Shoe Construction, Step By Step

[electrathon]

A few weeks ago I made my first set of shoes in a class I went to in Southern Oregon. I want to get started on making a second set fixing some if the issues with the first set and keeping my memory active to do the process again. There are a lot of steps in the construction and I by no means want to imply I am anything but a beginner. Shoe construction seems to be a lost art/no mans land so hopefully this may inspire others to undertaking making a pair. If I say something improper or I need to be steered back on course please speak up. To start with shoes are formed over a "Last". A last is not shaped the same as your foot. It is formed to support your foot and be removable from the shoe after it is stretched over it. My situation is unique and this is one of the reasons I wanted to make shoes in the first place. I was hurt pretty bad as a youth, leaving me with a messed up left foot/leg. Normally whatever you do on the right shoe you will do identically on the left. The left last has been modified to add a little extra height for me. This will be hidden inside the finished shoe, so hopefully it will not be too obvious when done. The right last was widened a little also, this is just part of normal last alteration/shoe fit.

[Dwight]

Sometimes stuff just seems to fall into place as you need it.

Been kicking around for a year or so about trying my hand on a pair of shoes, . . . then I want to do a pair of boots.

I have a nerve condition that the local foot doctor wants to fix "her" way, . . . and that just ain't happening. Been experimenting for a little over a year with different sized & shaped inserts, . . . getting close, . . . but my shoe will have to be about an 11 EEEEE, . . . or something like that.

Thanks for bringing this up, . . . maybe others will chime in, . . . and who knows, . . . more than one foot might be helped.

May God bless,

Dwight

[electrathon]

One thing I forgot to mention about the lasts. If you are going to buy a set the shape of your finished shoe will be dependant on the last you buy. This seems self evidant, but lasts can be hard to buy as an individual and when they show up it is hard to find your size. Let alone one with the proper visual shape. The main differance you will find with lasts is the toe shape. Long pointed toes, square toes and round toes, all are available. Heal height can also be an issue. More so on womens shoes and cowboy boots than "normal" shoes. Many lasts you find for sale are from the hay-day of the shoe industry, 40 years or so ago. Shoe styles do change, so remember that as you are searching Ebay for lasts.

I keep looking at the lift "shape" on the shoes, I am going to round off the part a little more under the ball of the food. I have it nearly flat and shoes have a slight radious inside under the ball area.

[electrathon]

Here is what I am dealing with.

leg.pdf

[WScott]

Slightly on topic, this is a good watch if you have a spare 10 min. My favorite shoes

[Dwight]

Here is what I am dealing with.

Far worse than mine, . . . that's for sure. Mine is just nasty, ugly, pain, . . . not crippling, . . . just aggravating pain.

I keep getting a little closer each new insert I make or change (most of the time). I'm hoping when I get it right, . . . I can use that shape for the bottom of a pair of shoes that won't hurt my feet.

On the one last, . . . it looks like you built it up a lot, . . . did I see that correctly?

May God bless,

Dwight

[electrathon]

Dwight,

I am familiar with the pain issue. I have nerve pain that is constant and agrivating. There is also pain from the arthritis and failed fusion issue, but the constant nerve pain really is tiring.

The bottom on the L side is built up about an inch. The leg is shorter than that but there is no movement in the L foot or ancle so if it was built up all the way I would have other issues. I have also learned to walk with it shorter too, so I am used to it.

If you are building your own orthotics you need to look uo "Birko cork". It is moldable cork and glue that becomes pliable when heated. I have never made my own orthotics yet, but I will be making my next set.

Aaron

[electrathon]

Slightly on topic, this is a good watch if you have a spare 10 min. My favorite shoes

jJust got the time to watch the video. Very cool. Same thing as I am doing but I see machines they are using that can do in seconds that will take me hours. Nice to see one of the few remaining shoe factories.

[Feraud]

electrathon I applaud your attempt to produce what a dwindling group of modern high end shoe companies are doing. This art of hand-made footwear is slowly fading away in the face of cheap imports.

Keep up the amazing work!!

[electrathon]

Finally took another visible step forward. It seems like it should be easy to get work done, I have either been at the Dr all week, or sitting on the couch. I have the energy drained out of me so I just have been watching movies. But I got a little motivation!

The lasts have been covered with tape to get a pattern. I seems no stores are selling tan masking tape any more. I first used blue and could not see my pen marks on it so I went over it in yellow. The lines are where there will be seams. I wanted them to be as simple as possible, both out of preference and simplicity of construction.

The pattern is normally identical on both shoes. Also for some reason the left shoe is the one that is commonly used to draw up the design on. Not sure why, just what was explained to me. My left and right will be a little different, but as much as possible I want to make them look similar. I will have two separate but similar patterns for this reason.