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ntempleman

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Tbh I don’t think the winning entry scored massively higher than any other on the basis of its design. It was the execution and the difficulty of what was attempted which set it apart. So you could say it was detail, rather than design, which claimed the overall victory. Different categories are something, but there’s just not enough entries to justify doing that as far as I can tell
 

j ingevaldsson

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Next year’s competition will be at Carnegie Hall. The audience will sit in silence as the professional customer slides his foot into each entry, listening intently for the “fffffffttttt” sound as his heel slides into place, followed by the squeals of delight as he laces them up and takes his first few steps into nirvana. Then, and only then, will we crown our champion

@ntempleman :crackup:

Don't forget that melodious creak--AKA the 'Shoemaker's Oboe'--resonating through the Hall when the PC (Professional Customer) takes his first step.

:D

On this subject of competition, I personally believe there should be categories - design, detail or whatever. To judge all shoes and come up with a winner weighted in all the categories is problematic IMHO. The direction the competition has headed (original design, for want of better description) is that not all makers can and will head in this direction, and hence only a few will ever try and put entries to win against these criteria. Look at the winners sole stitching against the third entry, for example - clearly here `design` was weighted more then `detail`. Of course this by itself is not an issue as such, but who enters the competition in the future and the spirit of what they produce to win should be encouraged. I can imagine that quite a few of the participants got discouraged by the focus on design. Its a bit like mixing athletes with fashion entrants - function and form is inherently two different categories IMHO.

As stated in the big review of the contest shoes, the winning shoe actually received slightly lower points on design/aesthetics (for example both second and third placed were given higher in this category, if I remember correctly), so that's not really correct. Like Nicholas says it's the craftsmanship and execution that gave this shoe the first place, like for example the sole edge being made at 25 spi (not the design of it, the difficulty especially). I think the balance between 10 points for difficulty, 10 points for execution and 5 points for design/aesthetics works quite well.
 

DWFII

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I admit I was a little skeptical last year...although I admired the top entries. But this year impressed. And that's as it should be--the competition and the makers evolving and pushing themselves (and each other). And I think the judging criteria is spot-on to to do just that.

The only thing I would add? suggest? is that a 'weight' be added for entries that are single maker. As someone intimately and passionately involved with the Trade for 50 years, that's what impresses me.

And now you have proof that it can be done.
 

Manuel

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Well it`s time for me, spectator shoes................... I also made my belt on colt, ?
1188474
1188475
1188476
1188477
1188478
 

bdavro23

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I found this recording of mine, I had finished this guitar in American walnut and I was very surprised by its sound, although it has many years I want to share it with you. I played very well.



Amazing! Thank you for sharing and the tone is lovely!
 

DWFII

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Hard to tell with the curve on the table


I thought the same thing...then I wondered why in the world a maker would photograph, much less display, his work in such a way. Anyone perceptive enough to make such a shoe, couldn't fail to see how unflattering it makes the shoe look.

On the other hand if the table is, by some trick of the camera, flat, then the maker must have seen the distortion of the bottom.

??
1189867
 

dfagdfsh

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it's definitely the lens -- I doubt the table is so asymmetrical
 

dieworkwear

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it's definitely the lens -- I doubt the table is so asymmetrical

i think it's a stool and the curve is for the booty

i've been thinking about rocky cleverley shoes and twisted lasts so prob seeing weird uneven shapes where there aren't any.
 

DWFII

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i've been thinking about rocky cleverley shoes and twisted lasts so prob seeing weird uneven shapes where there aren't any.

Hard to tell--in the photo the shoe is not sitting at/on the treadline and there's a terrible gap under the breast of the heel. The only 'benign' explanation is that the stool is curved.
 

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