A Shoemaker's blog... or something like that

[DocHolliday]

I would like it if you continued in this one. That would keep the posts in one place. I've already been checking for updates, and am enjoying it very much.

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by MarcellHUN

I love it! Not a modern style, no elongated toe, no fancy thin sole, but all together has some magic. Same style, same form, same sewing than 100 years ago - just like my grandpa's shoe. I cannot understand, but I love to take them on. I didn't put any rubber, or metal on the sole - 102 of brass nails in each, doubel leather sole - you have to wear it, because you cannot imagine the nice sound it makes everywhere, but especially on stone or wood floor. Not so noise, not agressive like metal plates, just beautiful. But you know that, I guess..

We need pictures.

I have to try this brass thing.

 

[MarcellHUN]

I mentioned in the last entry, that I have a Budapest - almost the same like Fabro (I made the sewing different, not so strudel that his one, and the sole is also different.) I don't want to repeat myself - I simply love it. I wear it with jeans:

A snapshot from the workshop.. I started to make an MTO collection again! It is autumn, so I started to make a balmoral - I have a lot of model, except this.

To make a new model is always a fight - it's something like cooking. You choose the nice ingredients, than realise that even those things were tasty, together gives something uneatable muck. Sometimes you can find a good combination and get a Michelin star..

This is the same with the shoes. Forms, leathers, arches, technologies, sole decoration, sewing, colours, etc.. can make beautiful effects and sometimes ugly results. When my closer finish her work in a pair of new upper, and bring them to me smiling and happy - and I realise, that this is not what I want. It cause can be a small mistake - what a customer would NEVER realise - I do), or just I don't like the style together... So, I have to make her sad, and change something in pattern, technology, colourse, and start it over.. Not so many times happens, but not so rare. I don't know if other workshop has this problem, but we do. I hope this balmoral will satisfy my taste. (second try actually..

) Crimping. My dear friend and collague - Janne Melkerson shown me this technique - we, Hungarian maker use a more ancient (and frankly: not so good) technology, like this. Janne was so kind to show me his method when I visited him (and making a common course with him) in this summer.

And a nice picture from Sweden - go there to holiday, if you can!

Next project: riding boot. And I also plan to make a new video.. Soon coming..

 

[luk-cha]

Originally Posted by MarcellHUN

I mentioned in the last entry, that I have a Budapest - almost the same like Fabro (I made the sewing different, not so strudel that his one, and the sole is also different.) I don't want to repeat myself - I simply love it. I wear it with jeans:

i like the look of these alot great color too!

 

[janne melkersson]

Marcel,
Nice blog you have running! It is always interesting to see the way colleagues make their stuff and I am glad to see you have adopted the crimping method. Tex Robin, a Texas boot maker, show me how to do it. However, the method was in practice in Europe more then hundred years ago and was brought to the US by emigrant makers. I have seen both crimping boards and screws in Swedish museums. Keep up the good work.

The photo from Sweden show our house and barn and behind the tree is my shop!

 

[janne melkersson]

Deborah Carre & James Ducker,
Hi,
it is nice to see fellow makers out here! Both Marcel, you guys and I have had Jessie as a student!
She stayed with me for three weeks and I am happy to say that her teachers before me was very good! She made two pair of boots and she did most all of it all alone. If I remember right these two pair was her second and third pair of welted footwear!




Welcome to Sweden any time.
Janne Melkersson

 

[MarcellHUN]

New entry, new pair..

I already introduced a pair of shoes made of this leather. The leather is tanned with a flower, called mimosa Anyway - even if it's mimosa or not - very sensitive one (so finally it is a good name.

). I introduced some small changes into the technology, which - I hope - makes the quality better. Actually I do it all the time. So now I've found at least 5-6 different ways to build the heel, 6 ways to make the mirror shine, and so on.. Usually I use the last method I "invent". I get a lot of feedbacks on this blog, thus decided: as long as there will be some readers, and can generate some interest, I will keep up with these entries (and as long as I have anything interesting to show you of course). Now about the sole finish: a shoemaker works on the sole for hours (solely

to achieve a perfect shine. Maybe this is the main difference between the handmade bespoke (have you heard that bespoke doesn't mean hand-made anymore?) and mass production. Us shoemakers always start with taking a closer look at the sole of the shoe. Not just because normally we don't personally make the uppers, but the sole is much more telling. Janne called it (if I remember well) "one minute art". Because when you take a pair of beautiful shoes off the shelf and they graze agains the surface for a fraction of a second - that's the moment when the blood runs cold in the veins of the shoemaker on the spot: even this movement can break the sole's beauty. When the customer tries on his new pair of shoes (or sometimes they don't

), and remarks: "They slip a bit, don't they?", then put them on the ground to prove his words...mirror shine over. There are some buddhism in it, no?

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by janne melkersson

The photo from Sweden show our house and barn and behind the tree is my shop!

He is back. Thumbs up

Btw, when do you crimp and what it is good for?

 

[MarcellHUN]

Crimping is for forming the leather for riding boots.

 

[janne melkersson]

Fritzl, thank you for the smiley! Here is a copy from the book "how to make cowboy boots" which illustrate why crimping is needed on boots with tongues. If you not crimp then you have to divide the vamp with a seam somewhere. If not then the tongue will be very low because it is impossible to bend a piece of flat leather to end up with a high tongue. On some jodhpur boots you can see a smal piece of leather which is stitched where the bend up towards the shin starts and all the way up where the top ends. It is done because for some reason the maker didn't want to spend the time it takes to crimp it. Hope this helps.

 

[jimmyshoe]

We call it blocking here at carreducker. And the closer usually does it. If you don't do it, it is almost impossible to last the boots and get them to fit snugly on the vamp and throat.

I am really enjoying this exchange of ideas, information and skills. Thanks guys

 

[jimmyshoe]

Hey Janne, good to hear from you and thanks for the positive feedback about our teaching. This is James Ducker of carreducker. Jesse was a great student, so it was easy to teach her things. She told us that your course was excellent, both in terms of shoemaking and the environment. I must say it looks beautiful

 

[Mildly Consumptive]

These are lovely. I like the way the eyelets are placed to echo the sweep of the broguey seamy part.

 

[J Simulcik]

Originally Posted by Mildly Consumptive

the broguey seamy part.

That's the technical term.

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by janne melkersson

Fritzl,
thank you for the smiley!

You are welcome.

Now, I remember Sator asked me once for a translation of the term "crimping" into German.

Unfortunately, I missed your point of view here. Gan you give your thoughts, please.