A visit to Gaziano and Girling

[Cuttingboard]

Wonderful thread, thanks!

 

[unbelragazzo]

Btw AS is not unique in having a steam room for the uppers before they're lasted. I have photos of the one at Trickers. I think I remember seeing it at C&J as well.

 

[in stitches]



Btw AS is not unique in having a steam room for the uppers before they're lasted. I have photos of the one at Trickers. I think I remember seeing it at C&J as well.

you sure do get around, mang!

 

[MalfordOfLondon]

Thanks for taking the time to post this. Very interesting.

 

[dddrees]

Great read and excellent pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Son Of Saphir]



When leather gets lasted it is 'mellow', the shoe upper has additional moisture and/or heat applied to make the leather more pliable and less prone to tears.

Some (hand) shoemakers do work extremely wet, others less so. In a factory the upper gets conditioned through a short stay in a steam oven. Alfred Sargent might be unique among Northampton firms, having a 'conditioning room' where the finished uppers are kept for days or week at the right temperature/humidity until they get lasted.

If I recall Tony correctly, it was about the process of lasting: with a wooden last, you had more freedom to set the right level of moisture for a particular leather before problems with condensation occurred. It was also about drying down from mellow to normal conditions (just like preferring a wooden tree as opposed to a plastic one to put into a pair of wet shoes). Wood (by it's porous nature) works with the drying process, plastic does not.

I believe that was the gist of the conversation and why Tony (back then) extolled the virtues of wooden lasts in top shoemaking.

Yes,
and me think it last better to shape of wood last more accurate (me think).
Me think John Lobb Paris use plastic for bespoke but change back to wood,
true?

 

[chogall]

Yes,
and me think it last better to shape of wood last more accurate (me think).
Me think John Lobb Paris use plastic for bespoke but change back to wood,
true?

Not true. JLP uses plastic upper fitting shoes. They have a wood last carving machine controlled by CAD to make approximate lasts before making refined adjustments. I was told that the machine is pretty complicated to use and the result is often needed to be refined by traditional lastmakers.

 

[Son Of Saphir]



Not true.  JLP uses plastic upper fitting shoes.  They have a wood last carving machine controlled by CAD to make approximate lasts before making refined adjustments.  I was told that the machine is pretty complicated to use and the result is often needed to be refined by traditional lastmakers.

Which part not true?
They use wood last yes?
Me say not any thing about plastic shoe,
me only say they try plastic last once and move to wood again,
that story a man told me,
it true?

 

[clee1982]

CNC came out inconsistent? Maybe they should buy better machine, make better CAD file or 3D print. I wonder how much technology innovation has people even tried in shoe making (the luxury end, not the 10 millions pair side)

 

[bengal-stripe]



Which part not true?
They use wood last yes?

Here is a visit to John Lobb’s Paris workshop. Yes they do use wooden lasts:

http://www.high-toned.fr/en/2013/04/john-lobb-bespoke-in-paris/

According to Dimitri Gomez, those who use plastic (resin) lasts cannot be called “shoemakers”

FTDF : Que pensez-vous des bottiers qui réalisent des souliers à partir de formes en résine et non en bois ?

Dimitri Gomez : Je ne pense pas qu’ils puissent être appelés « bottiers ». N’est bottier que celui qui sculpte une pièce de bois et qui réalise ses formes. La résine, c’est pour les souliers industriels.
Ceux qui se disent "bottier" et qui travaillent avec des formes en résine, c’est ceux qui ont un peu de connaissance dans la chaussure et qui surfent sur la mode du « sur-mesure ». Mais le bottier traditionnel ne travaille qu’avec des formes en bois qu’il fait lui-même, car il est impossible de monter la chaussure sur une forme en résine.

Google translation:

FTDF : What do you think of shoemakers who make shoes from shapes resin and not wood?

Dimitri Gomez : I do not think they can be called "shoemakers." Is stacked than carving a piece of wood and achieves its forms. The resin is for industrial shoes.
Those who say "stacked" and working with shapes resin is those who have a little knowledge in the shoe and surf fashion of "custom." But the traditional shoemaker works only with wooden shapes he makes himself, because it is impossible to mount on boot-shaped resin.

http://forthediscerningfew.com/2011/02/01/interview-exclusive-de-dimitri-gomez/

Nevertheless it appears that virtually all Italian shoemakers (even small artisan ones) use plastic (resin).

But the initial issue was not wooden lasts for bespoke, but wood or plastic for industrial production. (BTW John Lobb, Northampton uses plastic.)

 

[Son Of Saphir]



Here is a visit to John Lobb’s Paris workshop.
http://www.high-toned.fr/en/2013/04/john-lobb-bespoke-in-paris/

The shoe is very very good in pictures.
It almost $9,000 for calf.

According to Dimitri Gomez, those who use plastic (resin) lasts cannot be called “shoemakers”

Very very interesting thing he say.

Nevertheless it appears that virtually all Italian shoemakers (even small artisan ones) use plastic (resin).

Very very interesting here.
Me wonder if Lattanzi do it with plastic?

(BTW John Lobb, Northampton uses plastic.)

John Lobb bespoke London?

 

[bengal-stripe]



John Lobb bespoke London?

Goodness, John Lobb (London) has more wood than a Ron Jeremy movie.

 

[SuitedDx]



Goodness, John Lobb (London) has more wood than a Ron Jeremy movie.

Bengal, it's comments like this (and of couse your extremely educational ones) that make me enjoy reading your responses.

 

[Manton]

Did he take you to Springline?

 

[Son Of Saphir]



Goodness, John Lobb (London) has more wood than a Ron Jeremy movie.

Silly me.
Me see JLL pic many time and me ask dumb queston.
Me not think very good when me post it.
Brain go to sleep all day long.

Me wake it up now.