BrittneyL Report post Posted February 11 Hey guys! My son and I want to make shoes and I know we can make certain shoes without lasts but I think it’s so much easier with them and they seem to look nicer to me. Anyway, they look to be around $100 for a pair! Do you guys know where we can find a set without breaking the bank. The other machines and tools and leather already cost a significant amount! Another purchase we are looking to make is a cobra 26 or 4: we haven’t decided which one we actually need yet. How would we know until we start making the shoes and handbags? Order the leather and measure the thickest layers we would be putting together?.. or get the machine and only order leather knowing we can only sew through a certain fraction of an inch? I feel limited either way… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fredk Report post Posted February 11 You can make shoe lasts by pouring ready-mix concrete in made shoes. Take an old or cheap pair, that fits, line it with a plastic bag and pour in the concrete mix. In a few hours you can remove the cast. If you're lucky you can remove it without destroying the shoe, or you might have to destroy the shoe, hence the use of an old or cheap pair I have done this so I know it works Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DieselTech Report post Posted February 11 I think the cobra class 26 & class 4 have the same sewing thickness capacity. Just the throat is bigger/longer on the cobra class 4. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted February 11 2 hours ago, BrittneyL said: I want to make shoes Moved your post to Shoes, Boots, Sandals and Moccassins Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aven Report post Posted February 11 (edited) You can look for used lasts on Ebay. If you have access to a 3D printer, there are vendors on etsy that sell last files. I can't speak to their quality or fit. You may end up having to tweak them. Sanding or adding with bondo to get a good fit that is.. Last come in two basic styles. There are those that are just a solid piece of plastic or wood and then there are those that either have a hinge or come apart so that you can get them off. If the shoe is high and the last is solid, it could be a struggle to get it off. If you are going to go the route of making your own, you might want to track down a couple of Last Designing and Making Manual by George Koleff. Walrus Shoe and Leather Co carries it. So does Sorrell Ngotions and Findings. It will help you take measurements to make sure that the last you have in hand will fit the foot. You might check with your library and see if they can track down a copy of it. You don't need to buy commercial sewing machines. You can hand stitch the shoe. It takes longer, but it is definitely do-able. The "modern" shoe was done that way for hundreds of years. You might want to check out Jason Horvatter's Boot Making DVD https://www.shoemakingschool.com/shop. Or even take one of his classes together. Edited February 11 by Aven Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aven Report post Posted February 11 Oh, don't buy Jason's tool sets. You can buy everything you need individually for much less. PM me if you have questions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomE Report post Posted February 11 Harry Rogers also has a book on hand making shoes. Haven't made any but it's entertaining to read. https://www.amazon.com/MAKING-HANDMADE-SHOES-STEP-STEP/dp/B0BM57TF35 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mablung Report post Posted February 12 On 2/11/2024 at 7:10 AM, BrittneyL said: Hey guys! My son and I want to make shoes and I know we can make certain shoes without lasts but I think it’s so much easier with them and they seem to look nicer to me. Anyway, they look to be around $100 for a pair! Do you guys know where we can find a set without breaking the bank. The other machines and tools and leather already cost a significant amount! Another purchase we are looking to make is a cobra 26 or 4: we haven’t decided which one we actually need yet. How would we know until we start making the shoes and handbags? Order the leather and measure the thickest layers we would be putting together?.. or get the machine and only order leather knowing we can only sew through a certain fraction of an inch? I feel limited either way… Look up the Simple Ecological Shoemaking site. A lady by the name of Sharon (whose surname I cannot recall) put a blog post on there about making lasts out of polyform clay molded to the foot over nylon hose. I haven't done it personally, but the method looks simple. That said, the method is best if you're fine with making a foot-shaped shoe rather than one shaped to a more conventional last (pointier, more tapered toe, depending on the style of shoe, arch support, depressions in the top to compress the bones of the foot more, etc.). If you don't want to make more minimalist, potentially clumsier to the eye, shoes, then a conventional last purchased on eBay or 3D-printed ones would be better (assuming, of course, you aren't interested in trying to get a custom set of lasts for lots of dollars). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
