Midsole Leather Weight Inquiry

[PaxAddict]

Ah, and by "Channel" I meant "Holdfast"

[Leatherimages]

Michael,

11 ounce is good, and the buffalo may serve if you can channel it cleanly, but I think it'd be too fiberous. The kind of grain surface is relavant also. You might want to scratch any top finsih off so it will give a little friction and won't crack.

But to me it sounds as if a heavy skirting would serve. As an insole, you could channel and stitch it, and it would give you the softness you indicated you were after. What can pass for insoles in some applications would be hard and disappointing for a first pair.

Unless you maybe show a picture or drawing of what you are after though, You'll be on your own in a field of the lost.

I always tell people that boot/shoe making isn't brain surgery, but a Brain Surgeon could do it.

With Regards,

Paul

[Leatherimages]

Michael,

Bespoke is not a style, it is an adjetive for the item for which you made the patterns for a particular person. It's as if to say, "that pair is spoken for".

Channeling an insole is how some would make a holdfast. There's a few choics of technique for inseaming, which it sounds like you're doing in this part of the conversation.

Show us a drawing so we can help. There's really "nothing new under the sun".

Paul

[PaxAddict]

There's a lot of terms being thrown around on the various forums and blogs I'm attempting to absorb information from, so when a pair of "Bespoke shoes" was shown being made, I made the wrong leap. Thanks for putting me right on that one.

What are the other options for making a holdfast? I haven't found any other beside channelling, but that might not mean anything. In either case, it seems pretty straight forward, so long as I mark everything out first and take my time with it. In my case, it doesn't actually need to be particularly strong, since I'm not welting (though I'll keep that option open for the future, seems like a neat method, and I have some friends that would appreciate the asthetics), so the insole will be sewn only to the upper, which will all then be cemented over, and to, the outsole.

Seriously, though, I'm having an absurd amount of difficulty trying to track down a rubber outsole retailer. Aside from eBay, which is inconsitent, and has nothing near what I'm looking for. I'm looking for any form of rubber cup sole, athletic or light hiking, preferrably black, and I'm coming up empty.

Any suggestions? Is there a secret cobbler's supply retailer out there I'm unaware of?

[KAYAK45]

HAHA! There is no secret COBBLER SUPPLY! Really in this age everything is on the WEB.

Maybe, because you are trying to do something new, you will have to search out new sources as well. The tried and true resources are for those who follow the path, from those before us! Some call it following the "DEAD MEN"

Being a PIONEER means, by definition, you will get arrows in your back. Keep going!

Let us know how the project goes on.

Kevin

PS: Read what the DEAD MEN had to say, before you venture into the unknown.!

Edited September 24, 2012 by KAYAK45

[PaxAddict]

I didn't know trying to buy rubber soles would get me arrows in the back -ducks-

I'll keep looking. I'm a bit particular, and this is an intregal part of the look, and something I can't really see being recreated with leather. Though, I am considering more and more making a pair of welted biker boots for my buddy. That's still a bit in the future, though.

I'll post progress pictures as I go, certainly, wins and losses.

And if anyone has a lead on athletic type cup outsoles that I can buy in quantaties of less than 10 pair at a time, I'm all ears.

[Art]

The best way to find these is to get ahold of a pair that you want to into and deconstruct them to the point that you can find a maker of the soles. If you can't do that, call the maker of the shoes and tell them you are a cobbler and need to find a source for outsoles for their shoes. Sometimes this works and sometimes not. If they are expensive shoes, they may ask you to send the shoes back for repair, this is a big part of the high end shoe business. Last (or maybe the first) option is to call around to older shoe repair places and see what they would use.

Art

[PaxAddict]

I've actually tried asking a resoling company if they'd be willing to sell a few soles at profit to me, and they essentially yelled at me for asking them to do anything but resole a pair of boots.

I'd be fine with a few pairs of vibram hiking boot soles, but can't find a single place that sells them retail. It's all either wholesale with a min quantity, or will only sell to liscensed businesses. So aside from eBay, I seriouslly can't find a place to buy ones and twos, and eBay doesn't seem to have any cup soles, they all have been flat soles this far.

[Art]

Have you tried Panhandle or Southern Leather? I started using both of these years ago and was a pretty meager orderer. I now have an account bet started small with both of them. Some of the West Coast Suppliers are snooty and short with answers, but Southern carries more than all of them put togeather. I still use Panhandle some because they are nice people.

Art

[PaxAddict]

Panhandle I've seen before, and didn't find anything that wasn't either welted, or flatsole. Southern has significantly more options, but still no cup soles, as far as I can see. I'll contact them, though, and see if they'd be willing to stock some 1375 Bifida, or something of that sort.

Thanks for the tip on southern, they look like a great place to shop. Just the type of place I'm looking for.