Leather Shoes: adding FUR/Wool

[HerukaAvatar]

I'm making winter (leather) boots, and working with about a 1/2" pile for the fur I'd like to add to the interior of the boots, when I squish it down with my fingers, it is still 1/8" thick. 

I usually make the fit to somebody's feet exactly as their feet are (using a clever cast-making system with duct-tape). 

I'm in the process of working to determine how much material approximately I would need to add on the different seams. 

I can go to a circumference of a ellipse calculator, and work with my ankle, and add 1/8" to the dimensions of my leg, and add the extra circumference around the ring of my leg. However, I'm feeling puzzled with how it might fit if I were to put extra material between the toe/heel. Usually the heel gives great support, but if I add material in the middle, the fit won't be as snug. I'm just sort of stumped and working to best understand how I could add materials there.

I've asked my shoe-making teachers, and they haven't responded just yet. 

Does anybody have a thought?

[Rahere]

Try using shearling rather than fur - you can use fur for the top collar.

The insulation comes from trapped air, but too much lets the heat out.

[blue duck]

I have never tried this for shoes, but for other applications, so not sure if it works.  What if you took a dense foam, like Eva, in the thickness you need and add it to your last? It might need to be a bit thicker so when taping it down the compression is factored in. Good luck.

 

[HerukaAvatar]

Thanks guys,
I've been considering getting some shearling for sure with 3/8" pile. 

I just already have some fur. Mostly I'm working to figure out what dimension to add to a boot pattern I've made for somebody that already fits.

[Rahere]

@blue duck

He's not working off a last, but from a foot cast. It's a cheap form of body casting, you cover the body part in cling film as a separating agent, the tape it down with duct tape in 2 layers to get a cast. He's then cutting it just as you would a masking tape design on a standard last, before removing excess clingfilm and transferring it to make a pattern the same way.

The thought might be to build up foam on top of the duct-tape pattern and make a new pattern from that, allowing plenty of extra on the seams, to be trimmed to shape on the model. This is where lasting helps, you can stab and cut without harm!

An even easier one comes to mind though - get the customer to wear three or more pairs of really thick socks before "casting"!

[johnv474]

These last suggestions by Rahere make sense to me.  

I don’t think the fur will throw off the fit much (once you have included 1/8”-1/4” allowances), because the fur will compress to fit.  I would work with a 3/16” allowance, just over 1/8”, to make room for a second pair of socks.

The easiest approach will be to use a fresh cast from the foot, but using an additional 1/8” of material.  The material could be more tape or, say, weatherstripping foam.

 

For insulation and padding I often use military surplus wool blankets, which are a consistent 1/4” thick and inexpensive.

Edited November 3, 2020 by johnv474

[Rahere]

What I was thinking about was moulding over the foot while actually wearing 2-3 layers of socks, then the cling film, finally the duct tape. Next up would be neoprene wetsuit socks!

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