Resources for Simple Shoes

[engblom]

I am pretty much new to leather work and my goal is to create my own simple shoes. Do you have any favorite resource (youtube channel, book, site, etc) you would recommend me? I already have a simple set of hand tools for leather work and I have ordered lasts for flat sole shoes (for example moccasins).

It would be wonderful if I could find any shoe instructions fulfilling these things:

• Simple design with few parts
• Leather lining (so both outside and inside of the shoe is smooth)
• They would need to look like shoes and not like I forgot to change from morning slippers when I go to work.

In general I like shoes that are having wide toe boxes and a sole that is bending easily.

[TomE]

Harry Rogers' book on making shoes.  Can buy it on Amazon.  He also has a Youtube channel.

[Mablung]

Simple Ecological Shoemaking, on Etsy. Can't remember the author's name offhand. I just posted a pair of chukkas I made using her pattern. 

[Aven]

There is a copy of Shoes for Free People on ebay for stupidly cheap.  I would highly recommend you snatch it while you can.  It's out of print and hard to find.  The process is easy to follow and the shoes/boots can be made with simple hand tools.

Sharon Raymond has several videos up on Youtube.  They are under Simple Shoemaking.  You can download PDFs of her books on etsy. Simple Ecological Shoemaking is her only one that has adult lace ups.

While you are at etsy, Cheri has two books that are adult lace ups.  I'm not sure of the difference, but worth checking out.  They are fabric patterns, but it doesn't take much to figure out how to use leather instead.  One is Oxford Shoe Sewing and the other is Boyfriend and Girlfriend Oxford Shoes. 

Jason Horvatter teaches classes in Portland.  He's a great teacher, very knowledgeable and patient.  He also has a boot DVD that will give you a great looking shoe/boot.  The whole process can be done with hand tools.  It just takes a bit.  It you are going that route. I highly recommend you get a jerk needle, a McKay needle in a haft.  It will make sewing them to the sole much easier.  Jason has tool kits, but I feel that they are more than a little spendy for what you get. https://www.shoemakingschool.com

 

[engblom]

Thank you all. I should have added that I live in Finland (EU), so the shipping from the US is very expensive and on top of that I end up paying 24% VAT on the combined price of product+shipping.

I found a picture of what I wish I will learn to make (Carl Dyers moccasins):

Edited January 8, 2024 by engblom

[Aven]

Engblom, check out DieselpunkRO's moccasin tutorial. It might be a goodstepping stone for you before you make your Dryers.

Moccasin Tutorial

Edited January 8, 2024 by Aven

[engblom]

Just now, Aven said:

Engblom, check out DieselpunkRO's moccasin tutorial. It might be a goodstepping stone for you before you make your Dryers.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VikJNrCepBM&pp=ygUSbW9jY2FzaW4gdHV0b3JpYWwg

I have looked at that video several times and I have learned a lot from it. How would you do if you wanted to add lining to those?

[Aven]

What do you want to use for the lining?

 

[engblom]

I would want to use leather as lining.

[Aven]

If it is really thin, I wouldn't make any changes.

If you are going to make your own pattern, get someone to help you measure your feet.  Stand on a hard surface, feet shoulder width apart. Have someone slide a tailor's measuring tape under your foot at the your toe joint. Wear the socks you plan on wearing with the shoes. Make sure the tape is not pulled too tight or it's too loose. Measure your instep as well.  When you do up your pattern, make sure that it agrees with the measurements.

Edited January 8, 2024 by Aven

[Ddat]

Secretcobbler.com. I got lost in this guy's shoe making learning. He shows the little things that a lot of the YouTube channels don't show you

[Mablung]

I found a bunch of old books on making shoes and boots available on archive.org for download.  They are all long in the public domain, so no copyright issues.  Many are very dated, but they have some valuable information nonetheless.  Searching for "shoe making" brings up a lot of irrelevant results as well, but scrolling along allows one to find the useful materials quickly.

[Aven]

1 hour ago, Mablung said:

I found a bunch of old books on making shoes and boots available on archive.org for download.  They are all long in the public domain, so no copyright issues.  Many are very dated, but they have some valuable information nonetheless.  Searching for "shoe making" brings up a lot of irrelevant results as well, but scrolling along allows one to find the useful materials quickly.

Would you mind sharing the title of the books you found to be useful/relevant?  Thanks.

[Mablung]

The Art of Boot and Shoe Making, John Bedford Leno (3d ed., 1889).

Boots and Shoes: Their Making and Manufacture, various authors (multiple volumes—only found IV and VI).

Then there is a collection under the title "Shoemaking" of a bunch of texts, all of which I downloaded in a .zip file. 

[Aven]

Thanks.  I'm always looking to expand my library.

[Mablung]

23 minutes ago, Aven said:

Thanks.  I'm always looking to expand my library.

No problem. 

[Aven]

I forgot to add Healthy Handmade Shoes  Its a set of DVD's that goes through the entire process of making stitchdown shoes.  Glenn had been making shoes for many years before his passing.  In the DVD's he readily shares his wisdom.  The DVD's might be a bit spendy, but they are cheaper than going to a class and you can view them whenever you want.

Engblom, I posted this for everyone else that will be reading this post.

[Mablung]

52 minutes ago, Aven said:

I forgot to add Healthy Handmade Shoes  Its a set of DVD's that goes through the entire process of making stitchdown shoes.  Glenn had been making shoes for many years before his passing.  In the DVD's he readily shares his wisdom.  The DVD's might be a bit spendy, but they are cheaper than going to a class and you can view them whenever you want.

Engblom, I posted this for everyone else that will be reading this post.

That's fantastic. Thanks for sharing. While the lasted method has some advantages in regard to molding stiffer leathers and allowing welting to creates additional water barriers, that chap made a good point about the stitch-down style being easier to construct and repair as well as creating a bumper on the outside. Very cool.