Dr. Shoe Posted May 3, 2013 Posted May 3, 2013 Have you ever worked with a metal lathe or somebody that has one. A heel should be pretty easy to turn. Actually no. A heel is made in all three axes. I used an own technique (well at least I think so) and it worked fine so far. instead of using nails perforating sole and possibly last, I fixed the stretched leather using very strong saddler's yarn. That's exactly how "hand sewn" shoes are made... Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Shafted Posted May 4, 2013 Posted May 4, 2013 My glitzee pumps have a nickle plated steel heel that is literally threaded into an aluminum heel block. The heel itself is a turned heel with a straight center from end to end. They are they camo pumps in my gallery with the steel heel. If you look it is a straight turned piece. Shafted, the boots that is! View my gallery here http://www.hhplace.o...afteds-gallery/ or view my heeling thread here http://www.hhplace.org/topic/3850-new-pair-of-boots-starts-me-serious-street-heeling/ - Pm me if you want fashion advice or just need someone to talk to.
hh&c fan Posted May 6, 2013 Author Posted May 6, 2013 Actually no. A heel is made in all three axes. For normal heels that's true but those plain steel heels are point-symmetric/lathed as far as I can see and measure it. (well of course you might have to drill a hole for heel tip but...) That's exactly how "hand sewn" shoes are made... As far as I know for "classic" hand sewn shoes upper and sole are sewn together... What I did is to span threads from one upper side to the other. And after everything was in place I glued sole & upper together. By now I'm not sure if I'll remove the threads or not. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that's the classic hand sewn method is it?
Shafted Posted May 6, 2013 Posted May 6, 2013 Steel heel example. http://www.hhplace.org/gallery/image/1489-dkny-tee-levis-action-slacks-and-highest-heel-collection-glitzee-pump-in-silver-camo-glitter-with-a-nickle-plated-steel-heel-screwed-into-an-aluminum-heel-block-hair-is-a-work-in-progress-looks-terrible-tied-back-until-the-wings-grow-out-ive-bee/ Shafted, the boots that is! View my gallery here http://www.hhplace.o...afteds-gallery/ or view my heeling thread here http://www.hhplace.org/topic/3850-new-pair-of-boots-starts-me-serious-street-heeling/ - Pm me if you want fashion advice or just need someone to talk to.
Dr. Shoe Posted May 10, 2013 Posted May 10, 2013 That's fine if you want a heel of that shape. In fact I've seen nails and screws fashioned into heels. Yes, I know that the method isn't exactly how hand swewn shoes are made but it is the same principle. BTW, how do you hold the leather while you sew? With tacks you can support it with the same finger you're pressing the leather down with... Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
hh&c fan Posted May 11, 2013 Author Posted May 11, 2013 Yes, I know that the method isn't exactly how hand swewn shoes are made but it is the same principle. BTW, how do you hold the leather while you sew? With tacks you can support it with the same finger you're pressing the leather down with... Alright thanks for confirmation. I use waxed thread so it won't loosen immediately. Using my lasting pincers I move it into place (but not too tight) and just fix it with my thumb. Then I make a few stitches. And finally I tighten the thread while I stretch the leather into final position. Works well for now but maybe I'll find an easier way when I last the next pair.
Dr. Shoe Posted May 12, 2013 Posted May 12, 2013 Tacks are much easier because the fulcrum of the lasting pincers is designed to be a hammer. Remeber that they don't go all the way it so only penetrate the insole board and they go in at a slight angle. Hammering them in all the way will make them bend on the metal sole plate of the last and clenche them making them impossible to remove after gluing. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
manoleat Posted May 17, 2013 Posted May 17, 2013 The term "handsewn" for shoes means something totally different. It is not "exactly" how hand sewn shoes are made. Many of them are nailed to the wooden last. Indeed on handsewn shoes you can sometimes see this temporary fixing of the shaft to the inner sole with thread. But then the shaft is glued or really sewn to the inner sole afterwards. Sewing it to the inner sole and sewing on the outer sole through leather frames makes a real handsewn shoe. Personally I would remove the fixing thread that is shown in these pictures after the glue dried. The space between the shaft leather has to be filled with cork to make it even to attach the outer sole. You can not afford to have caves between the inner and the outer soles. Handmade shoes with a leather insole have also attached there the steel shank. In modern shoes it is already part of the insole. These selfmade lasts have no metal sole plate. So nailing would be possible if the used material for the last allows it. If one is really interested in classic shoe making techniques - even without wanting to practise - I can highly recommend the book "Handmade shoes for men" from Laslo Vass and Magda Molnar.
Dr. Shoe Posted May 24, 2013 Posted May 24, 2013 Yes that is true, however I just couldn't be arsed to write all that! LOL Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Dr. Shoe Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 How's it going? Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
hh&c fan Posted July 13, 2014 Author Posted July 13, 2014 How's it going? Wow I've got my account back! I wasn't able to log-in, reset password or register a new account for over half a year. And today I was just able to login again. In summary I didn't continue work. Not enough time. I had a chat with Cos K from Fabulously Fetish and maybe I'll let them make these finally. Of course such stuff's really expensive but who am I telling this...
Dr. Shoe Posted July 13, 2014 Posted July 13, 2014 So after almost three years of effort you've given up then? Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now