Flip-Flops and Sea Turtles

[SmokeyPoint]

Looking for some advice from experienced sandal makers.

I was inspired by the latest Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal to build a present for wife's birthday. Here's the background story in her words:

"A few years ago Sean and I were on a late night stroll on a Mexican beach when we came across of newly hatched nest of turtles. Instead of trying to make their way towards the ocean, they were drawn to a light away from the beach. So we scooped them up and gently released them in the ocean. There were hundreds of turtles and I was like a little kid holding these tiny little creatures. It was a life changing moment for me, and I have loved anything to do with turtles ever since."

My intent here was to make her a pair of sandals with turtle hatch-lings on top, and as we stroll on those same Mexican beaches this winter, her flip-flops will make the same tracks in the sand we found the next morning all those years ago.

 

 

But... here's my dilemma...

 

 

Since she posted this on Facebook, I now have two orders for these things - not what I was expecting.  I could turn them down, but they were kind of fun to make.  The problem is I don't know that they will withstand years of use, which I would expect if I'm going to charge money for these things.  If my wife's break or wear out, I can fix them or make her new ones.  

 

So, I was in a bit of a hurry when I made these - I know I have a couple faulty stitches, and my stamping technique is improving but not totally there yet - I get all that.

 

But I cut two stitch grooves, one on top of the sole and one on the bottom, and the stitches sit in these grooves, slightly recessed below the surface of the leather.  Cobblers cut an angled cut in the leather and put the stitches in there, covering the actual stitches on the bottom with leather from the cut. Will these exposed stitches on the bottom wear too quickly?  They're 0.8mm Tiger thread, so they're poly, but my concern is the abrasion from sand getting in there and fraying/cutting them.

 

And the thong piece between the toes is a piece of suede 0.7" wide and 5 oz when folded over double and glued.  Will that wear too quickly and break?  I didn't want to use full grain leather because the suede is more comfortable, but like I said, if hers break I can fix them.  For custom order sandals, should I use full grain leather for these or will the suede work fine?  I tend to over-engineer things so I don't want to use an I-beam where a 4X4 will work.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

-Sean

 

[Thor]

I guess I would make the thong piece from full grain leather, but then again knee pads on general purpose saddles are often made from suede leather.

Since people won't only walk on the beach, but also on asphalt on the parking lot, down the road or wherever, yes, the leather and the thread will wear in time. Most manufacturers account for this and glue an extra layer of sole over the threaded piece. If you don't want to do that I guess you could make the groove deeper in the sole. If you're worried that the thread will wear, what about the tooling on your sole? I think people have to be aware that it's a shoe and shoes do wear off no matter how nice they look.

BTW. I really like your flops.

[hackaday]

First of all, very nice work there!

I can't comment on the stitching wearing through.  I use rubber soles with attached with contact cement so my stitching is purely cosmetic.

I don't think you will have any problem with the suede.  I used an almost identical method for my pair.  They've gone through a couple summers and the thongs are not showing any signs of giving up.

 

[SmokeyPoint]

On 12/30/2016 at 7:09 AM, hackaday said:

First of all, very nice work there!

I can't comment on the stitching wearing through.  I use rubber soles with attached with contact cement so my stitching is purely cosmetic.

I don't think you will have any problem with the suede.  I used an almost identical method for my pair.  They've gone through a couple summers and the thongs are not showing any signs of giving up.

Thanks for the link.  I hadn't seen that thread.  She finally got to hit the beaches of Mexico with hers and they worked out just fine.  I don't think the stitching is going to be an issue, and the suede is holding just fine.

 

[bikermutt07]

Shoot. Those are awesome. I hate flip flops but I would wear those. I don't think you'll have any problems.