Anyone ever do an apprenticeship? Was it worth it?

[JC2019]

1 hour ago, bikermutt07 said:

The world of shoes and boots really is hard to get into without some teaching being involved. There is just so so much to it, and not a lot of cordwainers/boot makers around. I have been researching and gathering tools and tidbits of resources for over two years off and on. I still haven't made a pair yet. But, I know some of that is my endless fruitless pursuit of perfection. They say the pursuit of perfection is paralysis. 

I suffer from this a lot.  

Yeah I have the same problem. I often want to do tons of research and read or watch guides, I am trying to change that and just go for it. I find I am more inclined to learn via a structured class. So in a sense, spending the money just so I get started and actually complete a few complex projects could be worh it for me. 

 

What resources have you been able to find? Any good videos ?

 

 

[arashikage]

31 minutes ago, JC2019 said:

Yeah I have the same problem. I often want to do tons of research and read or watch guides, I am trying to change that and just go for it. I find I am more inclined to learn via a structured class. So in a sense, spending the money just so I get started and actually complete a few complex projects could be worh it for me. 

 

What resources have you been able to find? Any good videos ?

 

 

Unfortunately Lisa Sorrell no longer teaches her boot making class, but her DVD was probably the $900 one. She's really good and I have heard lots of good things about her DVDs. She also sells all the tools you need. https://sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/  But you might be able to learn a few things from her youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/customboots. 

Not sure where in California you are but you could try contacting the closest guild and see if they know of anything close. https://leathercraftersjournal.com/guilds/

Sorry I don't have links to boots or exotics but,

For Shoes:
Marcell Mrsan does a series of DVDs and Vimeo videos. I plan on getting them myself. Online videos = https://vimeo.com/ondemand/allshoemaking.  DVD = https://www.cordwainertools.com/tutorials/9-dvds-the-whole-dvd-collection. He also sells all the tools you need. The plus side is Marcell also teaches different classes in Savannah Georgia. https://www.shoemakingcourse.com/

Brooklyn Shoe Space also teach a variety of classes. http://brooklynshoespace.com/

Andrew Wrigley does a nice series on youtube on hand made shoes. https://www.youtube.com/user/wigglesworthh/videos.

I can Make Shoes offer online courses. They also occasionally team up with Brooklyn Shoe Space. https://icanmakeshoes.com/

 

Hope this helps.

 

[chrisash]

Those prices make Nigel Armitage video's at £3 per month seem fantastic value, and whilst not covering Cordwaining he does cover probably 90% of techniques most will find usefull at some time in most leatherworkers knowledge base

https://vimeo.com/armitageleather

 

[JC2019]

11 minutes ago, arashikage said:

Unfortunately Lisa Sorrell no longer teaches her boot making class, but her DVD was probably the $900 one. She's really good and I have heard lots of good things about her DVDs. She also sells all the tools you need. https://sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/  But you might be able to learn a few things from her youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/customboots. 

Not sure where in California you are but you could try contacting the closest guild and see if they know of anything close. https://leathercraftersjournal.com/guilds/

Sorry I don't have links to boots or exotics but,

For Shoes:
Marcell Mrsan does a series of DVDs and Vimeo videos. I plan on getting them myself. Online videos = https://vimeo.com/ondemand/allshoemaking.  DVD = https://www.cordwainertools.com/tutorials/9-dvds-the-whole-dvd-collection. He also sells all the tools you need. The plus side is Marcell also teaches different classes in Savannah Georgia. https://www.shoemakingcourse.com/

Brooklyn Shoe Space also teach a variety of classes. http://brooklynshoespace.com/

Andrew Wrigley does a nice series on youtube on hand made shoes. https://www.youtube.com/user/wigglesworthh/videos.

I can Make Shoes offer online courses. They also occasionally team up with Brooklyn Shoe Space. https://icanmakeshoes.com/

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cool thanks. Will look. I am in the Bay Area, California. I found a shoe class but it says the latest class was 2017 so it might have ended.

[bikermutt07]

6 hours ago, arashikage said:

Unfortunately Lisa Sorrell no longer teaches her boot making class, but her DVD was probably the $900 one. She's really good and I have heard lots of good things about her DVDs. She also sells all the tools you need. https://sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/  But you might be able to learn a few things from her youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/customboots. 

Not sure where in California you are but you could try contacting the closest guild and see if they know of anything close. https://leathercraftersjournal.com/guilds/

Sorry I don't have links to boots or exotics but,

For Shoes:
Marcell Mrsan does a series of DVDs and Vimeo videos. I plan on getting them myself. Online videos = https://vimeo.com/ondemand/allshoemaking.  DVD = https://www.cordwainertools.com/tutorials/9-dvds-the-whole-dvd-collection. He also sells all the tools you need. The plus side is Marcell also teaches different classes in Savannah Georgia. https://www.shoemakingcourse.com/

Brooklyn Shoe Space also teach a variety of classes. http://brooklynshoespace.com/

Andrew Wrigley does a nice series on youtube on hand made shoes. https://www.youtube.com/user/wigglesworthh/videos.

I can Make Shoes offer online courses. They also occasionally team up with Brooklyn Shoe Space. https://icanmakeshoes.com/

 

Hope this helps.

 

These are pretty much the same places I have found. 

I also found this guy...

https://laughingcrowe.com/

And Tim Skyrme's Bespoke Shoemaking is pretty great.

If you buy it from Tim's website it comes autographed.

[arashikage]

@JC2019, So I did find, http://dimlights.com/features/bootmaking-schools/

There is a boot maker named Michael Anthony listed in Sebastopol, CA an hour from San Fran that may do 1 student at a time. Might be worth checking into?

@bikermutt07 I had forgot about laughingcrow.com. Definitely some good looking un-lasted shoes. Skyrme's book is definitely on my list too. 

[YinTx]

17 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

For a long as allowed time ......perhaps depends on your ability to work and again the cost of a flight to here and back.

What are the visitor visa restrictions?  Seems 90 days, but can you work?  Looked briefly into this, would be $1500 round trip, $2400 rent, food, etc, so $4k to work for you.  Would really already be on your doorstep if you were local.

YinTx

[RockyAussie]

1 hour ago, YinTx said:

What are the visitor visa restrictions?  Seems 90 days, but can you work?  Looked briefly into this, would be $1500 round trip, $2400 rent, food, etc, so $4k to work for you.  Would really already be on your doorstep if you were local.

YinTx

@YinTx I know you are already very skilled so I would have no hesitation in working out some arrangement for where you would get paid. I did a bit of looking into this awhile back and I would have to look into this again to get some further clarification. I can teach you how to make products and techniques etc but if the products go on to be sold you then have to be paid (Australian Law). Training for the first couple of weeks would not be on goods to be sold anyway so no problem there (you pay me some ) after that I pay firstly the minimum wage (around $20.00 au). Food and accommodation we could work something out. You would always be welcome to visit and I look forward to that at any time you can make it.

I can only handle 1 or 2 people on this type of arrangement as I am VERY much a 1 on 1 type of a communicator. I like to give value but also I like to receive  value in return.

Brian

[bikermutt07]

4 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

@YinTx I know you are already very skilled so I would have no hesitation in working out some arrangement for where you would get paid. I did a bit of looking into this awhile back and I would have to look into this again to get some further clarification. I can teach you how to make products and techniques etc but if the products go on to be sold you then have to be paid (Australian Law). Training for the first couple of weeks would not be on goods to be sold anyway so no problem there (you pay me some ) after that I pay firstly the minimum wage (around $20.00 au). Food and accommodation we could work something out. You would always be welcome to visit and I look forward to that at any time you can make it.

I can only handle 1 or 2 people on this type of arrangement as I am VERY much a 1 on 1 type of a communicator. I like to give value but also I like to receive  value in return.

Brian

I didn't think it was possible, Brian, but you just got a little more Ausome in my book.

Edited April 27, 2019 by bikermutt07

[bikermutt07]

12 hours ago, arashikage said:

@JC2019, So I did find, http://dimlights.com/features/bootmaking-schools/

There is a boot maker named Michael Anthony listed in Sebastopol, CA an hour from San Fran that may do 1 student at a time. Might be worth checking into?

@bikermutt07 I had forgot about laughingcrow.com. Definitely some good looking un-lasted shoes. Skyrme's book is definitely on my list too. 

I did buy his boot video (even though I haven't made a pair yet) and I have to say the segment on skiving section alone is worth the price of the video.