Aven

Thanks. I get that. One issue is do-able, but when they start piling up....

KKG, just curious, why have you put your 1245 in time out amongst the shadows?

Ken, I'd say you are getting really good at this. Those are going to turn out very nice. Are you hand sewing the uppers or have you started collecting machines?

Rounding the corners might help getting it in and out of his pockets. But honestly I think what would work better for him is to have his wallet in some sort of a pouch/pack, so he can see what he's doing since he can't feel it. I got to say that this is one time that you really should talk to the recipient. Maybe you can make up a gift certificate for the wallet and she can give him that and tell him that she wanted him to have a very custom wallet, so he has to be part of the process.

You can get metal stamps at Lowes in different sizes, but mostly the same font. They are plain, but should work nicely for what you want. Here's an example of what's available. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Capri-Tools-36-Piece-Professional-1-8-in-Letter-and-Number-Stamp-Set/1002622266

Tsunkasapa, give them a call. In their FAQ's they say that their automated shipping charges generated by the software can be excessive and they suggest you call and talk to a person.

Thanks Johanna, I appreciate the heads up. Ordered mine this morning. I do hope that they aren't tiny squares. I'm really want in seeing how it takes different dyes and colors. Has anyone tried their line of dyes? If so, thoughts?

Nice print. I get that feeling. For me, it's kinda comforting knowing you have a direct link to the past.

Thanks, it does help. Interesting tool. The square hole surprises me a bit. I would have expected round, to put less stress on the leather, but I'm sure there's a reason. And I will admit to not paying that much attention to the tack when I was riding, all those years ago. The only thing I will add is that stitching irons are available in different configurations, slant, reverse slant, straight as well as those that punch round holes. I hope you find an old one. Old tools have a certain something about them. I'd say over half of my tool collection is about as old as I am, if not older.

Forgive my ignorance, what's the difference between a strap pricker and a pricking iron? Abbey's description wasn't very helpful, except that it seems that the strap pricker is available in one size/spacing. Is it the spacing? 5.8mm is a bit wider than most iron configurations I've come across. But wouldn't 5.4mm be close enough? I'm just curious.

Have you looked at G&M Tools or with Bruce Johnson?

Those as the same planes that are flogged as musical instrument planes. There's no reason they wouldn't work, unless it has a poorly heat treated blade. I can't tell what size they are and that can make a big difference with how comfortable they are to use and sharpening a small blade like that is tricky. I have several that range from a few of inches long down to less than two inches long. I find the little one painful to use with my older hands. You don't have to use a spoke shave or a plane. You could use a carving chisel like a sweep. Whatever you chose to use, it comes down to the same thing. Learning how to use the tool safely and correctly and learning how to keep it very sharp.

That turned out a treat Mike. KGG, ours were suede filled with fine gravel or sand. No where near as cool as Mike's

MagiKelly, thanks for creating and sharing this with us. Northmount, thank you for creating a pdf. It helps a lot.

Squilchuck, I know that spoke shaves are used for shoe making and have unique designs. I am totally unfamiliar with saddle making, so are you looking for a flat bottom, a round bottom or both? I stumbled across this from Peachy Tools. I'm not advocating this tool, per se, but in the description they go over the modifications made to the spoke shave to make it worth almost $300 and those might be of interest to you. https://www.peacheytools.com/shop/modified-151-spokeshave-for-leather-paring

Peter, thanks for the well wishes. All of the rotten subfloor is up. Tomorrow I'll block out the pipes and put the new subfloor down and then on to the hard bit, deciding on new flooring. I hope you check out Jason's video on internal stitch down boots. I think it will help you with the whole process, minus using a last. But, it's still chuck full of useful information for a low tech shop. His classes are setup so that you can make shoes with just hand tools. I have his video and have been to his classes. The video is worth the money. S B Foot leather tannery makes leather for Red Wing Boots. I know it isn't local for you, but you can look around, check out their descriptions and see what you can find that's similar over there. https://www.oaleathersupply.com/collections/s-b-foot-tanning-co

Peter, if your knife is as sharp as it should be, you won't know it happened until you see all the blood drops all over what you are working on at the moment. I speak from experience. Probably should have gone in for stitches, but the butterfly bandages worked. Which reminds me, make sure you have a decent first aide kit handy in the shop that you can get to quickly and open one handed. Its saves time and making a bigger mess. I also keep a clean rag at the back of my bench so I can grab it and quickly wrap up whatever I sliced while I'm getting a plaster out. I'm happy to share what very little I know. Besides it's much more enjoyable than pulling up the floor in the bathroom because its rotten. The joys of buying an old house. Oh, and one more thing. I don't know how restricted you are with the lockdown, but look around for a cobbler in your neighborhood, hopefully you don't have to go as far south as London to find one. But anyway, if you find one that is willing to have a chat with you, ask them about machines, where to buy them, where to get them serviced, and so on. And you can always ask around the pub to see if someone has an old sewing machine that will work for you or knows someone who might know someone who does. I'm looking forward to your progress. I live vicariously at the moment. My shop is in boxes, waiting for the new place to be finished. But the house comes first, especially the bathroom. Aven

Oh, one more book for you. Pattern Cutting by Frank Jones. I found it here, but you might find it cheaper somewhere else.

I just found Vicky's videos. Check these out.

A post bed machine with a roller foot will work nicely for the uppers, but you can use a flat bed as well. The post makes it easier to sew 3d curves. I don't know models and brands. Dig through the sewing machine section and you should find what you are looking for in there. If not, ask in that section. You are going to need to learn how to skive. Lisa Sorrel has two videos on skiving that are a much watch. Here's her video on sewing boot tops. Totally different style, but the concept is the same.

Yes, there are machines that will sew the uppers without modification. The tricky bit for you is finding a used one that is still in decent condition that you can afford. I don't know what the market is like across the pond, but if you aren't in a hurry and you are lucky, you will find a post bed machine that will suit your needs. In the mean time, it is possible to sew them by hand, but you have a lot of hurdles to jump before you can even begin. You will need a last. There are several last makers out there and the last time I check, granted it was a while ago, lasts are still showing up on eBay. You will need to modify the last to match your feet measurements. Then the fun begins. You have to come up with the pattern and the devil is in the details. You might have to do two patterns if your feet are different sizes. There are a couple of books you ought to track down. Shoe & Boot Designing Manual by George Koleff , oh and look for his videos. Bespoke Shoemaking by Tim Skyrme. His website is shoemakingbook.com. He also has several videos that are worth the watch. Checkout KenJwan's posts. He has made four pairs of engineer's boots. And you might want to check out Jason Hovatter's video on making your own work boots. He has a different approach, which I think might help you figuring out how to go about making yours. https://laughingcrowe.com/videos/make-your-own-work-boots/

The Soleflex that Chuck linked can be warmed in a low temperature oven and molded to the bottom of moccasin while you are wearing it. Check out Cheri Paxton's youtube video. In the video, she just uses glue to attache them to the soles of her shoes. I would be inclined to stitch them on as well. But I tend to over engineer things.

I've used a piece of elastic, the thin, white stuff. It isn't perfect, but when you are tired and don't want to do math, it works well enough. Using a cup as an example. Cut, or place a mark on the elastic (unstretched) that matches the circumference of the bottom piece. Lay out your stitch marks, like one every 1/4 of an inch. Then take that elastic and lay it on your stitch line for the side so that the end mark is next the beginning. The elastic will have stretched a bit to get around the cylinder and the distance between the stitch marks will be evenly spaced.

Check out Leather Bracelets: Step-by-step instructions for 33 leather cuffs.... by Nihon Vougue-Sha