Traditional skills is something that I became interested in after leaving the armed forces, I could have remained forever in the mechanical paradigm until retirement, but I really wanted to do something really different, something more satisfying than simply changing engine oil, changing spark plugs and fitting tyres for the rest of my career, and one of these sparks was ignited after coming across a seventh generation shoe maker who is still plying his trade in one of our local towns here in Yorkshire, here is my journey.
It began way back in 2007 and lasted for many years, all within a well kept but oldy worldy workshop, On walking through the front door for the first time I was greeted with wonderful smell of leather and unusual but interesting machines of every kind, sights and sounds from yesteryear; In every corner was something old but still use use, there were benches full of hand tools no longer available from the Victorian era, footware in many different stages of manufacture donned the shelves, the whole place had an ambience of things well made.
My first port of call there was to inquire if they were still making tradition clogs, which they were, I asked how much he was making them for and before he gave me an answer he said he was very busy and I would have to wait quite a while for a pair, then he said, judging by some of the things that I took with me, things I had made and showed him he answers, would I like to have a go at making some myrself.
It did not take me long to answer and within an hour I was well into the row upon row of patterns boxes hunting out the drawings and soon began a whole new way of making things, and a way of life that could now produce things not only of practicality, but in the price region that my furture purse simply would not be able to afford.
Within the first hour I drifted off into another world, shortly after I was taught how to chose the best positions to place the pieces for the best durability and grain pattern on the leather, then followed the cutting out or clicking out as its called and soon the many shapes of the upper or Vamp came into view. Once this was done I was thrust head and hands into using a 1920's Singer patcher sewing machine, and after a few more Saturday's here is what I had managed to achieve, and I can tell you I was all smiles, a little sore in the fingers using muscles I had never used before, but still managed to lace up my very first pair of hay down treaders.
As the years past by I was shown how to do many different things in this long lost paradigm like learning how to make my own handmade threads for securing the soles to the uppers, these are made by gathering several strands of natural flax cord together at the required length then twisting them together before waxing them with homemade cobblers wax to lock in the twists, the black stick wax is made from a 50-50 mix of Stockholm Tar and Beeswax, then finally fitting two wild bore whiskers to act as needles, the whiskers are really good at bending around tight corners where a metal counterpart would be of no use.
Below is a few of the things that I learned to accomplish over the six worderful years nearly every Saturday I was under his wing, to which I am totally endebted to this worderful craftsman.
A pair of Roman style sandles, made to the exact pattern from original finds at York, the upper is a single piece of leather which is hand sewn using the traditional waxed twins as they are called, sewn onto a thick leather sole and then an outer or bottom sole of natural crepe rubber sole is glued so they have a better grip and do not wear down as quickly.
Next is a pair of lamb skin slippers made to a Nordic house shoe design, the sole is of 7.00mm thick full grain, Oak bark tanned hide, again the upper is a sigle piece sewn on in the traitional method using handmade cords or thread.
As I proved my ability and made each item I was given further tasks to complete, and to my delight unknow to me this was to last for many years to come, until I had mastered many of the techniques needed for the more complicated types of footware that were to follow.
Here is another pair of boots I made for my wife during my training period, they comprise a set of Brouges in the style of and what they class as Jodphurs, they have a full calf leather lining and Vibram mono block soles, they have been worn for walking in the foothills of the Lake District to a night out with freinds.
Another pair of ladies boots in the style of a well known sheepskin manufacture, they are lamb skin lined and have an extra layer of full grain leather over the inner woolen skin, made for the more extreme weather conditions and winter, the soles are a double layer of what is trmed as sole bend which is very thick Oak Tanned Leather with and outer layer of natural crepe rubber, these are still going strong after five winters and should last another five at least, here is where quality holds its own.
Above is a pair of ankle type dress boots I made for myself after my initial training period was over, they are leather lined as most of the styles I have made and have a rubber Dianite sole made in England, these are one of the most comfortable pair I have and get used a lot for knocking about town. The uppers are sewn again by hand and are of the Veldtschoen construction which is a technique first used in Scandinavia.
The last two items in this story were made at the same time, one is a pair of country brogues and the other a pair of mountaineering sandles, both have Itshide Commando soles for grip and strength and full grain leather uppers. These are only a few of what I have made over the years, but a journey I still enjoy immensely, and if your reading this Dan, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you shared with me, and many thanks to those here reading my journey, and lastly, if anyone might be interested in learning something new all you need to do is ask, and a new journey can begin as it is supposed to, by helping those who want to help themselves.
Thanks for looking.