Make Your Own Shoes

Shank    This is the arch support. It is a piece of metal about five inches long (with a larger-sized shoe this may vary). It is curved to conform to the arch (inside the shoe). You can buy shanks at a shoe findings company, or recycle them from old shoes — but if you can't find them, you can make them! I have done this. I took a wire hanger, cut it, folded the wire into a "hairpin" shape about 5 inches long, and bent it to fit the arch.

Padding    You will need little pieces of padding to put on the bottom of the shoe before attaching the sole. I have used old blankets or other heavy wool. Wash it in hot water to shrink it for a better padding.

Counters    This is the hard part of the shoe just above the heel. Counters are usually made from a composition cardboard. (Never use the leather ones!) If you can't find counters (such as at a shoe findings company), you can make them from my pattern in the book. I like to make my own with fabric stiffener and buckram.

Leather for the Soles    I use tooling leather for the soles. I get my tooling leather at Tandy's Leather Company. They have a lot of small stores around the USA, but they are also on the Internet. However, any place that sells leather for tooling (you know, cowboy belts, bags, etc.) will have this leather. It is sold in several weights (thicknesses). I recommend a leather about 1/8 inch thick. It is easy to cut with a pair of leather scissors, which you can buy at the same store. You can also get a skiving knife there for thinning off the leather that goes down the inside of the heel.

Cement    Barge Cement has been used forever in the industry for cementing shoes. It is waterproof and pliable, and I call it "one-chance cement" as it is impossible to pull apart once you have joined two parts. It smells bad and I always use ventilation when I am using it. Tandy has their own brand and I have used that too (it is just as good as Barge).

Heel Tips    I take my shoes to my shoe repairman to have the tips put on the heels. I do my own if the tip of the heel is larger and there is a sizable area to cement a piece of tougher leather onto the heel.

		MATERIALS USED IN SHOEMAKING (Continued) Shank This is the arch support. It is a piece of metal about five inches long (with a larger-sized shoe this may vary). It is curved to conform to the arch (inside the shoe). You can buy shanks at a shoe findings company, or recycle them from old shoes — but if you can't find them, you can make them! I have done this. I took a wire hanger, cut it, folded the wire into a "hairpin" shape about 5 inches long, and bent it to fit the arch. Padding You will need little pieces of padding to put on the bottom of the shoe before attaching the sole. I have used old blankets or other heavy wool. Wash it in hot water to shrink it for a better padding. Counters This is the hard part of the shoe just above the heel. Counters are usually made from a composition cardboard. (Never use the leather ones!) If you can't find counters (such as at a shoe findings company), you can make them from my pattern in the book. I like to make my own with fabric stiffener and buckram. Leather for the Soles I use tooling leather for the soles. I get my tooling leather at Tandy's Leather Company. They have a lot of small stores around the USA, but they are also on the Internet. However, any place that sells leather for tooling (you know, cowboy belts, bags, etc.) will have this leather. It is sold in several weights (thicknesses). I recommend a leather about 1/8 inch thick. It is easy to cut with a pair of leather scissors, which you can buy at the same store. You can also get a skiving knife there for thinning off the leather that goes down the inside of the heel. Cement Barge Cement has been used forever in the industry for cementing shoes. It is waterproof and pliable, and I call it "one-chance cement" as it is impossible to pull apart once you have joined two parts. It smells bad and I always use ventilation when I am using it. Tandy has their own brand and I have used that too (it is just as good as Barge). Heel Tips I take my shoes to my shoe repairman to have the tips put on the heels. I do my own if the tip of the heel is larger and there is a sizable area to cement a piece of tougher leather onto the heel.