of the CC much less accessing the Internet itself. And/or get a decent Antivirus/antispyware program and use it.

[SharonKudrle]

As an HCC member, with all due respect to the admins., I don't like anonymous posts nor will I click on the links therein.

[admin]

No worries. That's certainly your privilege (don't click on the link that @das posted over in the Of Interest discussion--it truly is an external and unknown source). But you will miss a lot.

As admin, I don't control (nor care, really) how any member uses this forum (or doesn't) as long as they don't inadvertently create suspicion or limit the enjoyment of others by unwarranted representations.

And FWIW, I apologize if my post seemed to be a reproach. I did not intend that it be personal. That said, the point needed to be made, in my estimation...for the good of the CC community.

[ArborCW]

I'm sorry if offended you Av. M. (ArborCW), but generally it isn't a good idea to click on links from anonymous posters.
Sharon

Sharon - apologies, I was not trying to be furtive in any way. I updated my signature a bit and hope this helps.

If you're ever in the Ann Arbor area, drop in and allow me to buy you a beer.

Av

[SharonKudrle]

Thank you very much Av. Magar,
I'll gladly reciprocate if you're ever in Boston or we're both at an HCC meeting

[simcha yaffa]

Hey there! I am new to the forum:)
@dw
@SharonKudrle
@lancepryor
@das
I asked someone (professional orthopedic last maker) to make me personalized shoe last, based on a 3d scan of my feet and measurements that I had given him.
Because My feet are very flat. minimalist shoe are the most comfortable type of shoes for me. No arch support, low toe spring, zero drop (no heel elevation).

Here is a picture of my right foot


And here in a picture of my left foot


After I got the computerized STL of the shoe last, I realized that the bottom of the last is not so flat. And that the last touches the ground at the ball area at a small point and as you go up the last, the bottom area slowly gets wider. As you can see in the pictures:






Here pictures from the side




So I wanted to know is this curvature on the bottom of the shoe last is correct for making such a flat minimalist shoe that will not have heel elevation and arch support like a Vans sneaker?
like this:
*as I had told him that I wanted to make a minimalist shoe like Vans sneaker.
*I walk on my balls of feet.

.
thank you for your time and your advice
or any adjustments you think I should apply
Simcha:)

[dw]

Simcha,

Got your PM.

Interesting question but I cannot give you a sure answer. @das might be a better person to ask.

That said, most modern day lasts are slightly radiused on the bottom. Some of that is because, theoretically, it makes the last fit and function better; and some of it is because the foot itself is rounded a little even if you don't see it on a weight bearing foot.

I suspect...might even bet money on it...that the last used for the sneaker you posted had a very similar configuration to the last you commissioned.

And BTW, welcome to the forum. I suspect that most people are recovering from the Memorial Day weekend.

[das]

I don't really have any insights here, except make a shoe on the last and test the fit/function, adapt the last accordingly. As to sneakers, way "after my time", sorry.