Shoe lasts

[Plumejason]

So I'm stuck in the hospital for like a week, bummer. I started to read and Watch videos on making shoes and boots. I'm thinking of the air Jordan's and blundstones boots. I have found some lasts on esty for like 40.i figure that's not bad as they can be used over and over, idk neverade these before. I have the Chinese leather shoe patches machine so that's a help. 

So I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with getting last? I'm almost thinking of making my own out of a block of wood. 

Any tips trick or advice would be awesome! 

[billybopp]

I haven't tried shoe making yet, but I'm thinking about it!  From what I can tell, lasts can be used for quite awhile at least until they get enough nail holes in them to make them unusable.  Lisa Sorrell has a limited selection of new lasts at https://sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/product-category/shoe-lasts/ .  You can make your own, but I'm planning on purchased lasts as I'm no good at wood carving!  Harry Rogers has a few videos about learning to make lasts and shoemaking on his YouTube, and has also written a book on the subject.

- Bill

 

[Plumejason]

Funny enough I'm watching his videos right now. I found a could other good. Ones. If you google making air Jordan's. There are alot of good videos. Even if you don't want basketball sneakers the videos are full of good info and products as well. 

[AlZilla]

I'll be following this, too. I thought about making shoes for a few reasons but the last itself is the challenge.  Buying a last only to find it's not quite right for my foot would be a $50 or $60 mistake that I'm not willing to risk.

[Plumejason]

Funny enough I'm watching his videos right now. I found a could other good. Ones. If you google making air Jordan's. There are alot of good videos. Even if you don't want basketball sneakers the videos are full of good info and products as well. 

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1307330170/plastic-boot-last-shoe-mold-for-custom

Https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1069594352/shoe-plastic-lasts

 

[Plumejason]

Shipping from Etsy is crazy. I'm going to making my own and see how thst works out

[tozafoot]

If you don’t want to go to the expense of lasts, or are worried that you won’t be able to find ones that suit your foot, you can always make footwear without using lasts. Cling wrap (or cling film), masking tape or duct tape, an indelible pen, and thin card are all you need to make a pattern.

[fredk]

Years ago, a friend in the medieval presentation group I was in wanted to try to make shoes. Being on a tight budget but being clever he obtained a pair of boot style shoes about one size smaller than his regular fit. Then he removed some of the insole and poured in thick cement. almost concrete. When that had set he cut away the cheap shoe, covered the cement cast with scraps of thick-ish leather, obtained from me. Extra thick layers of leather on the sole area.

He made several pairs of medieval shoes on those cement/concrete lasts. His report was that the next time he would go down 2 sizes for the cast and cover the cast with strips of wood then cover that in leather. I don't know if he ever did that. Only real downside was that the cement casts were very heavy. 

Oh, btw, as the cement hardened he inserted an iron bar, about 12 inches long, so about 8 inches stuck out the ankle bit. With this he could hold the last in any vice of his choosing. And the cement cost him nowt as he was working on a building site and the boss allowed him to have some. After this my friend got the nickname 'the gangster' as he was making Chicago style concrete boots!

I sometimes have thought of copying his idea

[airplaneguy]

Look up the Shoemakers Academy. Wade has everything you need to get started and he is also a wealth of knowledge.