New Shoe Making Course in NY

Most probably in April 2010. More info comes soon. Stay tuned!

How Can You Be a Master Shoemaker? The Master Exam

In the good old days (before) 1871, guilds had the right to select someone to be a master. Actually only a master had some special right, like teach students (free work for 3 years! ), have an independent workshop (makin’ good money), and so on… But that was expensive. Not just make a 3 years trip all around Europe, work for practically nothing, no visiting home, family, friends, but as a young master you had to invite the whole guild for a dinner – sometimes that expensive dinner was the barrier, so some poor guys worked for someone else in their whole life.

Being a “student” , or they should better call it: slave – wasn’t fun. From the 3 years they spent usually with their master, 2 years was spent with cleaning horses, making the agricultural work, and do whatever, whoever commanded from the workshop, and the master was just one of them. These guys had to do exactly, what the regular worker said to them. After this really humiliating period they started to work in the workshop. They didn’t needed to wake up at 4am (5 am was fine ), and they learnt the craft – what they were there for.

in 1872 guild has left off, and the education system started to change – masters became responsible for that. Frankly: they made  a quite bad job. Not just because “students” (again, better to use the word: slave) had to sleep in the workshop, sometimes 2 in a small bed, they get hurt almost every day, and only after 2 years they started to handle them as humans. They were not allowed to associate with other non-student workers (just like those guys were not allowed to do that too). The end of the 1800’s the education system changed, they reorganise the whole stuff – basically this what we still use (maybe with a bit more computers).

How is the Master Exam Now?

I can just speak for Hungary – almost nothing, anymore, as there are no craftsmen, only brokers, managers, bankers, sales agents.. etc. For those who still want to pass a master exam, this is the procedure:

1. They have to wit until the Trade Chamber announce a master exam in their craft.
2. Enter the exam with a huge amount of money (cheaper than in Europe, but big enough here)
3. Pass the exams – theory and practice

Theory:

pedagogy: as a master you have to (or at least you can) teach. You have to prove that you are able

economy, tax, marketing etc: you can make your own company, specialized to your crafts (actually – you can make you own company, specialized to your craft even without it.. hmm), so you should learn about the RULES and LAWS.

professional stuff: there are ore exams about it: written, oral. None of them is easy – actually easier to fail, than pass. 50-70% of the guys fail this one. You can’t just pass this exam, as they are no marks, you have to pass with a 80-90% result.

Practice:

Making a half pair: you have 8 hours to make a half pair – matching EXACTLY the one you brought there, front of the jury. You get points: 100 all together, but you have to get at least 75 (and they are not easy guys). All the details worth some points – and taking the fact, that you make everything in 8 hours, so you have to work with wet materials, this is not easy at all. 8 hours is just enough to finish a half pair, and I can tell you something: this is an old rule. They just don’t care, that you have to wait 20 minutes for all the layers you apply glue on. This was different in the old times – we work with the same methods, just wait 4-5 times 20 minutes.

After making this procedure, you are a master.

A Toolkit.. Not a Basic One

Here is a small collection, what I use for making a pair of English welted shoe.

And the result:

And the good news: I work on some new films.

Simple is Nice

12 spi (stitch per inch) – that’s what you don’t want to do with double sole, believe me. But what should I do, if I have an order for it? So I did it. Only the stitching was one whole day, I had to use a special awl, as the usual would have been too wide. Many technical details… but finally here is the result: the black beauty from the workbench. Simple and nice.

Cold Days, Warm Shoes

Here is an old customer’s order, and the first step of making a pair of shoes. Personally I thought that the upper pattern for a chukka boot seemed easy, but it is really not. There are plenty of small details, which can make your life miserable. You make a perfect pair, then you realize the the wind can easily blow through the sides of the laces. Oh yes, it happened the first time (years ago) when I made a chukka for myself. Since then, I always make a pair for test from any new idea. (Which means: many shoes go into my own wardrobe. But someone has to get this job done too, no? ).

The big difference – take notes aspiring colleagues! – the overlapping between the laces and the tongue. It is not just big, but enormous, compared to a normal derby. On the other hand, the “instep” size is also important. Chukka is casual, if you make the instep small, the customer won’t be able to wear it casually. It will more look than an orphan shoe. (so make sure you measure the instep, divide by two, and measure it from heel to laces – than you can go and carry on with you own style – open laces, close laces, loose fit, tight fit – whatever you want.)

Anyway, the first step is the “pullover” as we call it. It shows all the problems. The first one you will recognize, the chukka design simple, but definitely not symmetric. Again: NOT SYMMETRIC. You can try to make it like that, but you will have a hard time to last. That being said, let me correct myself: on most of the modern form last it is not symmetric – you can find old, symmetric ones. Those didn’t have elongated toes and deep shanks.

Ok let’s check the other details!

1. Opening. Please, allow your customer just jump in to this shoe! He doesn’t want to use a shoe horn for a chukka! (who the hell would?). So make sure you set the opening deep enough!

2. Lasting allowance. Oh yes. I set a quite big one on it, didn’t I? First: this is a pullover from a stretchy material (the final one will be made from French boxcalf). Second: why not? This is the phase for design. You can change whatever you want, then modify the meanform – that’s what I did.

3. Proportion – this is the tricky part for many of my new colleagues. Don’t worry about rules! They are old, and aren’t meant for new lasts. I give you 3 new rules, on how to create perfect proportions: try, try and try.

4. Backseam. This must be made the most accurate way. You can imagine, as the backseam of the lining and the thick upper leather comes to the same place. For sure there are some tricks. (That I will talk maybe later.)

and…

5. Finally: find a nice style for your shoes! Designers only worry about the upper, but a shoemaker must take care ALL the details, like sole, heel, finish, etc. I would suggest to make a double – or at least a half-double – sole, and minimum 4 sole-attaching technique but not English welt. (You can see English welted chukkas in stores. The reason is because most of the factories have machines that can produce that solely, so they use it for everything. Like a chef, who has tons of mashed potatoes, and use it for everything – familiar? )

Bespoke Boom

I found this The Independent article very interesting. Maybe I should focus on High Heels only? Hmm.. (No. I won’t. But I will definately make some.)

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/bespoke-boom-demand-surges-for-handmade-shoes-1816857.html

Comprehensive Toolkit for Beginner Shoemakers (updated with pics)

Well, I got mails every week – minimum 1-2 that those uprising shoemaker collagues are searching for tools to start the craft. You can also search ebay to find the right ones, but I never seen a really good combination of tools, what would be good to start practicing this art. So I have put some of the most essential tools I always use while working into one kit. I think it is useful for everyone, whether you are working in this trade for only 1 month or 10 years.

The starting kit contains:

1. 1 curved knife
2. 1 straight knife
3. 1 narrow skiving knife
4. 1 rounded head hammer
5. 1  feather knife
6. 1 channel knife
7. 1 edge cutter
8. 1 awl
9. 1 shoemaker’s rasp

UPDATE!!:

Since you have been asking for prices, I think the easiest way is to post it here, after all. So the price of the toolkit is 620 USD (+delivery +applicable taxes).

All of the tools are hand forged, custom made and extremely sharp (yeeaah). Of course if you are lucky, you can get tools from your local supplier, but their price is not necessarily much cheaper and not to mention the quality issue of machine made tools.

So send me a mail if anyone is interested. I have only 2 kits on stock.

Contact me about the details: info@koronya.com

Update in 5 in 1

This is a courtesy picture from Craig Corvin, Seattle, explaining EVERYTHING.

If the Sole trimmer and sole cutter is a different function, then I can say there are some other new functions, such as: “heel toplift cutter”, “heel toplift trimmer”… etc. Never mind. At the end of the day, I have only one.

112.345 in 1!

My New Baby: a 5 in 1

Still not assembled on any table, but in a very good condition. (someone know, where the hell is the 4th and the 5th function? ). A manual would be more than welcome.

Sleek and Rounded

Here is my new last model. As it got some nice feedbacks in various forums, I will consider putting it to the MTO series. Now all I need is a number or name…