Mulesaw

@elnedro I think I might have a "pattern" for splint boots at home (I am at at ship right now for work). It is from an old German saddler book. As far as I remember, it's pretty much just a drawing, but it might give an idea of how to make it, The book is a reprint of a really old book, so the closing mechanism is simply small straps and buckles. You could put the straps or the buckles on some elastic straps, and then you'll get pretty much the same effect as with a modern velcro closure. The book is so old that the sizes might not fit a modern horse. I made a halter where I followed the suggested sizes, and it didn't fit my wife's horse at all. So my best suggestion for splinter boots would be to ask your friends if they have a set that they are going to throw out anyway, and then cut them apart and use them as patterns for a leather version. You'll probably need to add some extra space for stitching but you would still end up with something in the ball park of what will fit their horse. I found those by Googling, they feature regular straps and buckles combined with elastic straps. https://www.cactusropes.com/gear/leather-splint-boots.asp Brgds Jonas

@MasonLikesLeather I forgot one important tool that you also need for making a belt: A hole punch. It can either be a revolving model or one that you hit with a hammer, but you need something to make holes in the belt for the prong of the buckle. In your other post, you show some cuffs, if that is the thing you would like to make, then you can get far with leather, a hobby knife and a hole punch, plus a hammer and some rivets. My dad liked to buy old veg tan leather in thrift shops. He would buy old veg tan leather bags and cut them up and use the leather for small projects like knife sheaths etc. The leather shop that is nearest to my place sometimes have leather scraps in a bag where you pay per pound. The problem here is that you might not be able to make very big things, but for some projects that can also be ok. A sheath for a pocket knife or a favourite chef's knife is also a fine starting project. Like @SUP mentioned, you haven't told where you live. You can put that information on your profile, and that really helps people who will give advice on stuff like where to get leather or supplies or tools or classes etc. I could point you out to some great classes at Laederiet in Denmark, but if you live in Oklahoma or Alaska, that will most likely not be of a great deal of help :-) Brgds Jonas

Welcome to the forum. The easiest way for us to give you advice would be if you start by finding out what you would like to make :-) The tools, materials and techniques will be wildly different depending on what you would like to make. That aside, I think the best move is to make something that you can and will use yourself. A belt is in my opinion an excellent starting project. Materials needed: Leather strap Belt buckle Thread in a colour that you like. Tools needed: Leather needles (2 pcs.) Diamond shaped awl Hobby knife A block of cork that you can use as backing when making the holes. Watch a Youtube video on how to make a belt and then get to it :-) Good luck Brgds Jonas

@Tastech Great stuff! Could you make a new thread about it? Just so we don't completely hi-jack the opening persons resole boot thread, Also if you make a "tools for shoemaking" thread, it will be a heckuva lot easier for someone to find it in the future :-) Brgds Jonas

Thanks for the tip, but I'm already using a synthetic thread :-) it is Amann Serafil tkt 20, but once in a while it just seem to fray more than others. It isn't a super big deal though. It could also be my brand of velcro that has particular sharp ends, but it isn't a big enough problem that I want to a lot about it :-) Brgds Jonas Brgds Jonas

Replacing velcro is easily done (if you have a sewing machine). I repair a lot of horse tack, and replacing velcro is a reoccurring theme. I use a patcher sewing machine to do it, and the biggest "problem" is that once in a while the sewing thread will become frayed while sewing on the male part of the velcro, but I just restart the stitch then and that's it. Brgds Jonas

@elnedro This thread: @Silverd made some absolutely stunning bell boots. He very kindly sent me some pictures of the process, though I hate to admit that I have been too busy renovating an old house to get started in making them. Brgds Jonas

@Mocivnik Laederiet in Denmark are inside the EU, and they are really helpful. You could send them an email with the picture, then they can probably identify it for you. https://www.laederiet.dk/kundeservice/ is the customer service page. Brgds Jonas

Is there any sort of museum nearby who happens to have a class 7 Singer or something equivalent standing around that you could maybe be allowed to use? Or how about the local Canadian Armed Forces? It couldn't hurt to ask them, if they still have a repair shop for stuff like that, and if they do still have a heavy duty sewing machine, I couldn't see it hurting anybody that you sewed your canvas on it. It isn't like you are asking permission to gain access to the fire control center of a frigate :-) Or a local tarpulin / canvas shop might have some old heavy duty machinery standing around that they rarely use anymore. You could ask if they would be OK with you doing the sewing and paying them some sort of fee for using the machine. A third option is to ask in here in a new thread if anyone in your area has got a heavy machine that they'd let you use. I'd be happy to let you use mine, but due to the distance it won't help much. But if someone else has got something standing around it might be worth asking. Brgds Jonas

I'd see if I could find someone local who could do a hard soldering job. So either silver solder or bronze solder. Silver soldering can be done using a Mapp torch, and it is incredibly tough and it works on most materials. Someone installing air conditioning plants or refrigeration machinery tend to use silver soldering a lot, so if you have some local company that does that it might be worth giving them a call. Good luck with the repair job. Brgds Jonas

Spot on! Without intention, I can see that I am slowly getting into more and more shoe/boot repairs. I change the zippers in riding boots regularly, but people have started coming with other boots and shoes as well. I haven't tried to resole anything yet, but I hope that a bit of sound judgement and YouTube will get me a long way when that time comes. Some of the repairs are so simple that I wonder if people have lost all ability to repair even a small stitch that unravels, but I think that it might be a general false assumption that you need this or that special equipment to do even the smallest repair job. When truth be told, a needle, some thread and a pair of pliers or a thimble could get you a long way. But I can see why even the arcade cobblers will close up shop: If people can buy a new set of shoes at a price that is maybe 2x the price of getting a new heel pad glued on - well then most people will just do that. Also a lot of new shoes aren't made in a way that allow much to be repaired. At least that is a good thing about the riding boots. Many are still well made, and they are so expensive that people take care of them and are happy to pay to have them repaired.

@JPCox Welcome to the forum. I just checked you IG page, you do some impressive carving! Also the Peterson No 6 is an amazing machine :-) Many people on this forum is a bit wary and sceptic in the way of following links, so you will normally always get much more feedback on posting a picture or two in here. I guess there has just been too many examples with links leading to obscure pages or virus centrals etc. But if you can't trust someone from Derbyshire, well then what has the world come to :-) For some reason the picture still isn't attached, but this forum can once in a while be a bit weird when it comes to pictures. Again welcome and I hope that you'll have a great time here. Brgds Jonas

@Tastech Good idea, thanks for the tip. Actually I saw your post there yesterday evening while I was browsing the net for a manual for the 309. I tried so many different search phrases, and at some point I guess it was "Pedersen outsole stitcher", one of the pictures that came up looked strangely familiar, so I clicked on it and was convinced that I had seen it before, so I followed the link, and it took me to the site you mentioned, and I could see it was your picture of the spare parts :-) I am completely self taught in the shoe repairing business, and so far it has mostly been riding boots that has needed a bit of mending and a new zipper. But despite not advertising at all I get more and more inquiries about shoe repair. Brgds Jonas

HAHAHAHAHA Nope, I don't know any of those, It is a shame that we can't figure out what machines they are intended for, they look very well kept, with no scratches and no rust issues etc. Perhaps we should suggest the moderators to make a sub forum under sewing machines for "parts identification". There has got to be more people who once in a while have a part that they don't know where belong or what it'll do. On my picture with all the spanners, the 3 items on the left are a mystery to me. The long part looks like some "check the adjustment" part, but it could be something else. Then there is a knurled part that slides over the long part that I also haven't got a clue what will do, and finally something that looks like a tension disc - only it isn't. I am guessing that if I had a manual for a 309 outsole stitcher, it would help, but I guess it isn't uncommon that parts and machines become separated after so many years, and then we are kind of lost. Another thing, do you make your lasts yourself, or do you buy some and then tweak them into fitting perfect? I'm asking because I haven't been able to find any lasts nearby, and I have often considered making them myself. I have looked at some Youtube videos, and I think that whatever I make it should still be OK. As long as the basic measurements like instep and length are going to be OK. Some of the methods seem very labor intensive and maybe a bit experimental, like making a model of your foot using duct tape and then casting plaster in it. But it could probably work too. Brgds Jonas

They do look a bit different, especially the bobbin holder, mine is not nearly as "elegant" and the #91 part doesn't look like something like those "thread catchers" on the Pedersen. I guess they could be for a more modern version of the outsole stitcher, but I am so very new to the outsole stitcher owners world - that I haven't got any good suggestions except just some name dropping. But super cool and nice of you to take the time to look at it. It is deeply appreciated. I would guess that the most likely machine is one that was common in Australia, but at least in Europe, most independent shoemakers closed shop probably 50 years ago, so finding someone who still remembers might be difficult. I think that pretty much the only ones that still makes shoes from scratch in Denmark are orthopedic shoemakers, so if you have any of those nearby you could perhaps go check their outsole stitcher to see if the parts would be identical to that machine. But I know from myself that there are so many things to do that I have to be careful to not embark on a time consuming adventure unless there is some reasonable outcome in it. Still I hate the idea of having nice spare parts lying around knowing that they could be put to good use for the correct person. 20 years ago I got an old Ducati workshop manual in a box of other stuff (I think it was for the 860 GTS) I really didn't have any use for it, so I advertised it off for free and some Ducati owner was over the moon to get his hands on it. But that was an easy thing to identify, your parts are quite a bit harder :-) Brgds Jonas

@Mablung Looking good, I like the combination of antiqued brass and the colours of the leather and the thread. Sewing straight across a strap weakens it by some degree, on horse tack I try my best to avoid that, either by only sewing lenghtwise or by making a pointed end on the back side, so the stitching also becomes pointed. Depending on how much your dog pulls I doubt it is gonna cause any problems, but if you get tasked with making a dog lead for a Newfoundland or something of a similar size, it might break. Some of my earliest halters for horses broke in places where I had sew across a strap, but again it all depends on how much the object on the other end pulls :-) Brgds Jonas

I would like a needle bender/grinder. So that if you got your hands on an old sewing machine with some out of stock needle system, you could make your own needles. For instance the Junker & Ruh SD28 hand outsole stitcher needs some special needles that are next to impossible to come by. I know that the machine would probably be expensive, but the idea of a dealer being able to make a few special needles, even for curved needle machines out of some stock steel appeals to me.

@Tastech I made a check on the inventory of the machine, and apart from sitting unused and unlubricated, it is really positive. Oh yes, I also found the missing grease cup cover, so that is mounted in the correct place again. there is minimal rust, and there are some tools that look like they are the original tools that must have come with the machine. Open end wrenches/spanners, a small screwdriver with a knurled metal handle, a wire "getthethreadthroughthesmallholes" thing plus a few other period correct tools, that look like old multi bicycle spanners. Plus: 6 bobbins 1 bobbin holder a couple of feed dogs, some of them might be for the insole stitcher, but all was in the small drawer of the outsole stitcher. 2 weird looking hook things, my guess without having researched much is that they are for the thread catcher on the outsole stitcher. A bunch of old needles marked "old needles" Some new needles for both machines. Something that might be an adjustment tool, (has got some red paint on it) A couple of metal parts that look like they are for the machine, but so far I don't know for what, a semicircular disc and a smaller disc. half a handful of various sized screws. Some homemade leather discs and a small rubber cushion. A black plastic organizer tray that looks like it is the original from the machine. My thought is that during the transport to Denmark at some point, if the drawer opened due to vibration or curiosity etc. it would be all too easy for some small parts to go missing. So I have emptied the drawer and I will bring all the small parts with me home in my suitcase. I'll also take the bobbin winder since that one is sitting fairly unprotected, so it is a bit at risk of being caught on something and the it would break.

@JAM Glad to hear that it was all sorted out. I am trying to position myself to go down the road of future boot making. My initial idea was to sort of reverse engineer a couple of old riding boots to get an idea of how the patters for the various parts should look, and then make it to the size that will fit a custom made last. Did you do it in that way or did you just start out without looking at older boots individual parts first? I know there is a huge difference between dressage and jumping boots, in their stiffness, and I intend to make jumping boots at least for a start. I have to admit that I haven't got any experience about your answer regarding the treatment of the surface of the leather on new boots. I would guess that shoepolish and perhaps a leather conditioner would be how I'd do it. Brgds Jonas

I am glad that I am not alone in that assumption about steampunk lamp producers. I'll take some more pictures of it. I was daydreaming about using it today, and thought about the possibility to use it for sewing alongside the edges of a belt. Not sure if it is a great idea, but I think that I want to try that sometime. And it should be able to sew some beefy leather with a hefty thread, so it might look sturdy. Also I reckon that there is some sort of fence that will help in keeping a fixed distance from the edge. Brgds Jonas

Thanks Tastech, I'll try to get some pictures of the needles and the awl, but today is pretty busy, so it might not be until tomorrow that I get it done. Blake stitcher, I'll try to google that too. After googling McKay stitcher last night, I found a lot more compared to when I searched for a Pedersen type 300. I really like that it is foot operated and with a heavy flywheel. The simplicity appeals a lot to me, and also the rugged yet elegant lines of the castings of those old machines. The foot pedal is cast with a nice "knurled" surface to prevent slipping, and the pedestal has got some nice lines to it as well. The only part that I can see is missing so far from the outsole stitcher, is the end of the grease cup used for the intermediate belt wheel. But I can make a new one of those on the lathe at home if needs be. I guess that it could be a regular 1/4" pipe thread, so I might go that route first and see if I can adapt some pipe thread bushing. The McKay stitcher only has got the one needle that is currently in it, so I have to look into what needle system that is and then find out if they are still available. Brgds Jonas

Thanks Constabulary, I think it was actually you who supplied a manual for a 317 that I have been looking at in an old post :-) I'll try to check out all of those and see if any manuals will be available. It seems as some of the Landis machines are similar to the Pedersen machines as well. From what I have been able to see on Youtube so far, the outsole stitchers are more common than the McKay style insole stitcher. But I have just searched for it one evening, so I hope that I will find some more information on how to set up and use etc. Anyway both machines needs a heavy cleaning and oiling. And I need to get them transported from Norway to Denmark somehow. But at least they are safe now from someone wanting them to make a steampunk lamp or something along those lines. Brgds Jonas

Hi Tom If you have the space for the clicker press I would get it if I were you! Offers like that only comes once in a 100 years. And I suppose that if he is retiring, then theoretically you could perhaps continue with his insole production for one or two of his old customers, that would also be branching out, albeit not in the horse world. Depending on how difficult it would be to make insoles, I am guessing that it was one of those tasks that could be handled by a high school kid with a bit of technical flair. But then you would have to employ a person, and that might be more trouble than it is worth. Based on my collection of various woodworking machinery, I can honestly say that I have very rarely regretted getting something old of industrial quality. the quality of older machines is normally first class. And I think that even on a large clicker press - you are able to make small items. I have been toying with the idea of making key fobs out of old saddles, I just need to make a die for it. I guess that my drill press will be sufficient to work as a press in those cases, but I would have to experiment with it. The good news on these sewing machines is that since liberally spraying everything with WD40 last night, they move a lot better today than yesterday. Still I think that they need a more thorough cleaning and a good oiling with sewing machine oil or similar, to run as smooth as I like. Brgds Jonas

Thanks a lot Wiz, McKay style insole stitcher, that gives me somethig that I can try to Google. :-) I had tried with 10 different things like boot stitcher etc, but nothing really came up. I have found a manual for a 317 in here, that should be a bit more modern than the 309, but I guess still the basic same principle. Both machines need a bit of oiling, and I just sprayed them with some WD40 to get them to move a bit more freely. At least I can turn the 309 a full revolution now, but it still isn't moving super easy. The 300 seems to have a bit fewer moving parts, and that one is moving a lot easier already. I like that it is manually foot operated, so the only electric part on it is the heated cup for wax/tar, and I also like that both of them are so incredibly sturdy built. It is a pure joy to see and spin something that was clearly made to last. Brgds Jonas

While browsing the classifieds here in Norway while we are in dry dock, I came across an ad where someone gave away 2 Pedersen sewing machines for free! I quickly established a contact and in an incredibly stroke of luck apparently I was the first one to show an honest interest. I got a friend to go along for the ride to help carry the machines, and about an hour later I find myself to be the lucky owner of a Pedersen 309 sole sewing machine, and a Pedersen type 300 sewing machine. The 309 comes complete with bobbins and extra needles etc, and that one I have seen mentioned before in here. The type 300, I haven't been able to dig up any information about. As far as I have been able to find, it is still some sort of sole stitcher, but if anyone has got a more correct name or maybe even a manual for something similar, it will be greatly appreciated. Both machines are in need of a thorough cleaning and oiling to run freely again. But none of them are mistreated. The next big challenge is to get them sent from Norway to Denmark, but for the price that I didn't pay to get them, there should still be some money left that I can use for shipping.