Seeking knowledge or survey

[das]

Alan,

The guy you need to talk to is Jim Kladder, one of our moderators. He runs the 18th saddlery and harnessmaking program at Colonial Williamsburg. My guess--gutta percha is too late for 1770s. Shoemakers at that date just used paste (rye flour and water).

Jim-You out there?

[jenny_fleishman]

Orthotics...seeking expert advice! I would like to learn how to make orthotics, and short of taking pedorthics training classes, which I would love to do at some time in the future, I am wondering if any pedorthists on the board can recommend any books that might be of help in determining the proper type of orthotic for various foot problems, and some discussion of materials used and construction of orthotics. (Was that a run-on sentence, or what?) I'm also interested in making lasts that are healthy for the feet.

I called the Pedorthic Footwear Association to ask about the content of some of the books they sell. I had high hopes about "Contemporary Pedorthics," "Professional Shoe Fitting Manual," and "A Guide to Custom Shoe Therapy," but the person I spoke to was very discouraging about the content of the books being useful to me. The first two are used as text books for a pedorthics training program I found online, so I was surprised she was so negative.

Any suggestions in general, or opinions on the above mentioned (or other) books would be appreciated. Thanks.

Jenny

[btippit]

Jenny,

I'd suggest going to: http://foot.com/pro/register.jsp and registering for their Pedorthic Newswire e-newsletter. You can submit you question to the newsletter and I'm sure you will get several answers from various Cpeds.

Bill “The Last Man Standing” Tippit
www.globalfootwearsolutions.com

[ttex]

Rob

What do you think of the copy socks as compared to the normal rolls of plaster material?

I have to make some arm protectors for my sword instructor and thought of using it to make a mold of his arm.

CW

[relferink]

Chris,

the casting socks are great to use if you are going to have last made through CAD-CAM. Since they are even in thickness all around the outside of the mold gets scanned, thickness subtracted and the “virtual mold” used to make the last. If you were to use tape some spots would have double or triple layers others only one layer so there is less consistency.
For your project I would use rolls. Plaster or fiberglass, the last one is easier and faster but plaster is cheaper. I'm not sure the casting socks come long and narrow enough to go around an arm. Once you cast the arm and take it off, close the mold and close off one end. You could probably just work off plaster. Put a piece or Rebar in to stiffen the whole arm up and gives you something to clamp it in your vice with. Does it need re-enforcement? You could probably use some polypropylene, 3mm that will be very stiff and secure unless you have sharpened the swords like a shoemakers knife.

Rob

[ttex]

Rob

Thanks for the info. I had not thought of the rebar for the clamp. The time consuming part of this project will be making the mold. I was thinkinbg of asti op. I have not priced it yet, but hope to make several size arms and then find the one that fits a person best.

I found a leather material that has rawhide in the center of it. I am thinking of using it. I'll talk to him/them (sword people) about the price of it in a few days.

Thanks for the help.
CW

[tomo]

Chris
the rawhide centered leather you're referring to is often used for girth points on 'English' (and european) saddles. I think they tan it as rawhide, then do like a veg retan but they don't let the veg strike right through.

It's very tough and durable but can delaminate or seperate - takes quite a while though. I'm told, it's caused by using oils to keep it supple, apparantly grease or thicker (beeswax maybe???) leather dressing don't do this.

More power to y'awl
T.

[ttex]

Thanks Tom

That matches with what the supplier said. He said it's mostly used on prosthesis related work here in DK.

Back to a job application
CW

[shoestring]

When would be the best time of the day to take measurements of the feet.In the morning,afternoon,or give the feet a rest after walking.

Ed

[tomo]

Ed.
After they've washed 'em

More power to y'awl
T.

[dw]

Tom,

Funny, but not too far off!

Ed,

I don't know that there is an ideal time. Some folks swell up by mid afternoon; some folks are most swollen in the morning. And it depends on the day and the ambient temperatures. How much have they had to drink the night before? Have they been eating a lot of snack foods (salt)? And so forth.

Probably the best answer, even though it sounds smart-alecky, is just when they get into your shop with a proper pair of socks.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[shoestring]

Tom,DW
Lesson well taken,Clean Feet & Proper Socks............. .

Ed

[paul_k]

Ed,
I'll second DW's comment to do it when they're in your shop and all worked up.
I just had about the third or fourth prospect say they're gonna be back and then didn't.
So I say get'em fitted and get a deposit while they're sold. Life intrudes and in spite of good intentions it falls to the back ground.
PK

[dw]

Ed, Tom,

It may have sounded flip but socks are very important...for boots, at least.

I like to point out to students (and sometimes customers) that once upon a time shoemakers used strip of cloth or paper to measure the girths on a foot. Each strip was lableled and saved for that customer.

Well, take a half inch strip of tissue paper (or toilet paper) and wrap it around your bare fist...or your foot. (The hand can, in some respects, stand in for the foot--the bone structure is at least similar.)

Tear the paper so that it is exactly the length of the circumference of the fist. Now roll it from one end to the other, squeezing all the air space out of it. Compress it as much as you like. You will end up with a little roll about an eighth inch in diameter. That's how much a toilet paper sock would add to the circumference of the foot.

Now real consider socks--thin nylon socks, heavy woolen work socks, boot socks with a terry-cloth foot cushion...how much is the yarn going to add to the circumference of the foot? How much is the "loft" of the terry cloth or the air space in the woolen yarn going to add?

It can make a difference...don't let a customer try a pair of boots on with a cotton boot sock when he was measured in a nylon dress sock. Not unless you're ready to tell him he's gained weight over the holidays!


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

(Message edited by dw on September 08, 2006)

[sorrell]

If I wanted to make a pair of boots with no stitching on the tops, what kind of cement would be best to use for glueing the tops and linings together? I would prefer to use all-purpose. But one of the bootmakers who trained me told me that if you use all-purpose to cement your tops and linings it will make the boot wearer's legs miserably hot. Another bootmaker told me that's not true and he uses all-purpose for tops all the time. Any opinions here?

Lisa

[paul]

Lisa,

How could you?! Are you trying to throw us all for a loop!? How could you take an order where you didn't do your beautiful stitching on the tops? I'm going to have to revive my perception of you. I hope you don't suffer too much rerstraining yourself.

I can't see that all purpose would be soo impenatrable to air. I'd think it'd be a stretch to blame hot on your glue choice. But really, I don't know. Water based glue would be worse I'd think.

Are you going to use stays?

PK

[sorrell]

Paul,
I'm sorry to do that to you so early in the morning. You're awake now, aren't you?

What I'm really thinking of doing is making a top with no visible stitching inside. I'd do the inlay, "line" it with a thin kangaroo lining, stitch it, and then use all-purpose to cement in the real lining. I don't think I'd want stays after all that.

Actually, you could make the lining inside a full one-piece front. I'd still want to stitch all the way through on the tongue, but the vamp lining and top lining could all be one piece this way. It would look kind of cool...

Lisa

[paul]

Whew! Lisa, don't do that to me. Good Greif!

OK, so now that I see you're just thinking outside the box, I'll calm down. I've actually done something similar. And I didn't use stays either. It can be just too much sometimes to stitch all the way thru everything.

I like your idea of using a full cut front liners. There could be times when it'd be perfect. I get it about the tongue stitch though.

Speaking of Full Cuts, how ya doin' with the book?

PK

[tmattimore]

Lisa
I did that once on a pair of biker boots using 3-4 oz upper one layer of 1.5 oz pig to sew to and another to line with. It made a pretty firm top using rubber cement.

[dw]

Lisa,

I can't see how it would make that much difference. I think the whole issue of "breathability" has more to do with the leather being able to wick moisture away from the source, than any hope that the leather actually works more like a screen door than a storm door.

Any transfer of moisture or heat is a process of slow osmosis rather than cubic inches per second.

If you are worried just make the tops a little wider or a little shorter to allow air to be "pumped" out.

Truth to tell, I don't think that with the linings we tend to use you can expect any modern glue or cement that is water soluable (if such there be) to hold the linings in tight. A really good English lining glued (yes, "glued" ) with Hirschkleber and then treed very well might hold up to every expectation. But if the lining has a soft hand, you probably want to stick with AP, IMO.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[sorrell]

Thanks, all.

Paul,
LOVE the book. I haven't gotten to try making full wellingtons yet, and who knows when I will. But I'm really enjoying the book and I've picked up some helpful tips. For instance, after reading the section on wiping the heel and seeing DW's recent video post, I tried it his way on the three pair I lasted yesterday. They're the best heels I'd ever done!

Lisa

[jesselee]

Lisa

I'm not familiar with the term 'wiping the heel'? Is that like filled polish?
Jesse

[sorrell]

Jesse,
It's when you're lasting the boot, and you pull the heel leather smooth around and under the last and tack it in place to dry. Obviously you want the hard counter tight to the last and no wrinkles that will show above the sole. I'll cut a "wiping strip" (just a narrow strip of leather) that I tack in place at the side seam and use to smooth the wrinkles as I work my way around the heel.

DW did a short video of the process that's somewhere on the forum but I don't know how to tell you where to find it.

I know you're doing something along the same lines with your boots--what do you call it?

Lisa

[jesselee]

Lisa

I just soak the leather up to the instep. Now, I am using veg/Oak/Hemlock tanned, so it smooths nice and easy and flat. I was just taught it was called pulling. I don't get any wrinkles where the heel seats on the sole. Guess it's just terminology. I will do pics when I last the 1860-70's boots.
Jesse

[dw]

Here's the link to the post containing the video:

DW's post on 15 nov. 2006

Within the post is a link. Click on it and Windows media player should start up with the video on it. Runs about five minutes.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC