Amazing Video

[Sheilajeanne]

This is how you do it when you don't have fancy tools! It was especially interesting to see him using a miniature metal hook, similar to a crochet hook, to both punch holes and sew the layers of the sandals together!

He must have very strong hands, and that hook must be really sharp on the end!

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=320176276730786

Edit: does anyone know how he applied the decorative pattern to the shoes? The video doesn't show that part.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Sheilajeanne

[kgg]

45 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

does anyone know how he applied the decorative pattern to the shoes?

Probably in a similar manner as of those in this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NljAni7tIkQ

kgg

 

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, Sheilajeanne said:

This is how you do it when you don't have fancy tools! It was especially interesting to see him using a miniature metal hook, similar to a crochet hook, to both punch holes and sew the layers of the sandals together!

He must have very strong hands, and that hook must be really sharp on the end!

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=320176276730786

Edit: does anyone know how he applied the decorative pattern to the shoes? The video doesn't show that part.

block printing they carve patterns in wooden blocks then use that to dye the product. Google it is is also how they do fabrics of all  kinds.

i am amazed all the time how these folks produce such beautiful stuff with the barest of tools. and the centuries old techniques.

Love the way he uses his knife as a lever to cut that.

Edited February 8, 2022 by chuck123wapati

[Sheilajeanne]

And love he's using a scrap of broken glass to do the final edging and burnishing on the soles! 

No fancy stitching pony, either - just his bare feet!  

KGG, sewing machine embroidery? Hmm...don't think so. That machine he's using looks like a really old domestic - maybe an old treadle machine that's had a motor put on it. Okay, maybe one of the machine experts here could take a look at it, and let us know what they think...it seems to have no problem sewing the straps, but the leather on those isn't very thick.

I went back and looked at that section of the video again, and I see a loose thread hanging off the end of one of the decorative pieces (3.40 on the video, and again at the very end of the video, when he's showing off his finished work.)  I THINK it could be a crocheted pattern, done using fine yarn, then appliqued to the leather. The pattern looks like small circles knitted together. With the primitive sewing machine he has, that wouldn't be possible. So, maybe the women in the family do the decorative bits by crocheting or embroidering, and he attaches them to the leather.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Sheilajeanne

[chuck123wapati]

would be a great video to post when someone asks what tools they need to do leather work LOL. Yes after i put my glasses on i can see its not printed too. amazing work.

chakwali chappal is the name of the sandal from what i gather from the comments they are pakistani

[Scoutmom103]

Thanks for sharing.   That was amazing the beauty he created with minimal tools.   The old cast iron sewing machines (esp. singer, or singer based) are great.   Nothing fancy, but wonderful stitches when they are cleaned up, and they can be on a treadle, hand crank, or external motor.  Parts are readily available and relatively inexpensive.  

Edited February 9, 2022 by Scoutmom103
still working on 1st cup of coffee

[Tugadude]

It is always fun to watch a master at work.  The lack of "nice tools" didn't hold him back whatsoever.  Not even a stitching wheel, he just eye-balled the spacing and it is great.  It is a good reminder that your ability isn't necessarily limited by the quality of your tools.  But if you're not blessed with his abilities, then good tools will help.

Thanks for sharing that, it made me smile!

[chuck123wapati]

7 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

It is always fun to watch a master at work.  The lack of "nice tools" didn't hold him back whatsoever.  Not even a stitching wheel, he just eye-balled the spacing and it is great.  It is a good reminder that your ability isn't necessarily limited by the quality of your tools.  But if you're not blessed with his abilities, then good tools will help.

Thanks for sharing that, it made me smile!

that stitching tool is pretty cool looks like he is basically doing a sewing machine stitch by hand, the needle just doesn't hold the loop like a machine does. I guess after a few thousand stitches you would get pretty good at eyeballing the spacing. Sometimes with better tools our work improves but do we really improve?

[Tugadude]

1 hour ago, chuck123wapati said:

that stitching tool is pretty cool looks like he is basically doing a sewing machine stitch by hand, the needle just doesn't hold the loop like a machine does. I guess after a few thousand stitches you would get pretty good at eyeballing the spacing. Sometimes with better tools our work improves but do we really improve?

That's exactly what I was thinking, a manual sewing machine.  Regarding our craft, leatherwork, I think most of us can appreciate the level of craftsmanship attainable with rudimentary tools.  But not many of us would want to trade our high end equipment for a piece of broken glass.  As far as whether better tools have any correlation with our own skills improving, I'd say they definitely can.  One example that jumps out at me is skiving.  Better knives equal better skiving and a bell skiver even better results.  Sure, you still need to understand how to use the tools properly and there are learning curves to anything new.  

[chuck123wapati]

44 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

  As far as whether better tools have any correlation with our own skills improving, I'd say they definitely can.  One example that jumps out at me is skiving.  Better knives equal better skiving and a bell skiver even better results.  Sure, you still need to understand how to use the tools properly and there are learning curves to anything new.  

I agree you would get better results with better tools. If those new better tools were taken away could you skive better? lol. My example that man can lay out a near perfect stitching line, if you gave him a 100 dollar set of chisels and somehow convince him that the time wasted using them would net better results and let him use them for a year or two could he go back and still create that stitching line without them? Would his stitching lines improve? Or replace that worn out old knife with an expensive head knife would it make his cuts better? Some things i think are obvious that they help others not so obvious.