My Balmoral Boots

BS, Clifford suggested Springline...I just have to investigate how to properly measure myself in order for Springline to make it and ship it to Clifford. He said he has other client's who give him their own lasts so he's flexible.

If the stars and moon are properly aligned, I might have found an alternative to London Bespoke shoes

I discussed this with Dean Girling about a year ago so that they create my bespoke last and use it for my MTO shoes...but he said no since their production was not set up for this...I could not understand his reasoning since he was vague and I understood it to politely mean if you want a bespoke last, then order bespoke shoes.

Eh... the brouging on the new pair looks a little funky to me. Nice soles tho!

bengal- you never cease to amaze me with your wealth of knowledge

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

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"˜Springline' in Northampton is the only last making firm left in the UK.
They make production lasts for all the Northampton factories.
http://www.springline.net/index.html

They will also make individual bespoke lasts., as well as bespoke shoe trees.
http://www.springline.net/bespoke.htm

They can also supply you one of their (numerous) stock lasts, which you (or someone else) can alter to your requirements.

Also check the catalogue of SpenlÃ

in Germany. They have a huge library of different styles:
http://www.spenle.de/

You would have to clear with Cliff, if he is willing to work with individual (and idiosyncratic) lasts
or if he prefers to work with just two or three last styles he knows well.

It is always good to have your own last on the mantle piece.

wow. thank god i ran into this...does anyone have any COMPLAINTS with the shoes yet? or is this simply as good as it sounds?

The leather quality is excellent. I don't currently have EGs but it compares well with my C&J handgrades.

Originally Posted by AnGeLiCbOrIs

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The leather quality is excellent. I don't currently have EGs but it compares well with my C&J handgrades.
And with this Cliff's future is done.
He will be SF's official shoemaker for the next 10 years at least.
I can imagine all the crazy design flowing from our minds to his mailbox ...

Cliff is a good guy. Utterly committed to doing well by the customer.

Not a criticism, but a consideration: his lasts are a bit "hearty".

Otherwise, an incredible price for a hand-welted shoe in quality leather.

Called Springline, 190 pounds includes VAT for a pair of bespoke lasts. I'm awaiting an e-mail from them with directions on how to measure myself and then snail mail it back to them

They have worked with Clifford in the past....contact person at Springline is Ken

Payment can be check...or for those of us overseas...by bank transfer

Lasts will be ready within 2 weeks from date payment and measurements received.
Clifford can pick them up by person

If I do go this route and opt to order a 2nd pair of shoes from Clifford, it will be interesting to see how well the bespoke lasted shoe fits compared to the first one made on my standard last

Originally Posted by RJman

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Not a criticism, but a consideration: his lasts are a bit "hearty".

what do you mean by hearty?

blobbbbby.... The new chisel last looks better though.

Who is Clifford?

Originally Posted by Michael Ay329

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These are on Yakuza last

I love em.

Suprised, because this last/design is as far from British as you could get.

Originally Posted by dkzzzz

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These are on Yakuza last

I love em.

Suprised, because this last/design is as far from British as you could get.

+1
Beg to differ on the last sentence. It is hard to say what is British these days; so much had been watered down at traditional Brit labels by art directors coming from the land of pasta.
Pasta is great, but Italian design in general seemingly is overtly more preoccupied with creating fashion, rather than preserving a style, it is a hit and miss exercise, at least to my personal taste.
Revenons aux notre chaussures - duck bills were statrted on Apennines, then from the same place came pointed toes (ad extremis). When first saw Church's 108 last, thought this had been forced upon by Prada, gradually began to like it as mildly pointier brother to EG 82, but then came C&J 351 last (mind you a handgrade one), though C&J was not formally part of an 'Italian job'. Pictures are not 'doing it justice' to the latter, as it looks 'blobbier' than in person - Romanesque fashion venom to the Chinese volume onslaught on shoes mass market.
Chiseled last used by artisan known on this forum by his Christian name only as pictured in quote is very similar to what you could get RTW/semi bespoke at Cleverley/ Foster & Son.
Do not feel chiseled last is un-British as you could get.

Pics of the upper and making the insole. The pictures are only used as a rough guide and may not show the true colours and the leather is unpolished.

Originally Posted by Monkey

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Pics of the upper and making the insole. The pictures are only used as a rough guide and may not show the true colours and the leather is unpolished.

More! More!

Is that on the chiseled last?