Sixsmith

Hi, I just came across this thread. I make shoe lasts at Sixsmith in Lincoln, MA. We make custom lasts out of oak for some local designers, and have developed a fabrication method to make inexpensive lasts to incorporate into the shoe design system we'll be releasing this summer. I agree that the book available from Walrus Shoes is very good. It especially does a good job of outlining key measurements needed to make a shoe last. Basically, a last is not a copy of a foot, it is instead the form of the inside of the shoe that the foot would go into. When I measure a foot I find it more helpful to measure the client's foot while it is flat on the ground because it helps me identify how high an arch she or he has, as opposed to measuring the foot at the intended heel height and not getting as clear a picture of the shape of the arch height. Because we have a complete fabrication lab, I'm able to make a CAD drawing of the last and then output it on our cnc machines. If you have access to a fab lab in your area, you should take a look at Delcam's e-shoe maker product. It is free and it allows you to customize a last model they provide, as well as heels and other patterns. You are only charged when you convert the file to an .stl format. Of course the .stl file can then be sliced and output on a cnc router, or milled on a cnc milling machine, or possible sliced and thin stock cut on a laser cutter and laminated together. I think Delcam also gives educational discounts. One of the reasons people don't use most resins to cast shoe lasts is that the last needs to withstand some hammering, and also needs to be able to accept a nail. Many resins are too brittle for this and will either not accept a nail or will crack after a few uses. The other issue is that you really want to cast the inside of the shoe-not the foot. But resins poured inside a shoe are bound to stretch it and make the casting useless. When we've been really stuck and have needed to quickly understand the relationship between the inside of an existing shoe and a platform or orthotic device, we've done the following: Use a heavy pourable flexible foam like the #25 Smooth-On foam available from Reynolds. (Don't use rigid foam because it can crack). Pour it into the shoe you would like to copy. (Warning! This will ruin the shoe as you will need to cut and peel the shoe off the flexible foam once it sets.) Next, identify any area where the casting seems to have stretched, and sand it down to the correct shape. Then use Bondo to cover the foam and reinforce the foam. Sand it smooth. Wear a respirator. This foam/bondo last will accept a nail and can be hammered and easily modified. It won't last forever, but will get you through a couple of shoes and prove your measurements. Since the foam has some flex, it has some self-healing properties with nails. It is also helpful in providing a starting point for modifications. In addition to making our own shoe lasts, we also make custom insole boards for high heels using leather and a special technique for embedding a fiberglass shank. It's very popular with our students because leather provides an better foundation for hand-lasting a shoe. Just my 2 cents, Meredith Sixsmith & Co. www.6smith.com

I think FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) has footwear design courses that may include shoemaking. You might be able to approach them about auditing a course. Just a thought. In the Boston area we give small shoe making courses in our prototyping studio at Sixsmith www.6smith.com. We tend to gear it toward crafters instead of designers because the crafters usually come in with good hand/eye skills. Good luck, Meredith