Help..newbie Shoemaker Who Learned From A Teacher Who Only Spoke Italian/spanish

[fayemonkey]

Hello All... Firstly, I am so happy to have found this helpful forum where I've read thru no less than 500 posts for various things! What a great community.

I learned to make shoes while living in Barcelona, from a shoemaker who made beautiful bespoke men's dress shoes and ONLY spoke Italian/Spanish/Catalan. Needless to say, I only have small household type fluency in Spanish and I feel like I am missing some holes in my education that I'm hoping this community can help confirm/deny some thoughts. His terminology was also quite different from what I see in the US.

-insoles- use buffed 5-7 iron shoulders or 7-9 iron bends?

-midsoles and outsoles (cemented construction)- 8-14 iron?

-toe puffs- 4-5 iron belly?

- Does anyone have a US contact for Oak Bark Tanned sole bends that are not too expensive (less than $15/lb)?

-Please oh Please! Does anyone know where I can find a premade sole press outside ebay, craigslist? Not one of those crazy industrial machines, just a frame with an inflatable bladder for small manufacture?

-Does anyone know where I can find premade, fake welts, stitched in the US?

I have searched Southern Leather, RJF, Springfield, Wickett, Zack White, Hide House, Goliger, Maverick, leathercrafttools.com, Southern Leather, Cobblersupplies.com, JR leather, J and FJ, Ohio Bag, even Tandy.....I live in Philadelphia, and online is great.

Here's a pic of my first shoes made.

Any help or info is greatly appreciated,

Faye

[Hi Im Joe]

Man those shoes look great! I really want to take a shot at making shoes.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[sos]

Hand sewn? Those are beautiful!!

[fayemonkey]

Thanks Joe and SOS!

The bottoms were sewn on a machine that can go thru the midsole, welt, and another sole....

and if anyone knows of a sole presser to buy....please let me know!

Faye

[MonicaJacobson]

Very cool! I want to make shoes someday....!