Flip Flops Tutorial

[Reegesc]

3 hours ago, fiskurjoe said:

@cseeger - did you use the 1/4" or 3/8" or something else in the photos posted on April 5? The soles look thicker than 1/4".

I'd like to try this - and would be willing to purchase 2-3 linear feet from you. Can you let me know cost/shipping, etc? I don't yet want to get a full roll...thanks!

You are correct.  Those soles shown in the photos are 1/2" which I got by doubling the 1/4" soling material.    

Well, I said in earlier post that I would sell this soling material @ $5 pair + shipping and I'll stick to that, but that would be for a pair of single layer 1/4".   Shipping would be actual shipping costs of $13.45 for USPS Medium Flat Rate Box and that rate would apply for one pair up to ....?  five pairs probably.  However many can be stuffed in a medium box.   So that's $13.45 plus $5 per pair up to five pairs lets say.   

You see what I mean?  One pair is $18.45.   Two pair is $23.45 -- more than half the cost for an entire 50' roll ($40 and free shipping)     But if you are still interested, I'll ship them.   You can pay me via PayPal at this email address  clyde.seeger@gmail.com.  I ship same day.   I'll also include a cardboard template if you'll indicate the size (whole sizes only).

 

edit: One pair is roughly equivalent to 2' linear feet, but I'll send enough for whatever size you have in mind.

Edited May 10, 2016 by cseeger

[Reegesc]

Been a while but I made a pair for myself today using horse veg tan...I  thought they kinda looked Moroccan, but no big deal and I was in a hurry and botched the stitch line, but that's ok.  

What I really wanted to point out was this little copper kettle I made out of copper sheet metal.  The sign says "Clyde's Triple Top".   What could be in that little kettle that is triple top secret?   I'll tell ya -- homemade secret recipe leather conditioner (Beeswax, Paraffin Wax, Lard, and Tallow).  First time making it and I'm really pleased with it and so I made the little kettle to commemorate having finally making a batch, something I've wanted to do for a long time, and to have a cool container to keep it in out in the shop..  

Once cooled, the concoction has the consistency of a high quality shoe polish, maybe a little harder.  Very waxy but with a richness that the fat provides.  Really like the rubbed finish it provides, as shown on the cool wallet I also made myself today.   I can't take credit for the stylish design however, that belongs to    Steve B Leatherworks .    The guy has some really cool original designs .  I just borrowed the shape, the rest of the wallet is completely different.  One thing I like about this shape (He calls it "The Finn") is the deep cash pocket.  I like it just because it's deep, and deep is different, you have to admit.

 

The flip-flops needed a little something and so I added neatsfoot oil to the straps.  Turned out even cooler  I think.  Oh, and the other thing I did was tool the soles with a basket stamp to serve as tread.  Cool huh?

[HobbledCobbler]

On 7/14/2015 at 7:23 PM, cseeger said:

"Dad Buy's A Souvenir" -- Tacky design inspired by the Great American Family Road Trip.

Ever wonder how artists come up with names for their creations and the source of their inspiration? They see just how ridiculous they can make something look after they've screwed it up. Then tack a name and inspiration source on it.

 

 

OOOOOHHH! Those are beautiful! Just made my heart go pity-pat!

Thank you for the download for the instructions!

[HobbledCobbler]

On 11/6/2016 at 0:20 AM, cseeger said:

Been a while but I made a pair for myself today using horse veg tan...I  thought they kinda looked Moroccan, but no big deal and I was in a hurry and botched the stitch line, but that's ok.  

What I really wanted to point out was this little copper kettle I made out of copper sheet metal.  The sign says "Clyde's Triple Top".   What could be in that little kettle that is triple top secret?   I'll tell ya -- homemade secret recipe leather conditioner (Beeswax, Paraffin Wax, Lard, and Tallow).  First time making it and I'm really pleased with it and so I made the little kettle to commemorate having finally making a batch, something I've wanted to do for a long time, and to have a cool container to keep it in out in the shop..  

Once cooled, the concoction has the consistency of a high quality shoe polish, maybe a little harder.  Very waxy but with a richness that the fat provides.  Really like the rubbed finish it provides, as shown on the cool wallet I also made myself today.   I can't take credit for the stylish design however, that belongs to    Steve B Leatherworks .    The guy has some really cool original designs .  I just borrowed the shape, the rest of the wallet is completely different.  One thing I like about this shape (He calls it "The Finn") is the deep cash pocket.  I like it just because it's deep, and deep is different, you have to admit.

 

The flip-flops needed a little something and so I added neatsfoot oil to the straps.  Turned out even cooler  I think.  Oh, and the other thing I did was tool the soles with a basket stamp to serve as tread.  Cool huh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you tool the bottoms for traction or just to be creative?

Does it keep you from hydroplaning when it rains?

[Reegesc]

5 hours ago, HobbledCobbler said:

Did you tool the bottoms for traction or just to be creative?

Does it keep you from hydroplaning when it rains?

Both.  The idea just came to me.  These are just for around the house otherwise I would have put a rubber sole on them.   But yeah, it actually does provide some traction.   I don't know about the hydroplaning but I'm going to test that right now....be right back...

So I poured some water on my concrete shop floor, which is a slick surface and tested it by holding on to the workbench and I got pretty good traction. Then I tried different angles and it would hydroplane at shallow angles but gripped not problem with steeper angles.

With the bottoms wet I tested again walking back to the PC and no problem.   Good traction.  The tooled tread is not very deep, but it is a tread so I guess I would have been surprised if it failed the hydroplane test.  Were you wondering because there wasn't a tooled channel all the way to the shoe edge?   But now that I think about it, leather dress shoes don't have a tread....but  they do have a heel

By the way, are you an actual cobbler, as in shoe repair.  And if so, do you also make shoes?    Here's a pair of shoes I made just a few days ago.   Ha..Just occurred to me that these don't have a tread either.   But once they get stuffed   they should be ok.  How about you?   Any shoe projects to share?   I'm a novice at best, but I do enjoy making them

[Reegesc]

6 hours ago, HobbledCobbler said:

Did you tool the bottoms for traction or just to be creative?

Does it keep you from hydroplaning when it rains?

 

Btw, those new flip flops I made are the most comfortable "just-off-the-bench" pair I've ever made.  In this case it was horse hide for the straps.  Broke in nicely and quickly.  

[HobbledCobbler]

On 11/13/2016 at 1:06 PM, cseeger said:

Both.  The idea just came to me.  These are just for around the house otherwise I would have put a rubber sole on them.   But yeah, it actually does provide some traction.   I don't know about the hydroplaning but I'm going to test that right now....be right back...

So I poured some water on my concrete shop floor, which is a slick surface and tested it by holding on to the workbench and I got pretty good traction. Then I tried different angles and it would hydroplane at shallow angles but gripped not problem with steeper angles.

With the bottoms wet I tested again walking back to the PC and no problem.   Good traction.  The tooled tread is not very deep, but it is a tread so I guess I would have been surprised if it failed the hydroplane test.  Were you wondering because there wasn't a tooled channel all the way to the shoe edge?   But now that I think about it, leather dress shoes don't have a tread....but  they do have a heel

By the way, are you an actual cobbler, as in shoe repair.  And if so, do you also make shoes?    Here's a pair of shoes I made just a few days ago.   Ha..Just occurred to me that these don't have a tread either.   But once they get stuffed   they should be ok.  How about you?   Any shoe projects to share?   I'm a novice at best, but I do enjoy making them

 

I wear flip flops pretty much year around because of the lack of wide enough shoes in the stores (my toes and the inside of my foot hang over the edges, too!). So, living in FL, I'm constantly having to be careful of walking into a store when the ground is wet because I can literally fall and break something or go skating several feet!

Most flip flops don't have tread. So, that was why I asked. I can either find a soling sheet with some ridges on the bottom or I thought I might try putting a large enough pattern on the bottom to help with the slipping and sliding.

 

I have not got any shoes made yet. I'm just recovering from a torn rotator cuff. And I still get twinges now and then. Didn't have to have surgery and I'm still seeing the doctor over it. The emergency room didn't catch that my shoulder was part way out of joint, nor did they see the tear in the rotator cuff! Amazingly bad! But wanted to send me to physical therapy. Ended up having to argue with the insurance company to get me to a real doctor, and the Orthopedic Surgeon did an MRI. Said it was a good thing I didn't go to physical therapy at that point because it could have caused a lot more damage. So, I'm still on the mend. They've been shooting me up with steroids.

I tried prior to that making a gathered toe moccasin and I failed miserably. Mainly because I had to make my own pattern, and I have really wide feet and a very high arch. And when I went to gather and stitch the toe, I had to take that stitching out 3 or more times and I never just got it right. I put it aside.

So, rather than flat pattern drafting, I thought I would try making a pair of lasts, which is what I am working on now. 

I like your shoes, by the way! Nice and practical, good and serviceable. They look like they'll last you for years instead of those cheap shoes that are in the stores.

Do you plan on lining them at all?

I want to do laceups. 

I'm concerned with the last making. You know how you cut the slot down the last and put a screw in it, so that you can get the shoe off after you make it?

I've got a very wide forefoot and a narrow heel. I'm wondering if I can actually get the front of the last out! Hubby said just make a shoe with a very long tongue on it so that it reaches the bend of my foot. 

I think it's, 

BOOTS AND SHOES
THEIR MAKING
MANUFACTURING AND SELLING

That I've been reading...down loaded a whole lot of them. Where they were talking about the allowances for lasts.Fleshy feet...bony feet...old feet...young feet...

I've got old, bony, abused feet! LOL! So, I wanted to go ahead and add 1/8" but I wasn't sure if it was to both sides of the foot drawing (IE the bottom of the last) or if it was to the girth of the foot???? And I'm also concerned about the length of the toe area. How much exactly should be added to the toe length on the bottom of the last. I know leather stretches but my poor feet! 

Can you help me out there? Do you have any input on that one?

Edited November 15, 2016 by HobbledCobbler

[Reegesc]

2 hours ago, HobbledCobbler said:

 

Most flip flops don't have tread. So, that was why I asked. I can either find a soling sheet with some ridges on the bottom or I thought I might try putting a large enough pattern on the bottom to help with the slipping and sliding.

I think that tooling the soles would work as I did with my recent pair of flip flops.  But I think you would be better off using a gouging tool instead as you can cut deeper and wider channels for the tread.  That's what I use when I make rubber soles.  You don't have to use rubber, leather will work just fine, it just wears out quicker.  Just be sure to cut the channels all the way to the edge of the sole.

Here's two types of leather gouging tools that are readily available and an example of a tread I cut in rubber sheeting using a gouger.  It's easy with gouging tool to cut those deep channels, but you could use any number of cutting tools to make those channels, like a swivel knife and an edger.

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, HobbledCobbler said:

II'm concerned with the last making. You know how you cut the slot down the last and put a screw in it, so that you can get the shoe off after you make it?

 

Yeah, that's called "the crack" I believe and I don't know how to do that, but I have made some basic wood shoe lasts and they work just fine.  I have an eyebolt screwed into the top of the ankle area and just pull, twist, pull, curse, and pull some more and they come out.    What I did was start with a piece of 2 x 6 for the bottom and then stacked two pieces of 2x4 on  top of that and glued them together.  

 

 

 

 

From there you just spend a lot of time on the belt sander and after a couple hours you'll end up with something like this.  Use a pair of shoes as your guide for fit.

 

 

2 hours ago, HobbledCobbler said:

That I've been reading...down loaded a whole lot of them. Where they were talking about the allowances for lasts.Fleshy feet...bony feet...old feet...young feet...

I've got old, bony, abused feet! LOL! So, I wanted to go ahead and add 1/8" but I wasn't sure if it was to both sides of the foot drawing (IE the bottom of the last) or if it was to the girth of the foot???? And I'm also concerned about the length

of the toe area. How much exactly should be added to the toe length on the bottom of the last. I know leather stretches but my poor feet! 

Can you help me out there? Do you have any input on that one?

 

You mean the distance from the tip of your toes to the tip of the shoe?  I don't know if there is an exact amount, but I would think that 1/4 - 3/8" inch is about right.  You probably already know this but you can buy lasts off eBay.   One of the benefits of using real, professionally made shoe lasts that it has those sorts of measurements already factored in.    A last is not a model of a foot, instead it represents the negative space inside a shoe.  In other words,  for any given size last, the foot is smaller than the last.  

Professional made lasts are not cheap though, certainly not as cheap as scrap wood, but all the work is done for you and it's not easy sculpting out a pair of lasts from raw wood.  Well.tThe technical part is easy, but the working part isn't.   If you do buy a pair of lasts, be sure to get a pair that doesn't have a heel lift built into it,  in other words a tilted last.  As for adjusting for the size and uniqueness of your feet, that is easily accommodated by adding duct tape the last areas that need to be built up.  Pretty simple.

The other thing that is tricky about making shoes is the pattern.  You can make your own pattern using masking tape and your lasts (Search shoe pattern making on YouTube).  I've not done that however.  Tried a couple times, but it's really hard to do properly.     So I've abandoned making my own patterns and instead just copy existing ones by taking apart shoes I want to reproduce.  That gives you an instant pattern and one you can easily modify to fit your needs.   Used shoes are dirt cheap on Shopgoodwill.com.  I know you said you want  to make lace ups and this screen shot doesn't have any of those.  I'm just showing you an example of how cheap the shoes are,  There are lots of styles to choose from.   And if you don't find the style and size you like,  wait a few days and they will be more listed.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2016 by cseeger

[HobbledCobbler]

8 minutes ago, cseeger said:

I think that tooling the soles would work as I did with my recent pair of flip flops.  But I think you would be better off using a gouging tool instead as you can get cut deeper and wider channels for the tread.  That's what I use when I make rubber soles.  You don't have to use rubber, leather will work just fine, it just wears out quicker.  Just be sure to cut the channels all the way to the edge of the sole.

Here's two types of leather gouging tools that are readily available and an example of a tread I cut in rubber sheeting using a gouger.  It's easy with gouging tool to cut those deep channels, but you could use any number of cutting tools to make those channels, like a swivel knife and an edger.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, that's called "the crack" I believe and I don't know how to do that, but I have made some basic wood shoe lasts and they work just fine.  I have an eyebolt screwed into the top of the ankle area and just pull, twist, pull, curse, and pull some more and they come out.    What I did was start with a piece of 2 x 6 for the bottom and then stacked two pieces of 2x4 on  top of that and glued them together.  

 

 

 

 

From there you just spend a lot of time on the belt sander and after a couple hours you'll end up with something like this.  Use a pair of shoes as your guide for fit.

 

 

 

You mean the distance from the tip of your toes to the tip of the shoe?  I don't if there is an exact amount, but I would think that 1/4 - 3/8" inch is about right.  You probably already know this but you can buy lasts off eBay.   One of the benefits of using a real professionally made shoe last is that it has those sorts of measurements already factored in.    A last is not a model of a foot, instead it represents the negative space inside a shoe.  In other words,  for any given size last, the foot is smaller than the last.  

Professional made lasts are not cheap though, certainly not as cheap as scrap wood, but all the work is done for you and it's not easy sculpting out a pair of lasts from raw wood.  Well.tThe technical part is easy, but the working part isn't.   If you do buy a pair of lasts, be sure to get a pair that doesn't have a heel lift built into it,  in other words a tilted last.  As for adjusting for the size and uniqueness of your feet, that is easily accommodated by adding duct tape the areas that need  to be built up.  Pretty simple.  A

The other thing that is tricky about making shoes is the pattern.  You can make your own pattern using masking tape and your lasts (Search shoe pattern making on YouTube).   But the easiest I've found is to take apart a pair of shoes you want to reproduce.  That gives you and instant pattern and one you can easily modify to fit your needs.   Used shoes are dirt cheap on Shopgoodwill.com.  Here's a screen shot to show you how cheap their shoes are.  I know you said you want laces and there are plenty of those as well.  And if not, wait a few days and they will be more listed.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know how to do all of the quoting stuff, so I'll try to respond.

IF I actually had a shoe that fit close enough to my foot, I would use that as a pattern. I don't. I own a ton of flip flops! The last shoes I had that really fit 6 years ago, I wore out and tried to make a plaster cast out of them and that sort of failed miserably. I had a nice pair of military style boots but when I moved, they somehow didn't come with me. I can't wear any heels because I've broken my toes and they get stuck in the up position and I have to force them down. That hurts! And it sounds awful too, they crunch!

Love the lasts you made. I got 2 pieces of 2x6 glued together and was worried that the height wasn't quite high enough and I was sort of thinking about doing a 2x4 on top. I've got lots of 2x4 chunks. The top of my arch is slightly above the 2 2x6's glued together.

IF "crack" is the correct term, I didn't think that would be too difficult. I've got a Japanese style saw and a Coping saw. It's a lightning bolt shape.

Thanks on the toe length. I had added 1/8" to the pattern and I'm thinking to myself, that just doesn't look like it will be long enough.

One thing I did notice is that my foot width changes depending upon how I put my foot down. I'm a heel to toe person. I've always been told, "You walk like an Indian". If I put my foot straight down on paper and trace it, I get a different pattern than if I put my heel down and then the front of the foot as if I were stepping down. So I used that 'heel to toe' as the pattern. Which also makes it wider. Might keep me from getting calluses on my toes too!

On the Ebay lasts! I've spent sooo much time looking through those! "In other words,  for any given size last, the foot is smaller than the last".  They aren't ever even close to being wide enough. Even the men's.I got close when the size started getting up to size 12 or 13, but it still wasn't wide enough to measure my foot without a ton of remodeling and then the length is all fooey..

You look at an outline of my foot and I look like a duck!

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/flat-feet-treatment/ 

Scroll down to look at the guy's foot with the comment  "Here’s one of a foot that rarely – if ever – saw the inside of a shoe."

Except that I have high arches to boot!

Thanks for your input and the time you spent responding. I really do appreciate it!

[HobbledCobbler]

Oh, and I almost forgot because there was so much great feedback!

That gouger on the rubber is a great idea! I bought some rubber off of Ebay. It's 3/8" thick. So it is definitely deep enough for gouges.

[fks1]

Thank You! I want to try this 

[Reegesc]

On 11/22/2016 at 2:07 PM, fks1 said:

Thank You! I want to try this 

Holler if you have any questions.  Happy to help.

[Reegesc]

Mini Rant

Isn't it odd there isn't a unique term for those persons who are skilled in working with leather as generalists instead of specialists?     It's an esteemed occupation that has been around for thousands of years but the best we could come up with is "Leather Worker"?   That's the sort of temporary title that is used until a permanent, more discrernable title is invented like how "Computer Worker" became "Data Entry Operator" or "Programmer" and so on.   It's also the sort o term to denote the lower skilled class of workers  like "Farm Worker" versus the "Farmer" and "Factory Worker" versus "Factory Foreman".  There's tailors, blacksmiths, jewelers, bankers, grocers, bakers, chefs, teachers, herders, writers, artists.....and  leather workers?      I doesn't make sense.    Leathercrafter doesn't cut it either.   I mean crafts is what you do in elementary school, isn't it?   To be fair there are Cordwainers, Cobblers, Saddlers, Tanners, Currier, Booteliers, Girdlers, Lorimers, Malemakers, Shoemakers, Thongers, but everyone else is just a Leather Worker, not a Leathersmith, Leatherschmidt, , or Leathermeister.  

Personally I think it should be an occupation title that doesn't even include the word "leather".  Instead it should be a a unique word  that is only used for this line of work like Tailors instead of Cloth Workers, Chefs instead of Food Workers, heck even Escorts instead of Sex Workers..   Pontiers, Marlanes, Ceptuns, Tauthaffens, Fletchmores, Spuras.

 I dunno...just seems odd.   

Repost

Be that as it may, here's a repost from the  Show Off Section -- proof that if you can figure out how to make a pair of flip flops, there's no reason you can't also make shoes if you're so inclined.     I had never made a pair of Flip Flops until ust a few months prior to writing this tutorial and just figured it out by taking a pair of flops apart. Two years later I made these boots completely by trial and error, first progressing to sandals, then to shoes, now boots.   And the thing is after....geez how long has it been anyway?  Hold on I'll look it up....   Wow., 12 years as hobbyist and I still suck as a "Leather Worker".    Seriously, I should be a lot better at it than I am after 12 years.   The point is anyone with average, or in my case mediocre leather working skills can do this too.

++++++++++++++++++++++

A surprise Welcome Home gift for a buddy returning from his fourth tour in Afghanistan -- two with the Marines and last two as a Security Contractor.    He says the pay is better but the duty is a lot more dangerous nowadays.  So these are his good luck boots -- he returns for a fifth tour in eight weeks.

The boots were made using the "Stichdown" method and are modified from my regular Chukka Boot pattern (last pic -- also a recent pair) with a higher top, exterior toe cap, and some tooling.   The treaded rubber soles are also handmade from conveyor belt rubber.  I didn't to take a pic but I carved the tread with lightening bolts on the front half of the soles  and the Marine's "RECON Seal" in the heels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

•  

[Reegesc]

Having said I was going to make a Sandal Making tutorial and never did you shouldn't put too much faith in this pronouncement either, but I hope to make a shoe/boot making tutorial this Spring.   Been thinking about it a lot and have a lot of ideas to do something really cool and really helpful.   Something that will belie my mediocre leather skills.  I'm far better at showmanship.  Stay tuned.

Edited February 5, 2017 by cseeger
spelling and grammar/ When did we start having to explain why we are editing a post?

[Grey Drakkon]

Well, "leatherer" just sounds weird.

 

And oh yeah, you totally suck at this whole leatherworking thing.   Do you even see your stuff?  

[bikermutt07]

How about hidesmith, or skinwright?

[Reegesc]

On 2/7/2017 at 2:51 PM, Grey Drakkon said:

Well, "leatherer" just sounds weird.

 

And oh yeah, you totally suck at this whole leatherworking thing.   Do you even see your stuff?  

 

Well bust my buttons, if aint the one and only  Grey the friendly Drakkon.   You are too kind with the compliments Grey, too kind indeed.   Yeah," Leatherer " does sound weird.   But I do like both of Bikermutt's suggestions.   Hidesmith in particularly, although I think i would spell it Hidesmythe, or Hydesmith.  It doesn't matter as long as you can derive the shorthand nickname Smithee.  Love that name.      

 

So where the heck you been?   We  have all missed your  therapeutic dog cussings.     I stopped by your profile room a month or so ago it  said you haven't been around since school let out last year.      I figured you probably went Pro with your Poker Game and was doing the Rounders Circuit.       I stopped by because I have something to send you and now I will.  I think I still have an address.  If not I'll PM you.  Welcome back.

[MonicaJacobson]

BTW, @cseeger -- your boots have come a long way in what, eight months? Keep it up! I don't have the inclination myself at the moment, but I'm impressed with anyone who does.

[Grey Drakkon]

I could waste space here on what I've been doing, but I think I'll just waste some space in the "show off" thread instead.   

[Reegesc]

It's like you never left...   

[Reegesc]

27 minutes ago, MonicaJacobson said:

BTW, @cseeger -- your boots have come a long way in what, eight months? Keep it up! I don't have the inclination myself at the moment, but I'm impressed with anyone who does.

Thanks Monica.  You're a peach.  I guess you never saw the thread where I said "it was all due to competing with you"?  Something like that.    me competing with you.      I thought for sure that would illicit a giggle or two.  Lemme see if can find it.  btw. you haven't been around much either.  Do you two know just how damn hard it is or someone to do battle here all by themselves?  Geez....

Ah here it is. The squeaky toy thing.   I'm sure this left  a lot of people scratching their heads -- "What in the hell is he talking about?"  Haha  And it certainly didn't help that you didn't at least pop in the convo with a little haha yourself.  Nope, just left me twisting in comic limbo.    

 

 

Ya know it  just occurred to me that that could be a terrific way to multiply the compliments exponentially, right?  Instead of eating the whole compliment like a greedy attention grub, you take a bite then deflect it to someone else who takes a bite and deflects.  You could probably feed 20 off a single compliment.    Then, before you know it there's love and admiration ricocheting all over the place.    You getting this Monica, for your Presidential gig?

You remember me talking about how this entire industry needs a massive makeover and a massive visionary leap forward?  I was visiting a friend in Houston a couple months ago and I made it a point  to visit one of their THREE Tandy locations.  THREE!  We've only got one in Dallas and it's pretty pathetic.  It's like shopping in somebody's garage,  ok, a four car garage.   Years back I made a similar Houston trip and visited my first "Mega Narrow Interest Store."  That particular store was a Sausage/Meat Curing & Smoking Mega store.    It was way into sausage making back then and up to that point all my shopping was done online.  This store was incredible, they had every swinging thing there could possibly be for the sausage making enthusiast.  They had stuff I had no idea even existed.  And because of that trip I  I just said it my mind that Houston was Mega Store Town.  That no matter what you were into, some bright opportunist would see to it to open a super store catering to your intererest.    This was on my mind heading to the "Mega Tandy Store" I was fantasizing about on the way-the-hell-out-of-the-way-trip to get there.  The closer we got the more excited I got.   Maybe they'll have some great indoor specials?   Maybe even a class going on?  The possibilities seemed endless.    

Then we pulled up to the nastiest, falling-apart strip mall and a tiny decrepit Tandy Store.  So small that with 6 people in it it felt crowded.  IT was dark and dingy and the crap on the walls had been there since Reagan was in office.   It just looked tired and sad and dead.   Is was embarrassing is what it was.   I imagined our entire country comprised of just more of these little s*** hole stores and that was the public face of an entire industry in the same state just wheezing through it's final days in a dingy corner of a nursing home, an industry grave yard. And I'm thinking it doesn't have to be this way.   It isn't this way in Europe.  Heck, they have.... what?  Three year degree programs in Europe?  This line of work is an esteemed profession.  Where are all the bespoke shoemakers.   Europe.  I havent' researched this, its just my sense from being around it for the past decade.   But I had visions of how it could be  completely turned around and only needed ... who knows.  It's in such a sorry state that it can only go up.  Do you buy Tandy or just bury them?  Probably easier and cheaperand more effective to start fresh. Then create an industry group chartered to promote and educate.  Let's say a couple hundred million you could pull it off.    Joan Krock philanthropy  money.   Mega Lotto money.  Completely Doable.    A full pronged, all out reinvention of the industry in every respect.  Put together some schools and elevate the profession again at least on par with the Europeans, and a PR campaign to promote the craft to the public and especially young people.  Goes without saying you would have a Mega Leather Supplies Super Store in every major city in the US.    So anyways, the first mega huge El Grande lotto I win, that's what I'm going to do and hire you two to run it.    Hey, it could happen.  So don't too comfortable in your current gigs.   I'm serious.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MonicaJacobson]

LOL, on several counts. No, sorry, I didn't see that, and yes, it's all the funnier since if I tried to make boots they'd look .... terrible.

Have you been to the Ft. Worth Tandy? It's pretty sweet, but then again it's the face of the company store, as that's where the first one came from. Tandy is cool, and what they do (or could potentially do) is very valuable, but I stopped using their leather when it started having tire tracks on it.  Give me Maverick any day. 

I expect benefits and sorry, minimum wage isn't going to cut it.

[Reegesc]

On 2/24/2017 at 5:01 PM, Leerwerker said:

Is there any indication of the length of the top straps for general flip flops, or are they always custom made and fitted to an individual's feet?

 I've searched a lot on this topic.  Not just for strap lengths, but also of ergonomic standards/averages for feet in general.  I'm certain this  information exists but I've not found it.   Closely guarded secrets so it seems.       

In the case of strap length, I would think there is a standard ratio of strap length to sole length, like 75%, that can be applied to any sole size.   It would be relatively easy to test that hypothesis by measuring a full run of sizes of a particular style or two or three of Flip Flops.   And Walmart always has Flip Flops for sale on its shoe racks.    Hmmm?       

Ok, I just measured two pairs of mine and the ratio is ~ 60%      (6.75"/11.5")  But they're also the same size (10) so that's not much of a statistical sample.   But it is a data point that you can compare to your own size.  Also keep in mind 60% is just to the sole.  You would have to add another two inches to that for going underneath the top sole.  So the formula would be (60% * sole length) + 2"

I'm assuming you are asking the question because you want to make a pair for someone who isn't readily available for a custom fitting, or perhaps it's a surprise gift.   In that case, I would definitely take a trip to Walmart and at least measure that particular size.  

Let me know what ratios you come up with.

[Reegesc]

Merry Christmas Fellow Footwear Friends, 

Here's my latest flip flop creation.  It's hard to see in the pics but I used beads for the toe stem (toe thong as some refer to it).  What's cool about using  beads is they freely rotate and hence no rubbing.  What's not cool is figuring out how to attach them and get a smooth transition from the uppers to the sole.  In this case I cut off the pointed end of the uppers to make a flat end.  Then I made a cover that folded from the bottom and punched two holes in the fold so that the beading wire could loop through the holes  then straight down to the sole where it is secured underneath with a spacer bead and bead crimps.  To further aid in the visual transition I used two beads, one for each wire, as it exits the cover.  I then crimped the wires as one to maintain the position of the two top beads than strung a single row of beads as usual.  You need to use large hole beads so that it will cover the crimp.  This helped a lot in the visual transition from the cover to the toe stem otherwise it looks too abrupt with a single file row of beads.

I'm not sure what to make of these.  Jamaica comes to mind, maybe something Usain Bolt would wear.

Edited December 26, 2017 by cseeger

[Grey Drakkon]

Daaaaaamn how did I miss those?!  Now those have CHARACTER.  ;D