The Crispin Colloquy

Here's the boots that I just finished today. This is my first pair made with a narrow square toe, which I added to the last.(thanks for the help DW) The heels are 2 1/4 ". The tops are 17" with light blue Roo crosses and pull holes. The top bead and side welt is from the same bull hide as the foot.

Mike

I'll try one more time.

Mike

The most ridiculous pair of shoes I could think of making that would still be functional. Finished these a couple weeks ago.

I celebrated one of those "milestone" birthdays this week and made a pair of evening shoes for the event using some techniques others may find interesting.

The vamps and heels are covered in a sparkly fabric with peau de soie piping/beading. The shank boards are wrapped in black kid with the forefoot formed of full grain pigskin with the flesh side to the foot. The met area has 1/4 inch Poron padding for standing up at cocktail parties and the void between lasting allowances is filled with another 1/8 inch of Poron.

The straps are braided from six strands of round elastic passed through four sterling silver beads on each side of the shoe befor separating into vamp and heel straps braided from three strands.

The ornamental satin "poof" is secured by an elastic sytem through 3/16" rolled rim eyelets in the vamp so the ornament cannot be knocked off the shoe during dancing and can be changed to a different ribbon or ornament.

here are two new pairs from my workshop. Both go to America (welcome them when you see on the street.. ) The black one is a "modern classic". I made the modification of the last, and it became a classic, since the upper is a bit modern. The brown one is just a experiment with crust leather. I guess you knon what is that - I suggest everyone to try wo wor kwith it! The last in the shoe is called "Budapest". Very comfortable, very special look. Goiser stiching. (the black one is English)

People of the gentle craft, These boots were inspired and made years ago by a famous old painting, I think it was Napolean conquest of Austria, I wonder what Hannibal, the greatest general of all times was wearing when he crossed the Alps?

(Message edited by dearbone on December 21, 2007)

Close up of a crust leather-shoe. As I already got some experience in using crust leather, I thought I will make some more experiments about using, and mainly: antiqueing it. Here are a new sample.

I only used wax to achieve this darker colour, nothing else.



(Message edited by Marcell on December 27, 2007)

Greetings,
This is a simple looking boot of mine, made from 5-6 oz greasy leather, The vamp and the heel area I lined, The Upper and insole are sewn using our shop Light welt going all around the boot. Happy to be back with you again this year.
Nasser.

Dear Georgene,
Here is a picture of the boot with cuff up

(Message edited by dearbone on January 06, 2008)

These two fellers are buddies. They came down from Alberta. Just finished the brown pair, yesterday.The guy that ordered the black boots is on his sixth pair or something like that.

Black boots: full quill ostrich vamps, kangaroo tops, inch and five-eighths heel and a half box toe.


Brown boots: full quill ostrich vamps, French calf tops, inch and five-eights heel.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Just finished these single piece shoes. I need to clean up my lines on the feather channel and toe box but otherwise I'm pretty happy with them.

The leather is Garlin-Neumann glazed buffalo. I pre-crimped the leather and the sole is sewn by hand.

They are for my partner, Pam. Basically a pant-suit shoe. It's made on a mens last. I made the heel a little more petite than I would do for a mans shoe.

Hi All,

Here's a pair of boots that I just finished this last week. Their a buckroo style with 15 inch tops from blue water buffalo the bottoms are dark burgundy bull hide. The top bead,side welt and pull holes are made from burgundy calf. This is the second pair for this customer.

Mike

Apologies for the size of this picture and feel free to remove if need be.Its my first attempt to post a picture. I have no idea how to make it smaller, any advice ? I told you tech was not my thing Shoe are black calf balmoral brogue 1/4 inch edge bevelled waist inch 1/8 heel. I only did the making not closing or last. They will have more work done such as polishing when lasts are pulled.
Regards Mack

Here's a pair of dress boots I just finished. They're blackcherry Roo bottoms and burgundy water buffalo tops. The top bread and inlays on the pulls are ligkt blue cow. I'm now making a pair of black french calf dress shoes for this customer.

Mike

,
This is an upper I am making for my own last. The leather is a crust and the sample is the original colour.I have added colour to the upper to see what it would look like as I have not used it before .I have nearly completed the other upper, I am slow as I am self taught and have only closed a handful of uppers so far but I really enjoy it.I will post the finished shoes but it could be a while.
Regards Mack.

All,

I had to "adjust" Mack's original photo (yesterday) so I thought I would post some crops of points of interest.




Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

This one is for you Fred Longtin, Welcome to you,I do not believe, I just told my old boss about this forum, I hope you will find some time to join our forum, There seem to be enough Fred Longtin's people here to make a soccer team.
My best regards to you & L.

Hello All,

I feel like I've been way out of the loop for a long time.

I started making my move out of my retail exposure in December and am just now feeling like myself again. I hate chaos! But it helps that I finally got two pair done.

This is the first one for '08:


I started these in my previous location and finished them up here at home in my studio at the foot of my steps.

The foot and collar are GH french calf, and the tops are Hide House cowhide, with kidskin inlays and trim. These are the best job I've done so far with bound pull holes. Roo would be better, and I'll probably not use kid again, given a choice.
These were also made on the first pair of lasts I ordered from Bill Tippit's OLGA program. A good bit of build up was necessary, but I'm getting a system down for that.

A different setting sure can make a difference. So far it's not been all the pleasureable, however not having walk-in traffic sure is nice. I'm starting to feel comfortable. I still need to put alot of stuff away. And maybe rearrange the machines a bit.

I've started on the next two pair, so I'll be gettin' the place broke-in in no time.

Paul

A stingray shoe. I don't want to post all the shoe I make, because in that case the whole gallery would be full with my work, but I think this piece will worth a look..

One more small detail to my Rayskin shoe: thanks to Craig Corvin's great help this is the first Koronya branded shoe. Until now I didn't keep it so important, but as sometimes I have to deliver to the States I should keep the brand name in minds.

Craig helped me to het the Koronya stamp made from metal, and a small tool like this (http://n2.vatera.hu/photos/7e/ce/403_1_big.jpg) I am able to press it to the leather. The tool actually was second hand and very cheap - I don't write how much, because I guess you already hate me, because of my cheap sources.
Here is a picure about the sole-lining (?).
Thanks Craig!

My first brogues

All,

For what it's worth, this is a story of a pair of boots I made 25 years ago. (Photos above.)

I made 4 pairs of what I called Sunrise Boots in 82 or 83, the first being for my wife (top pair). Last year, a musician I had met once, who had no idea I used to be a shoemaker came back to the little village I now live in and suddenly said. "I've got to show you my boots."

He put his foot on a chair, and showed me one of the pairs that I made.

Not only is this pair 25 years old, but I now live 1300 km (around 1000 miles) from where they were made. They got stolen from the guy I made them for, and I never expected to see them again.

They had had the soles repaired and the pigskin linings in the counter area had worn through and the stiffeners were worse for wear, but they are now much loved and being repaired.


Tim

www.shoemakingbook.com

(Message edited by artzend on February 05, 2008)