Hey shooey those are true classics. I used to like exclusively chisel lasts but those fat bastards are really growing on me. I don't own any Vass even though their construction make them about the finest RTW shoe available across the globe and that at reasonable costs. They are a properly made shoe that will withstand the test of time. The thing thta has kept me away from vass is the sizing variance. I simply hate thick socks because I am always running hot no matter the weather so can't use that as a fudge factor.

Anyways lets try to set some consistent definitions for shoe components because I sometimes get confused even when knowledgeable people talk about shoes but use local terms.

When you talk about feather above I suspect you are talking about the "holdfast". which is a wall of leather that runs around the perimeter of the inner sole created by carving out trenches on both sides. This term dates back to some very old texts on shoe making. Sometimes the outer trench was called the feather edge or just feather because it made that outer edge of the inner sole very thin just like the edge of a birds feather. But there is a clear difference in term usage between feather and holdfast. In goodyear shoes the holdfast is replaced by the canvass/linen strip glued to a thinner inner sole (sometimes that inner sole isn't even leather but fiber board, also known as "NONSENSE"), So that gemming replaces the holdfast but you can still refer to the edge of the sole as the feather.

As to the SPI when inseaming (Holdfast to upper to welt strip) it can depend on the grade of leather used. This will range from 3 to 5 where 3 is very typical. I use 5 to 6 but only because I am using Baker shoulder inner soles which are quite thick. There would be risks of pull through with lesser grades of leather and in that case 3 would be perfectly fine.  Determining the ideal spi would require lots laboratory testing and would vary from sample to sample even within the same supplier. When I inseam I really bury the stitch so that it is not very far from the grain side (where your feet touch) because I want lots of meat where the greatest stress is . I know that many makers would frown on that and prefer very shallow stitches wider apart. I like deep and close and when I channel the inner sole to make the holdfact I use a U chisel so that there is no focused stress point-allows the stress to diffuse more. I have seen many cut very sharp angles here. In fact some makers do not even cut a channel which is probably the best but makes tight blind welts impossible. Another tradeoff.

More to come

Hot damn!  Nice collection!

Last edited by The_Shooman (2014-05-10 19:48:31)

Shooey why doesn,t DW like you?

Anyways you're right about gemming failure. It's specifically worse with prolonged heat and acidic moisture. I had some churches many moons ago with pretty bad failure after 3 years because I perspire a lot and always hot. Those same conditions will cause some pretty bad corrosion of the nails in the heel and the steel shank. That's why I think it's also a really bad idea to use corrosion prone metals in a quality shoe. In my shoes I use live oak for the shanks and 316L stainless nails or brass nails.  Of course none of this matters for those with bone dry feet. My father had the same model churches for 15 years without failure. But still bespoke makers in particular should never use common steel nails or shanks as the rust will eventually destroy the adjacent leather.

The last one I like very much. Very nice as you say probably the best RTW mens shoe ever!

Last edited by The_Shooman (2014-05-11 16:10:46)

Last edited by The_Shooman (2014-05-12 17:40:30)