Lasts

[dagon]

Howdy all!

I am about to try my hand at making some lasts. I have a bunch of old lasts from various sources, and not a single matched pair in the lot. Not a problem, really, as I just wanted them so I could see how at least a few lasts had been made. I've spoken to Marc (quite enlightening, thanks for the tips!), seen his lasts (and made photos (also quite helpful)), read portions of "Stepping through Time" and looked and played with the 60's and 70's lasts that I have picked up. I'll be building some lasts for making 14th century turnshoes. I know the existing lasts I have are of limited value, as they are for heeled shoes (and one boot), are all square or round toes, and are various sizes.

Now for the question. Does anyone have any recommendations for how to do this? I need to generate a last for my mutant sized foot (the army issued me 8 1/2 D combat boots which still fit, but to get a modern shoe, I take an 11 in reebok high tops, a 10 in Justin boots, and the most comfy boot I ever wore was a 9 EEE Lucchese...

I expect to go through a lot of wood using the "Trial and Error" method, but any recommendations on what to do, or what NOT to do would be greatly appreciated. If you want to reach me off list, my address is {mutsey@redsword.com}.

Any help is greatly appreciated (and I apologize for being verbose. I find myself incapable of asking just a "simple" question...)

Thanks!

Mitch

[judy]

The late George Koleff wrote a book called, "Last Designing and Making Manual, and an accompaning Video (Pal, VHS). The book was published in 1997 by Kanagra Enterprises, E-mail kanet@dove.net.au, snail mail, PO Box 370, Campbelltown, South Australia, 5074. He makes profiles from measurements,using the "geometric method", and then laminates wood blocks and carves them to the individual's measuremnts; no information of styles of last, heel heights etc.

[dw]

I believe that Larry Waller, right here in the US of A, also carries this book.

You will need to contact:

Larry Waller
Walrus Shoe and Leather Co.
W8295 Hwy 11
Delavan, WI 53115-1433
1.262.882.6006
email: larry@walrusshoe.com


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[Driftwood]

There are several comprehensive books on last making and design available from www.shoetrades.com . When I worked in shoe and boot model making this resource was quite indispensible. They also carry many books on shoe design and consruction techniques. There is an abundance of material on that website, the heading you will want is footwear. Hope this is helpful.

[fjones]

Further to the posting by Driftwood

Two points:-

1. Yes, there is a listing of books on shoetrades.com. All but a few of these books are not published by Shoe Trades. They buy them in and re-sell them - they are acting as a specialist booksellers. I mention this because like any collection of books some are good or very good, others I would not pay $2 for. Writing and publishing really good technical books is difficult, time consuming, and therefore expensive. That is why there are so few good ones. In short, investigate before you mail a check. Ideally get a recommendation from somebody who actually owns, or has at least seen, the book.

2. Shoes Trades Publishing in Massachusetts, the parent company of the site, is about to (or has already) changed hands. Its main product was the international footwear industry magazine “World Footwear” and that has been sold to a UK company. I understand the book selling part was not part of the deal and its future is unknown at the moment. For information, most of the books on the site can be ordered by any bookshop in the normal way. For example as has been noted here, Larry Waller does several and could probably get others to order.

Frank Jones
frank.jones@shoemaking.com

[Jim Bowers]

I have a few lasts for sale. Some dress shoes and some western. I have a total of about 60 pair. I have both plastic and maple lasts. Many of the plastic lasts are brand new and never used. I am out of the last business and am happy to be so. What a mess. I also have a small run of new lasts for moccasins and I am selling at a good price. If anyone is interested I want to sell off what is left and go back to making footwear.
Jim Bowers

thedryad55@aol.com

[Jim Bowers]

I wanted to add one thing for all to think about regarding lasts. I am a good last maker and would love to meet the need of all of the custom footwear makers. Here is the problem. First is time. Lasts cannot be made today...I need several weeks to fill orders. Next is a lathe. A decent used lathe is about $10,000.00, yes 10k. I do not have the resourses to buy one. I know how to operate the machine and I can find one quickly. How do I pay for it ? I had at one time hoped the custom boot and shoe makers would Co-op and get a lathe and then I would be able to meet the custom last market at about $25 to $30 per pair of lasts. I have hundreds of last models and each of you has a model that can be used with no daamange to it at all. Any last would be a model. If I needed to make a model that would be expensive but I can do it. The last problem can be solved for all of us but it would certainly need to be a team effort.
Last problem is getting paid for the lasts. Of the 20,000 dollars worth of last I sold I got paid for slightly over half.....very slightly. Sort of put be out of the last business quickly.

If anyone wants to discuss lasts I am here for about 2 weeks and then I am moving back to my cabin in Colorado. I will not have a PC but snail mail can be sent to me at the address below until I get a box in Colorado.

Jim Bowers
PMB 236
2323 Del Prado Blvd. #7
Cape Coral, FL 33994

I will post the new address when I am settled.

[walrus]

Good Morning to All
We carry all of George Koleff’s books we are the US distributor .We also handle a number of other books relating to the shoe trade . If you email us at books@walrusshoe.com or you can call 1.262.882.6006 we will be happy to send you a complete list of what we carry in stock ,and a price list .I hope we can help.
Thanks for the interest.

Larry Waller
Walrus Shoe & Leather Co.LLC
w8295 State Hwy 11
Delavan WI 53115
1.262.882.6006 Shop
1.262.882.6060 Fax
larry@walrusshoe.com

Larry

[rosynay]

Do we need to start a fund to keep some
one like Jim Bowers in business? Though I will probably never have the
volume of boot business as most of you
I am willing to contribute a nominal
amount just to acquire a community lathe that would benefit all.

RL

[Driftwood]

Two outstanding and very insightful books on last making and design are American Last Making by Karl Adrian and The Shoe Last by Joe Pivecka. Shoe Trades Publishing also carries many books on pattern making and shoe designing. I have a fairly extensive library of books purchased through Shoe Trades and found them to be very professionally done. If I can offer further help you may contact me at driftwoodcustomboots.com. Just trying to be helpful.

[fjones]

Driftwood

Having read my previous posting again, I feel I should apologize for being so direct.

I did not mean to sound critical, I was merely trying to say that purchasers should be careful. However, my posting does not read as I intended.

I too was trying to be helpful but with hindsight that is not how the posting reads. Whereas your comments about the Karl Adrian and Joe Pivecka books are exactly what potential buyers need as guidance - a recommendation from somebody who actually owns the book/s

Sorry if I caused offence.

Frank Jones
frank.jones@shoemaking.com

[P.Vasquez]

To : Jim Bowers


I hope you can send the photos of the last trap
to me before leaving for Colo. I will even settle
for an unprocessed roll of photos and will refund
costs.Thanks in advance.P.

[joe]

This message is for Jim bowers...Call me collect if nessary so we can discuss last and last making machine....Joe Patrickus 573-346-7711

[owly]

I am looking for someone who is interested in making a pair of preferably wooden lasts for the 16th century slip-on shoe. I don't have the means to make lasts myself and I REALLY want to try to make correct 16th century shoes and learn how to sew on a last. I have pictures of lasts from the period and I was planning on making the shoes for myself for once so it would be my own foot measurements. Anybody interested or have any tips on where I can get the right type of lasts? I'm in Sweden.

[Tex Robin]

Anna,
Hej Anna, Hur står det till? Jag mår bra. Contact Janne Melkersson in Stockholm. He can probably help you make a plaster last or can point you to someone that can. He is into orthopedic work and knows all the shoemakers in Sweden. His e-mail is
melkersson.skomakare@telia.com
Tell him I sent you. Vårhälsningar från Texas...TR

[Jill Holmgren]

LASTS FOR SALE: I am cutting back and have a number of lasts for sale, ladies and mens, all sizes and styles. They are mostly shoe lasts, both wood and plastic. A good price to a good home! email jholmgren@mosquitonet.com Jill Holmgren, Fairbanks, Alaska

[norwegian]

Anna,
If you send me the pictures, I can make it!
Mail me, and I will give you further details of what I need to do a proper job.

Until next time
Jan P. Myhre
fotnoten@online.no

[Jill Holmgren]

For those who have asked, here is a partial list of the lasts that I am clearing out:
Wooden: ladies heels 7C, ladies flats (one piece no hinge ) 9B, ladies heels Mears Slide-0-Matic United Last 6-64 58W Size 8.5AA
Plastic: Childrens Vulcan 1074 size 13C, 2 pair Womens (flats or low heels) Sterling 1526 in 9.5B And 10B, Green-colored #26745 last for ladies high heeled boots size 7B (I bought these from an Italian shoemaker), Mens Vulcan Ranger-D 1-72 size 10D, and a run of Womens Star Jones-Vining 5-82, flat or low-heeled, sizes 6AA, 6.5AA 7AA, 7.5AA, 8AA, 8.5AA, 9AA, 10AA
Jill Holmgren jholmgren@mosquitonet.com

[Jill Holmgren]

Here are the rest of the lasts that I am clearing out. I believe that they are all ladies lasts.
1 pair Wood #1NT-2R size 8.5AAAAA
All the following have "58W" on them. They appear to all be the same style. All are wooden except sizes 6B and 9AA.
Size 5.5 (Slide-o-matic Krentler Bros. Milwaukee 5-5), Size 5.5B, Size 6B (Mears), Size 7.5 AA, Size 7.5 B, Size 9 AA, Size 10AA, Size 10B (United Last Slide-o-Matic)
Feel free to contact me for more information. Jill Holmgren jholmgren@mosquitonet.com

[admin]

On 06 May 2002, 250+/- posts (everything prior to 25 February 2002) were moved to the first CD archive. Those interested in a copy of The Crispin Coloquy Archives should contact me.

Admin

[Bill Tippit]

Hello everyone. Since I'm not a last maker anymore, I thought I'd at least try to help out with some info. Phillip Malouf just called me. His brother, H.A. Malouf, was a bootmaker in Brownwood, Texas. Unfortunately, H.A. has passed away. Phillip, who makes boots in Ablilene, has some bootmaking equipment and a number of WOODEN Western Boot lasts for sale. I don't know any more details but I told him I'd post a message for him on the forum. Phillip can be contacted by phone at: 915-677-4463. Good luck and my best to all my friends in the industry. I miss you all VERY much.

Bill Tippit

[cozino]

I am looking for a few wooden boot lasts for personal use. Does anyone know of a source? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[casper]

I am looking for the Text Book used at the State of Texas Technology Institute for Western Bootmaking. This program closed about 10 years ago. This classroom text book is no longer in print. BUT... someone out there must have gone to this Bootmaking school and still has this book. I would be willing to pay a reasonable price to purchase it , or maybe just borrow it. Please Help !! cdwil@msn.com

[blake sladek]

Try Dave McKinney w/ Teddy Bear Shoe Care. He is
either in Arlington or Irving Tx. Dave and Dennis
Cottle put the book together while teaching at
TSTI in Amarillo. The program closed in May or June of 1988. Great bunch of guys. I believe Dave
has the rights to the book. Or try Panhandle
Leather in Amarillo Tx. At one time they had some
copies of the book for sale. Check with the operator for a 1-800 number.

[btippit]

I'm not familiar with this book but since your message appeared in the "Last" category I thought I'd mention that two fine books on last making are available at www.shoetrades.com. They are "American Last Making" and "The Last". There are also a number of good pattern development, shoe making, and shoe history books there as well.

Bill Tippit