Thread

[paul]

Lance,

Thanks for posting your observations. And good job. It will be there for me (and others), to refer to when I'm ready to try my hand at outsole stitching by hand.

That looks like veg pig, you're using for your model there. If I may ask, how heavy is it and where did you find it?

PK

[lancepryor]

DW:

I think I was kind of lucky this time. Next time may be a very different story....

I do think the outsole leather I have used on this shoe (and the blue boar ones posted earlier) may help. Sewing those soles on seems easier than others I've done, but I don't yet know if that is due to technique or the leather.


Paul:

Thanks for the comments.

The leather is some stuff I bought really cheap off of e-bay to practice with. I think I got something like 5 or 6 skins in various colors for 20 bucks. It was listed as boar skin, but I don't know if it really is boar or whether it is just pig, and I don't know about the tannage either. I would guess it is 2 oz. Perhaps DW can comment, as I sent him samples of all the skins I got. If you have specific need for some, I could perhaps sell some on to you, since I have plenty.

The stuff is pretty soft and stretchy, which makes is easy to last but less easy to skive, and I found inseaming to be a #*%@@, since the leather immediately closed up my awl holes before I could get my bristles through.

Lance

[shoestring]

Lance,

That's a nice job of hand sewing.Your method described is the same way or there bout how I hand stitch some cases I make.My back needle at the bottom and the front on top I get a uniform stitch that way.And that color of leather is pretty neat.

Ed

[paul]

Lance,

Thanks for the reply. It looks heavier than 2 oz. Must be that fluffiness you mentioned.

Some months ago, I think it was Tom, who mentioned using veg pig for full cut liners. I've had 3-4 oz. veg pig before and can see it'd work great. And since Tom mentioned that, I've wanted to try it for liners. However all I've found so far is like 1 oz. So,I might be interested in what you have, but a regular sourse would be preferable.

I had a thought about your holes closing up, as you mentioned. With the veg tanned leathers I've tooled, the leather has to be "half dry" for the impressions to remain as stampted. Too dry and it doesn't hold the impression, too wet and the fibers seem to fill right up again, and fade immediatly.

So I'm wondering, could it be that your liner was not the right temper for the holes to remain open?

PK

[dearbone]

5606.jpg

Hello to you all and happy Crispin day, Drink one for me. So here is some thread pine wax I made today, got 11 balls out of one pound wax.

[dearbone]

Robert Elferink,
First of all, I wanted to say that both the dog and the boots look great on your test photo, I noticed you are biding on the thread, Remember what Lance said, when dealing with this seller.
Regards
Nasser

[relferink]

Nasser,

Full disclamer: the dog isn't mine, neither are the boots. They are the new wallpaper on my computer screen. This picture was last months picture of the month on the site of Antony Delos. (thank Lance for pointing me to that site) When I was emailing you with the step by step picture posting instructions I had to see for myself what screen would come up and what it said so I posted a test picture.
You have got the picture posting down well. Very nice shoes you make. The first boot you posted in the gallery looks very similar to a boot Alden Shoe co. in Middleborough, MA show in their reception area. Somewhere on my to do list does it say “try to figure out the pattern for that type of boot”.
Talking about Antony Delos side, he shows a shoes with a very fancy stitch, appearing like a welt extention.

5625.jpg

Does anyone have any ideas if this is truly a stitch sewn through the upper and how and when it is done? It has me intrigued.

I did put in a bid on the hemp. I read your post giving us all a heads up on it and by the time I got around to it no one had bid so I'll give it a shot. I don't think I'll be back home from the AGM when it closes but maybe I can get a second chance. I'm not desperate for it but I'm running low on what I have. If anyone is interested in splitting the box with me (if I get it) email me.

Lance, you've been working hard on those. Nice job. Looks like your getting the basics down, now it's repetition and getting a steady hand with the sewing.

Rob

[dearbone]

Robert
This is suppose to be the Alpine welt, The one above seems to me that it is fake, I will be sewing an Alpine welt next boot and I will send pictures of the process.

[dearbone]

Robert
I am sorry you lost the bid, I joined in to win it for you, I stoped at $60, The winner paid $102 and the second one about $90.00

[relferink]

Thank you for trying on my behalf Nasser. I'll look forward to the pictures of the alpine welt. I've heard about it but not seen it done.

Rob

[marcell]

It looks very similar for me than goiser stitch, just without welt, hmm? That I can show to anyone very soon, as I just work on a new video.

[dearbone]

Rob
I prepared a pair of short boots for the alpine welt, It is coming soon. I was dealing with my customers orders for the last few days.
Nasser

[relferink]

Nasser,
I know how it goes getting bogged down with customer orders. Still, we have to do it to pay the bills so don't even apologize.
I am looking forward to seeing that welt and even more than that the "how to".
Thanks in advance.
Rob

[marcell]

I made a photo of a thread I bought last week.

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/1908/threadnz1.jpg

This you can buy here approx for 3 USD/per piece. (I think very expensive).

[amuckart]

This is a silly question, but I'd rather ask a silly question in public than maybe miss out on a simple way of doing something

Is there a trick to finding the end of the thread inside a new roll of linen like the Acadia or Barbours?

I've been trying to find the end on the inside of a new ball for about 15 minutes and every time I think I've got it it turns out to be a loop.

[dearbone]

Alasdair
Your question is not a silly one, If it is a ball , then the thread end is in the inside of the thread ball, you have to find it by rolling your finger through the inside of the thread ball, you will find it.
Nasser.

[amuckart]

Thanks Nasser, I'll give that a go.

[ridgerunrbunny]

Hemp Vs. Linen. As I make my own yarn, thread, etc. I was wondering which was better to sew with, Hemp or Linen. Are multiple ply's a plus? Or does it matter.

Bunny

[dearbone]

Bonny,
In my opinion, linen is better for sewing shoes & boots, I make my thread now days using hemp balls, Hemp thread must be cleaned of loose fibers first by running slowly the starands one by one through the fingers, before waxing,and it is never as soft and smooth as linen,but if you take the time to clean the hemp and wax and twist it well,It will come close to linen, but as second.Your other question is better explained by someone else.
Nasser.

[ridgerunrbunny]

The fiber I use is commercially retted and used for spinning at home into fine threads. It is already immaculately clean. There may be some short strands but they are usually well twisted with the spinning wheel. The hemp comes from China and Canada, the linen the UK. I agree hemp is not as soft as linen but I have found it much stronger. Does the softness really matter on a shoe?

I do have some flax, do you recommend me wet spinning it? Or do you think it matters?

What do you use for waxing?

Bunny

[dearbone]

Bunny,
If you are serious about learning about shoemaking, And if I was you, I would consider taking an aprenticship with a shoemaker first.

[dearbone]

And, Remember the old saying of Goethe, "Not everyone with leather & thread can make shoes."

[ridgerunrbunny]

Sorry I don't understand your answer.

Bunny

[das]

Nasser,

Please give me a citation for that Goethe quote. It's a nice one, but I'm not finding it anywhere.

Bunny,

Hemp (genuine) thread is more rot-resistant than linen (flax)and stronger, at least when the staples are left long. Traditionally hemp was used for inseams for strength, and flax threads were used for sole-stitching, etc., becaue it showed and needed to look nicer.

As far as how many plies to make, your finished thread should fill up the hole your awl makes--that determines the size. It is waxed with shoemakers' wax (2 parts pine pitch, 1 part pine rosin, and tallow or beeswax to temper it for the cold/hot weather). Search wax on the Forum, or the Medieval word: "Coad".

[dearbone]

With all respect, Shoemaking is an oral tradition,it must be learnt from an experianced shoe/bootmaker,It is self-evident, from the type of questions you asked,that you have not gone through this aprenticship, correct me, if it is not so. The thread and wax most hand sewing boot/shoemakers use,I posted above, Campbell linen #10 and a ball of hemp#10 and some pine wax,i boil and cold pour myself. it took me 3 months under a watchful eyes of my teacher,to make proper thread for hand sewing footwear, it is my own observation, that a journeyman shoe/bootmaker can benefit greatly from a teacher, if they can find one.
Nasser.