Tools of the Trade

[das]

Mark,

We use Nicholson brand "4-in-hand" rasps from the hardware store, which are a ringer for the older Barnsley "shoe rasps". One side is flat, and has
coarse/fine teeth, the other side in half-round, with coarse/fine teeth. Work like a champ these do.

[firefly]

Thanks DW,

I did look at those as well. They have a couple that were smaller and looked like they would fit well. I am using soling leather for my insoles and I am trying to finish up the trimming. This stuff is tuff. I have cut Purple Heart and Ipe that is softer.

Thanks,

Mark

[firefly]

Thanks Al,

I'll look for the brand in the local hardware here.

Colin Barnsley has some of the "Old" new Barnsley stock. I would really like to have a couple because I have been happy with the Barnsley tools I have. But I want it NOW.

You know how that is

Mark

[firefly]

Al,

Funny thing...I went home last night and discovered that the rasps that I purchased from Home Depot are indeed Nicholson.

I tried them on the heavy soling materials and they work like a champ. $12 at Home Depot compared to $60 from Barnsley.

Thanks,

Mark

[shoestring]

Hey Mark,

if you get time would you send a pic of that rasps.

Ed

[firefly]

Hey Ed,

My camera and the tool are in two different places right now but if you go to this link for Cooper Tools there are few 4-in-hand files.

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brands/nicholson_files/index.cfm?model_list=1&att _id=NFI001&att1=Files&att2=4-in-Hand

Hope this helps in a pinch. I can post a picture later if you need me to. These files correspond almost exactly to the Barnsley files that range from $60 - $66 plus over seas carriage.

And with Al's endorsement that the quality is good I don't think we can go wrong.

Oh and by the way the description defines it as formerly known as a shoemaker's rasp.

Thanks,

Mark

[firefly]

Hey Guys,

I have another tool question. As you might be able to tell I was bored and in Home Depot without my wife, but...

A Butt Knife looks exactly like a Linoleum knife. Can anyone confirm?

Now don't get me wrong here guys. I'm not trying to cheap out but I am getting a bit frustrated with the process of finding that I need a tool and waiting two weeks to get it. It would be nice if at least some tools were readily available off the shelf of the local hardware.

And the followup to that would be how do you sharpen that inside curve?

Now Al, if you tell me that you get your lasting pliers at the local hardware I'm gonna cry

Thanks,

Mark

[dw]

Mark,

I have a Barnsley butt knife...it is significantly different from a lino knife in that it has a green handle.

Seriously, it may have better steel--it is a Sheffield steel blade, afer all. But it is exactly the same shape.

As for sharpening it, I use a Razor Sharp System to get inside the curve but I use the point more than the blade itself. I cut butts, outsoling, and insole shoulders with it, in case you are wondering.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[shoestring]

Mark,

I was in Loews not long ago and picked up a rasps just like the one Cooper is selling.I bought it saying to myself this may come in handy one day,and the day has arrived.Thanks for the url.

Ed

[jenny_fleishman]

Latest tool (?) creation--for holding the heel counter snug to the last while drying. Similar in theory to Rob's bicycle tire inner tube system, I expect!

5177.jpg

5178.jpg

The black velcro is doublesided--purchased off E-Bay, thank-you Georgene!

Jenny

[dw]

A word of caution...perhaps...the longer it takes the leather to dry the more likely you will get mold started. Some say it doesn't matter...that the mold will wash off, but I might remind folks that it was mold and/spores that were the reality of King Tut's Curse.

In any case, I'd lean towards using a fabric--like muslin--or something that could breathe. I'd avoid encouraging mold, if I possibly could.

When I see mold develop on leather I usually put on my face mask and wash the leather down with diluted bleach, water and alcohol.

Just a thought...

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[jenny_fleishman]

Thanks, DW. Is the mold usually black?

Jenny

[dw]

Jenny,

Seems to me it's kind of blueish but turns the leather black. It's been a while since I've had to deal with it.

I made pre-formed counters years ago when I was first yrying my hand at all of this. If I recall correctly, we laid out and traced the pattern on a piece of leather that was a bit bigger....while it was flat. Skived the edge almost down to where we wanted them, then wet the counter and tacked that top edge in the surplus margin. When dry we cut the counter free along the traced lines and, while still positioned on and over the last, skived the counter to final substance. This avoided all that wrapping and so forth and allowed the counter to dry much quicker...too quick to encourage mould. I'd have to experiment with it to determine the exact sequence and if it was a controllable technique.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[artzend]

DW,

A couple of photos of the old clicking press still working in my old workshop. Now used to make sandals but still efficient for cutting out anything.

Clicking press front on:

5253.jpg

Clicking press side view:

5254.jpg

It came to Australia from Ireland I think on a sailing ship in 1888 (Old timey enough for Jesse Lee) It used to have a pedal suspended from a crank just under the front, and pivotted from the bar at the back. You spin the big flywheel by hand to start it and it now runs on a 1/3 hp washing machine motor.

Once it is running the top just goes up and down relatively slowly and you slide the work in with the knife in place and then pull it out when the top lifts up.

You have to be careful and quick or the knives get knocked, but it just goes and goes. Nothing can go wrong with it that can't be fixed.

Note the love hearts in the gear wheel on the outside. You don't get that with machines nowadays.

Everything is cast iron and really heavy.

I put in a photo of an old heel nailer too. I don't know when it was purchased but I got it from an old guy selling up. The top clamps the heel onto the sole and then you jump on the pedal and nails are driven up through the bottom of the boot or shoe into the heel.

Heel nailer:

5255.jpg

Tim

(Message edited by artzend on July 28, 2007)

[dw]

Tim,

Very cool! I've never used a clicking machine...the only ones I've seen were fairly recent and also very heavy.

The heel nailer is interesting as well, although a more modern version is still being made that is not too dissimilar. It's run by turning a large wheel rather than stepping on a pedal.

I have an old sole roller that is in beautiful shape and I use it on occasion although I use it to harden heel lifts more than shape or harden soles. I believe I have posted a photo of it. But this forum has been in existance and been dedicated to posting photographs of techniques and tutorials of techniques for so long, that you never know what you'll find buried in the archives.

This thread alone is working on its second thousand posts.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[romango]

Here is a lap-jack made from a pick-axe handle, steel rod and fiberglass reinforcement. I used a drill press to drill the hole for the rod. It would have been difficult to make a straight hole without it. I'm pretty sure the fiberglass reinforcement will work as well as a metal collar, but I'll let you know if I manage to break it. Unfortunately, the dang fiberglass cost $20. Oh well, at least I could repair my boat, if I had one.

5258.jpg

5259.jpg

[dw]

Rick,

That's great! If it holds it might be a better way to go than the metal collar--at least it won't stain veg boot linings.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[amuckart]

If staining is a problem with a metal collar you could get a short length of electrical heatshrink insulation and shrink that over the metal.

[dw]

Alasdair,

That's a good idea! I've never seen shrinkwrap big enough before, but then I've never looked for it, either.

Currently, I have my metal collar wrapped with a thin piece of leather. Seems to work...but I'll have to keep my eyes open foir the shrinkwrap.



Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[dw]

Here's a sweet little item I picked up the other day...boxwood and ivory, late 1800's, Kerby & Bros.,5 Fulton St., NY.

5287.jpg

5288.jpg

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[amuckart]

That's beautiful. There's an elegance to old tools that you just don't seem to see these days outside of really high-end woodworking hand tools.

I have one question that is perhaps a little silly in the context of this place though; how do you use one of those things, and what dimensions of the foot do you measure with it? It looks good for length, ball width and heel height, but are there non-obvious ways of using it to get other measurements?

There's a 16th century picture on Marc's website that I noticed a while ago had what looked like a measuring stick hanging on the wall in the background to the left of an essentially modern looking shoehorn.

The detail I'm talking about is:

5290.jpg

[dw]

Alasdair,

I love old tools and the "extra" care that went into making them or "appointing" them. We've lost that sensibility except in the highest of high end goods and even there it sometimes seems forced.

It's a little like food...every generation has to fool around with synthetic colours and artificial flavours, to the extent that some foods on the shelves today are so "modern" and "efficient" they have little or no nutritional value at all.

There's a lesson there...for all of us...if we are wise enough to hear it.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[kaspar]

Neat tools Tim and DW. Its always good to see old ones tools got they`r chance to work nowadays as well.
Here some photos of crimping boards and pile of lasts I got last week from one old attic. The owner say`d they burned all the old shoes and boots (factory and her stepfather made) last summer. Shame I was too late. But at least something.
K.

5300.jpg

5301.jpg

[dw]

Kaspar,

Quite a find! And more than a few lasts if you can sort them out and size them.

Never seen crimping boards quite like that. I would have liked to see the boots made off them, too.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[kaspar]

Yes, there was quite many pairs of last with interesting shapes (IMO).

Cheers
K.