i was concerned about bots but that may only be for email links, i'm happy to share the love, i'll change it pronto. also must thankyou for you RM.W guide you posted on AAAC and SF
the most interesting thing was how he explained that the lasts these days (exclusion of RM.W) are desinged more for the machiens that produce them rather than the foot that wears them. thus ,manny fit and health problems arise. also the grades of plastic used for lasts, most shoemakers dont want to touch plastic because it shatters when the last is taken off the shoe, his plastic was developed by himself and is far surperior in durability and strength.
shoeman, are you following the cilff thread on style forum?

Last edited by wrigglez (2010-01-20 05:24:43)

l saw a shoemaker today. He had lots of rtw spectator shoos and had an old pair of cowboy boots completely handmade by the shoemakers late father (forgot my freaken camera).

The shoes range from glued soles to blake to blake-rapid constructions. They seem to sell a good decent midend shoe made from good (not great) cow leather as their best shoe. The stitching around the periphery of the sole (rapid stitching) is very wide apart. No true goodyear welted shoes (no gemming), the welt is really randing that has been stitched to the mid/outsoles.

l asked him about making me a handmade shoe in the Vass tradition. He said he has never been asked to make  a handmade shoe made before, but said he could do it if he had ALOT of time. He said his father could have made a completely handmade shoe easily, but he is no longer around. The bloke is going to speak to his older collegue and see what he thinks about it. l'll report back more soon.

Overseas shoemakers = fast handwelters and experienced (hopefully good value)
Australian shoemakers (generally) = slow handwelters, inexperienced in making a traditional handmade shoe, not easy access to the finest leathers (probably bad value for money)

l've still got a bunch of cordwainers to see. Eventhough the shoo scene looks really grim, l still hold hope that some old guy still has experience is making a traditional shoe. l want someone old, all the new comers (college educated shoo makers) aren't fussed with old world traditions, none of them have even been able to show me a handwelted shoo that they have made. Hopefully the Shed-man (John) comes up with the goods.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-01-21 00:16:13)

i dont surpose the shoe maker you saw was camron wooten from Doc Cobler was it?

i spoke to jess, i while ago, no hand welting or goodyear welting, funny that its like a 30 min drive from my place. his father was aparently quite good. its not their fault there not making a fully handmade shoe from good leather. like you said most aussies couldnt care less about shoes. Jess also sources his bespoke lasts from Bruce. BTW bruce was a welth of information about hidden makers (because most come to him for lasts, but i couldnt remember any of them. i'd be interested to see andrew macdonald if i was ever in sydney, his RTW stuff isn't at all to my tastes but he does souce materials from europe and such, and can make a hand welted shoes i think. did you ask what jess was quoting for shoes? i may get a pair form there in the future

Last edited by wrigglez (2010-01-21 01:03:27)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-01-22 08:23:27)

There is also a lady Johanna Preston who learnt as a child to stitch shoes by hand (according to Giovacchina). She is quite known in Melbourne and designs and makes glued soled shoes by the looks of it. l'll have to pay her a visit, who knows....she might even do some handwelting work occasionally.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-01-21 23:10:32)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-01-22 06:08:02)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2010-01-22 10:00:31)

you may have found your maker then, he's right in saying blake rapid is very strong in construction, and its more of an italian construction than the handwelted british/german construction.

Shooey all good news. I have used a tailor in Sydney called Mario at Newtown who has a similar type of shop and the guy is a similar age. Does his offsider look like he could do the same work as the old Italian guy?