MrsW Posted February 19, 2012 Posted February 19, 2012 Hello all, Does anyone out there know of a good UK supplier of heel blocks for a fetish shoe last. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a load of lasts when The Little Shoe Box closed down and I've been desperate to work on some samples ever since! I've got everything else I need ( leather, shanks, knowledge! ) but I keep coming up against a brick wall regarding the heels. Any help would be greatly appreciated. x
Mike Hinch Posted February 19, 2012 Posted February 19, 2012 For me that would not be a problem. With my experience with body and fender work I would just dive into what ever shape that I wanted. We can communicate on this idea because I do not really know what you need. One way to do it is to use clay or wax or even carve your creation from Styrofoam than the good old time honored fiberglass and resin. Apply the fiberglass and let cure then grind to shape. For a more massive heel some webbing inside so as not to be totally hollow. How do you want to attach to the shoe or as I plan to do in one of my designs is to make the heel and platform in one piece. As for the road tip of the heel I am using black nylon from a local industrial plastic supplier. My other plans for road surface is roadkill tire tread or is that tyre. The tread piece is cut to shape then bonded with calender rubber from a local rubber supplier. This also I plan to do with a roadkill tread sole project. My spike heel lug sole will be Vibram #100 because I want that look. Hows about tell me just what kind of heel you want and what to put it on and I can get more specific.
Dr. Shoe Posted February 19, 2012 Posted February 19, 2012 Making your own heels for very high heels is very dangerous. It is inconvenient if a 4" heel breaks but you can break your neck if a 6" one breaks. Springline would be a good place to start. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
MrsW Posted February 19, 2012 Author Posted February 19, 2012 Hi Mike, thanks for the reply. I'm just looking for a classic stiletto heel, but they will need to have a steel tube running through the centre to take the weight. I can get my local cobbler to attach them for me, I just need something reliable and reasonably priced to start me off. I've got access to a company that will custom carve heels if I want but at the moment I've not got the budget for that kind of thing. I've contemplated making my own but to be honest with you 3D model making isn't my forte!
MrsW Posted February 19, 2012 Author Posted February 19, 2012 Thanks Dr Shoe, Springline are the company that have offered to custom make for me which is great for future projects. I've not made any shoes since college and would like something cheaper to flex my shoe making muscles with!
MrsW Posted February 22, 2012 Author Posted February 22, 2012 It looks as though Syston Components have just what I'm after and at a very good price. Hopefully I can get on with my samples soon. Very excited.
pussyinboots Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 It looks as though Syston Components have just what I'm after and at a very good price. Hopefully I can get on with my samples soon. Very excited. I've just looked at their homepage and they have a photo of their stiletto heel units. They look perfect don't they..? (PS....I have sent you a 'PM'..) "Good Girls keep diaries....Bad Girls just don't have the time...!:icon_twisted:"
Mike Hinch Posted February 23, 2012 Posted February 23, 2012 Just went and looked at Syston Components and when I got to the pix of the heels there was a line of six of them and the two on each end were thick and low enough but the top slanted down. My personal experience is up to about two inches the top likes to be level. The other heels in the middle looked like they were slanted too much. From some of the test heels that I made about 30 degree is enough slant for even my ballet heel design. With all the shimming or possibly extending the bottom of the heel to get enough height to justify so much slant I would just be tempted to make the whole thing.
MrsW Posted February 23, 2012 Author Posted February 23, 2012 Well, they are professional heel makers so I think I'll trust their judgement on this one.
Mike Hinch Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Good point there. All the heels that I have that are not very comfortable are professionally made.
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