First Shoe

[Jazznow]

Hi folks,

i finished my first shoe last weekend and wanted to show it off. It's not very beautiful and i made a lot of mistakes, but it is all done by myself, so i'm quiet proud of it The only ressourcee i had were aa book written by laszlo vass (i think"bespoke Shoemaking" is the english title)

I did this first shoe to see if i'm able to build a shoe all by myself, so i used leather that i had at hand and that was cheap (it was for free indeed, since it was leather from an gym device, tha got new leather).

First mistake: This leather was much to thick and much to old. It ripped several time, when i lasted it.

I didn't want to have to much work with building the upper, so i made a pattern, that onlye needed stitching at the back and to join lining and upper.

Second mistake: Quiet hard to make thick leather with a pattern like that lay around the last smoothly.

I only had a last, that was 1 european shoe size to small for my feet. I thought, that wont matter, because i just wanted to see if i can do this and if it makes sense to invest more money.

Third mistake: I like this shoe so much i want to make the second and wear it at least at home :D

I could continue to list my mistakes, but i think, nobody wants to read them all :D

But i have a few questions to the experienced shoemakers:

1.) Is there anything apart from cork to fill the room between inner sole and edge of the welt?

2.) Do i have to cut off any excess length of the lining, when lasting or is it just the same length as the upper?

3.) after adding the heel and toe stiffeners, i have to make them flat by grinding it down. is that correct?

4.) how close should the sewing channel be to the edge of the inner sole. Its something around 1cm (0.4 inch) on this shoe and it seems too far away for me.

5.) when sewing the sole to the welt i have a stitching channel at the sole, that is closed after sewing. When making the holes with the awl from the top, its har for me to "meet" the sewing channel. On the other hand, making the holes from the bottom makes it difficult to get an even look at the top. Any suggestions?

6.) I have no idea, how to finis the sole edge. I think it's made with a special stain (that stink like foul eggs, i have been told), a special wax and a heating iron. I have none of these and would like to know, if there are any other ways.

I know, that are a lot of questions. But maybe some of you have the patience to answer a few of them.

As always i am open to criticism and suggestion that are not related to the questions above.

I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Many thanks,

Jonathan

[Renana]

Hi.

I'll try to answear what I can. I'm sorry in advance, English is not my first language, and I am not very familiar with the shoe lingo in it..

2. you need excess length for the lining from the bottom in order to last. and from the top in order to nail the upper in the propper position. just before you remove the last from the shoe (after lasting and the sole process) you remove the nails. then you can carefully cut the excess leather from above..

3. that is correct and very important.

the rest of the question i don't really know..

hope this helped

Hi.

I'll try to answear what I can. I'm sorry in advance, English is not my first language, and I am not very familiar with the shoe lingo in it..

2. you need excess length for the lining from the bottom in order to last. and from the top in order to nail the upper in the propper position. just before you remove the last from the shoe (after lasting and the sole process) you remove the nails. then you can carefully cut the excess leather from above..

3. that is correct and very important.

the rest of the question i don't really know..

hope this helped

[Jazznow]

Thank you so much. Helped me a Lot. I'm currently Building my Second shoe and will Post the Result.

Greetings

Jonathan