Shooey, you earlier talked about learning to do this yourself. I think that is laudable, because the knowledge must be retained so we don't have a "dark age". You should learn the important knowledge, but I bet you are probably too old to spend the next 20 years practicing to become really good. But if you can learn the knowledge, you can pass it on to a future generation of youngsters who want to learn and have the years ahead of them to practice to make perfect. So you will probably never become reallly really good, but you can at least do civilization the good service of keeping the knowledge in existence so that you can someday teach someone else who will become good. If you don't, becuase you will never have the time to become good, no one else will and the knowledgge will die out with these old men (in as you say, about 5-10 years). Then it will be irretrievably lost and the next generation will never have a chance to learn it and become good. I think if you are serious about all this, you should think of your role as a "keeper of the flame" to pass from the old generation to the next generation after you.

Those who are faimiliar with the novel "Canticle for Leibovitz" will see what I mean. After a nuclear war, the monasteries keep old documents and information from the advanced civilization that just was destroyed. The monks don't know what the docuemtns mean, or how to use the knowledge contained in them, but they keep them because they know someday in the future another generation will be able to use that knowledge.

I see that role as yours, Shooey.

shooman - just came across this forum tonight.

I used to have boots made at Gertrude street years ago. Everybody did- my wife had a pair too. I had a pair of calf high motorbike boots with a zip and press studs flap up the sides. I think I gave them away a few years back.

I also have a pair of boots I had made a few years back by the guy in Smith Street. Forget the name now but I was there the other day and dropped in  - they no longer make shoes and only do repairs. Funnily I was wearing the boots I had made there - but the "young" guy - the son I suppose - didn't seem too interested
in them at all.

There was a fellow down in Toorak Road, where Camberwell Road meets it, who made a wide selection of shoes - but I heard he closed up recently and retired.

My cobbler guy says he charges $800 for making pair of shoes. I haven't talked to him about any details but I assume he doesn't do it all the traditional way.

I just got my only two pairs of RMs out of the cupboard the other day - I never wear them - cuban heels. The last (and first for years) time I wore the black chisel toes was to a a Kinky Friedman and Billy Joe Shaver concert a few years back. I figured out the boots must be around 30 years old.

I used to wear RMs on the farm and truck driving when I was but a mere yoof.

Great to read your enthusiasms about shoe craft - keep up the good work.

Last edited by wrigglez (2010-03-24 00:33:54)

initialy i did say no plates but when i talked to cliff he wanted plates so i emailed bruce back and said i wanted plated, he said ok.
i didnt have the measurments done with the 3d scanner, i had my foot traced and tape measured and he adapted the b549 last by adding to the outsude (smallest toe knuckle) and reduced the inside (big toe knuckle) width. truth be told i'm very happy with the result, like anything bespoke its a gradual process that you adapt and evolve. the plates are no problem for me, only for cliff but i'm sure hes capable of dealing with no heel plates.

edit: the heel plates are only to aid in the construction by stopping rouge nails coming through the insole and into your foot. the sole of the last is very shapely, much arch support ect of the old style no straight vamp, its angled =.

Last edited by wrigglez (2010-03-24 03:06:29)

so after posting the lasts they came to about $350-60.not too bad. if you wanted to get in touch with bruce i would suggest calling as email is a little touch and go i found.

Well, I’m different like that, I love quality and the idea that people with uncommon skills have worked to produce something that they are proud of. Eg, from styleforum I had the member 'unlucky' make be a beautiful leather shoulder bag for university. I love it, it will last me a very long time and if a part fails, I can go to my local saddle maker and have a rivet or what ever replaced, it’s not a disposable item. Like shoes, like clothes, if you have an item that is well made it should last and more likely look better. It’s not a quest to find compliments from others, although, with the bag and the clothes I have had made by thick as thieves I have been very well complimented, it wouldn’t bother me if people never mentioned it because it ultimately, these items are for my own pleasure. I have become quite a snob (although I wont pick people out and comment) in my head as it pains me to see people saying look at my Hugo boss shoes, made of poor leather, rubber sole and glue. I wouldn’t say anything and if they are happy with it then I am happy for them, but I know that there are better options. Like anything marketing needs an angle to sell their product, bespoke/handmade/mtm being the product they use ideas such as traditional, craftsmanship ect these ideas appeal to me and my hope is that future generations have the benefit of having these services available. I generally have a good sense about will look good, so if I have an idea in my head I can have it made. So basically, I chose to have a last made because (a) I’m not sure how long last making will be around in Australia, (b) I love craftsmanship and leather work, (c) I’m rather old fashion, and (d) it is an uncommon route, how many people my age, or even anyone in my country has shoes made from a bespoke last that fit perfectly, look amazing will last many years, and give their owner so much joy. also because peopel seem to only come to this conclusion when they have a wardrobe full of sub satndard garments, i would like to satrt with very nice things and build a collection over my life time.

Last edited by wrigglez (2010-03-28 21:40:51)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-03-31 23:45:13)

These posts are great Shooey.....I am at home now at Easter and enjoying them.

Last edited by meister (2010-04-03 01:33:49)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-04-05 01:27:53)

^^ i think i'll be having my trees made by Springline.

there 30 pounds from springline, i've tried to get on to bruce about them 3 times, all no replys.