hungarian shoemaker

Here is some links to Mr Marcel Szabo, a Hungarian shoemaker. As always, it is very interesting to see a fellow maker in action. http://eastlink.hu/koronya/Kollekcio.html

Cool videos. Janne, would you consider the techniques in the videos to be very similar to those you use yourself? Are there differences?

Grimslade,
Glad you liked the videos!

I was kind of surprised how similar his technique is to mine. I guess that it is because my master is from the south of Germany and I believe they make shoes pretty much the same way as in Hungary.

The only difference I could see was the way he sharpened the knife! Sharpening knives is one of the most difficult thing to learn as an apprentice, or at least it was for me, I have never seen it done this way before. As shown on the video his method works fine.

I suppose, there is a third part still to come. He hasn’t even yet begun to attach the soles.

The one thing, I found surprising, he made his shoes over a commercial last (moulded in plastic) without any modifications or adjustments
(as far as I could see). Maybe the shoes are not bespoke, but a traditionally, hand-made range of RTW (rather like St Crispin's).

Where is he based, in Budapest or in the Provinces? Couldn’t find that on the web-site.

he is located in Budapest but also in Liszt Ferenc Ter where clients can buy RTW shoes.

Dear All,

First thanks Janne to put my videos link here!

I am glad to answer your question about handmade bespoke men shoes.

bengal-stripe: you are right, I work sometimes on pleastic, because it is much more durable than the tree ones. Tha fact that you don't see modifications, doesn't mean that they don't exist - if one customer order more shoes, I can get manufactured his own last for his size. The last factory can arrange staly, heel-height, width, etc. It takes approx 2 weeks.

Originally Posted by janne melkersson

Click to expand...

Grimslade,
Glad you liked the videos!

I was kind of surprised how similar his technique is to mine. I guess that it is because my master is from the south of Germany and I believe they make shoes pretty much the same way as in Hungary.

The only difference I could see was the way he sharpened the knife! Sharpening knives is one of the most difficult thing to learn as an apprentice, or at least it was for me, I have never seen it done this way before. As shown on the video his method works fine.

Janne, who was your master ?

These videos are excellent! I wish we had one of your typical factory-made British or Italian shoe so the members could see just how vastly different and more intensive this handmade process is.

Part 3 is up now:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=c13m_kEll...elated&search=

it shows stitching the welt. Interesting, Marcel uses a 360 degree welt, not (heel) 'breast to breast'.

There probably are two more parts to come: showing sole attachment and finishing: wheeling the welt and cutting, shaping, dying of sole edge and heel.

Hello Marcel,
these are great videos. How long does it take you to make a pair of shoes?

From the summary of video 1:

The first steps of making a real handmade shoe (goodyear method) (more)

Click to expand...

Perhaps you're short-selling yourself a little. I thought the Goodyear welts were done with a machine and not by hand as your shoes are?

Best regards

Wonderful videos! How much do these shoes retail for?

All, FYI "szabo" is Hungarian for "tailor." Just a funny coincidence, it's a really common name.

Originally Posted by janne melkersson

Click to expand...

he is located in Budapest but also in Liszt Ferenc Ter where clients can buy RTW shoes.
Wait, really?

Originally Posted by MarcellHUN

Click to expand...

Dear All,

First thanks Janne to put my videos link here!

I am glad to answer your question about handmade bespoke men shoes.

bengal-stripe: you are right, I work sometimes on pleastic, because it is much more durable than the tree ones. Tha fact that you don't see modifications, doesn't mean that they don't exist - if one customer order more shoes, I can get manufactured his own last for his size. The last factory can arrange staly, heel-height, width, etc. It takes approx 2 weeks.

Marcel, I'm on my way out to Liszt Ferenc in an hour or so. I'll try to stop in.

Szia
Tom

le.gentleman
My main master was Herr Hubert Etwein auf Rotweil, Germany. He was the master of an private orthopeadic shop in Sweden which held a three years apprenticeship. Herr Etwein taught us about the foot and the lastmaking and we had another master, Herr Janis Snoj Slovenia, who taught us about the making.

Marcel,
You are welcome!

Thank you for your interest and questions!

I try to answer for all of your questions.

I don't use machines - you will see this from the next two parts (I plan to show later some other technologies too). I wouldn't dare to call my shoes "handmade" if I wouldn't make all steps by hand. You can buy excellent machine-made shoes (even with a hand-made sign on its sole ), but you can't compare them with a real hand-made one.

A handmade shoe takes 3-4 days to finish and 10 more stay on the last. It suppose to keep the form for 20 years. (the machine-made shoes process' is 3-4 hours, maybe 1 day)

I am not staying on Liszt Ferenc ter, so you don't need to go there, but you can contact me on my mail to have a shoe from me.

The bespoke shoe price moves in wide range: it starts from 1000 USD* (Actualised to the actual price- 03.10.2007)

Please feel free to ask, if you want to know more about these shoes. I am making new videos soon - the next one will come in this weekend.

marcel great shoes! do you have a lookbook anywhere of finished designs?