Toe Plates

Good morning, what a glorious one it is too. Clear blue skies and sunshine pouring into my workshop. Maybe I will do a giddy flip like a Spring lamb (before I am put into the pot of course)

Friday slipped me by in a whirl of activity, hence the Monday post.

Saturday at Blaqua went very well. Lots of interested clients and a good demo.

Shoemaking. I have currently got 3 pairs on the go because we have photographer coming in on Friday to do some process shots of making for the website, so I need to have things at certain points in the process to shoot.

I have nearly finished a pair of pretty normal loafers, which only stand out because the client wants toe plates.



Do you ever have shoes which wear out on the sole right on the toe end? It is fairly common and is to do with how we walk (technical description there). The solution is toe plates, which can be rubber or metal. The metal ones last longer but you get a click, which I like but annoys some people.
Before stitching the sole, you cut away a small section at the toe and leave it with no channel. Then when the edges have been set, you glue the plate on using ultra strong contact cement. It's a good solution and shows the advantages of getting bespoke shoes made. You can include the solution to any problem you might have with your feet.



The second pair has an example of an occasional problem with hand lasting. Box calf is a marvellous material, extremely hard-wearing, and very supple. This means that at the point of lasting the upper, it usually takes the shape of the last easily. Sometimes, however, for reasons hard to fathom, it is just impossible to get flat and has small creases/wrinkles. These are unsightly and can ruin the attractive smoothness of the vamp.



As ever, though, with bespoke shoes, there is a trick which saves the day. When the shoe is finished, you wet the offending area with water and get it well soaked. Then with a warm, not hot, heel iron you iron the creases. When the leather dries, it shrinks and pulls out the last tiny creases which may be left after ironing. Ingenious!

Sorry about last week, I was in Gran Canaria. Soaking up the sun; fresh fish on the beach; relaxing and not working! Sound good? Well, it was.
But now I'm back and fully charged.

Exciting things afoot. The New York course is filling up and we booked flights this week. Really looking forward to it. Trunk show at Leffot, and then on to San Francisco for another trunk show.

Our new photography is in full flight. It looks really cool, stylish and luxurious. Will post a preview when I can.

We are making a 3 minute movie next week to put on the website.

But back to more serious issues, on Friday I will post more stuff about what I am making on the bespoke shoe front - simple loafers with rubber toe plate and some monk shoes. Fasten your seat belts people!

Norwegian Welt

Funny old game this bespoke thing. A bit like London buses... you know the cliche. I have not stopped until now and blogging is a welcome refuge from the rushing. A bespoke, handsewn shoemaker is not a natural rusher, believe me.

8.30 am, a photograper arrived to discuss a portrait for the new website. Met a new client next. Measured him up, and decided on a black wholecut with scarlet lining. Size 9 with a narrow joint, so it should be an elegant shoe.

Then it was getting ready for a photoshoot on Monday. We are having our Limited Editions and some bespoke shoes photographed, again for the new website. We are aiming for something dark, masculine and cool. Spent forever polishing and packing. Will all be worth it though. We have a new white patent Half-cut which I think is fabulous. Deborah does not agree but there you go. They are really something, bold; tactile; a touch fashion; and ever so slightly vulgar. Strutting shoes. Love 'em!



This week I finished a pair of black Derby boots with plain and grain calf. Norwegian welt, 3/8 sole. Quite something.



I did the welt in a different way this time because the stitches on a Norwegian welt can sometimes be unevenly spread. So this time, instead of making the holes in the insole with the awl before lasting, I made the insole and left it holeless. Once I had lasted them and was ready to welt, I made the awl holes as I went along and the result is splendid. Even length and no wobbles. Unorthodoxy is the way forward I think.


A Norwegian welt also has the problem of finishing the edge. Because the upper is the welt, it is difficult to get a solid hard finish. I sometimes think a storm welt may be better for this reason. I do like the fact that it shows the handmade nature of the construction though. The other thing I did was to finish the sole differently than normal. Half black, half natural. It looks good and is how the shoe will look after it is worn. What do you think?

Rubber Top Piece

Belts and snow.

Friday again! Where does the week go?

I lost a day this week to a combination of the weather and the inability of the UK to cope with snow. On Monday morning I awoke to 10cm of snow and no public transport. So no work. The street was filled with excited children flinging snowballs in that crazed manner only achievable in chidhood. And some wonderful snowmen for company. Fantastic!

Back to work. Those eccentric pumps are finished. Two further curiosities. A full rubber top piece and some perforations to cool the feet. Patent leather is calf with an acrylic surface. It thus loses some of it's breathability and can be hot. Clients sometimes complain that leather soled shoes and top pieces can be slippery, hence the rubber top piece. This guy knows what he wants which is great. These shoes are obviously going to see some action!


Belts. We have just delivered a lovely belt to a client to match some shoes. Beautiful work. One of our closers does our belts and he is a fantastic craftsman. He is old school; apprenticeship with John Lobb Ltd and years of experience. His fingers carry the magic and they can simply do the work effortlessly. The sage green piping is milimetrically perfect. What do you think?

Dress Pump

Phew! Those wide jointed shoes fitted really well and their new owner is very happy. It's satisfying getting to the end of a project; assessing your work; doing the final bits and bobs (clean, polish, socking, boxing); and, of course, being paid is good.

Already started the next pair, which again, demonstrates the interest of bespoke shoes. On first sight a pair of regular dress pumps, black patent with a satin bow. But look a bit closer and you will see that the construction is not a pump stitch. It is a regular 1/4 inch sole with a bevelled waist. Normally, a pump is a lightweight flexible shoe with a slighter construction, ideal for formal wear or house slippers. The welt and stitching are not visible. But that is not set in stone. The customer wanted a more robust shoe, so although it goes against the bespoke orthodoxy, the public gets what the public wants.


The next photo details the welted sole and bevelled waist, more usual in an Oxford or Derby shoe.





Maybe he wants to sweep a loved one round the dance floor several times, or several loved ones round the dance floor several times. Whichever way round, these shoes are going to get a pounding, hene the construction.

Finally, we went to Northampton yesterday to buy lasts and leather. As usual, we left the merchant's with more that we had planned to. We were looking for leather and lasts to make some ladies samples (more later). We found some lovely leather. We were like kids in a sweet shop.

Enough, my weekend starts here. More next week dear readers...

Difficult Feet

Hello there followers. A pair of tricky shoes here. The essence of bespoke shoemaking. There is a fine line between troublesome feet and orthopedic. This client has no specific or diagnosed problems with his feet, but they are an unusual shape. Very wide at the joint, and full around the top edge. The other thing is that feet like these change in size and shape a lot when at rest and when the full weight is on them. The only thing to do in these cases is to take the measurements; make the lasts; get the shoes ready for a try-on and then be prepared for a series of adjustments and fittings. You get there in the end, but patience is needed on both sides.




Now they are made and ready for delivery, there is an element of trepidation. Will they fit? All that work, time and energy. It's not the end of the world if they don't, but... If they don't fit, we will be able to tweak and adjust. I will let you know how we get on.

I think this shot really shows the unusual shape. Ever seen a shop bought shoe like this? That is what you get with bespoke shoes though. It's a process; an investment of time and work, both by the maker and the client. You get what you pay for I suppose. Will let you know what the customer says. Fingers crossed!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to our legion of followers. In January, I always wonder when the last time I say that will be. We are still in full 'Happy New Year' season, but, as with all things, it will end.

After a fabulous rest and holiday season spent in London with family and friends, we at carreducker are back into the world of bespoke shoes. It has been a struggle, but I suppose the first week back is always hard.

What does the year hold for us? Well, we hope it is going to be a great one.

I am going to Pitti Uomo next week in Florence, which will be very exciting. It is the place where all the buyers from around the world go to look at luxury men's clothes, shoes and accessories. So we need to be there!

We are going to New York in April and May to do our first North American handsewn shoemaking school. To coincide with this we are also planning to do some 'trunk shows' to generate further bespoke clients in the States. We will obviously be doing New York, but San Francisco is also on the list and possibly 2 other major cities.

We then have our London bespoke shoemaking school in August.

Our new Limited Edition samples are nearing readiness. We are introducing a stylishly simple wholecut and a contemporary brogued oxford shoe, both on our signature last. We are also planning to broaden the range with a new last shape, probably a chisel toe.

Our new bespoke ladies samples are being designed as I write. I am going to buy some gorgeous leathers in Italy next week, so look out for those. They are going to be wonderful and will get our lady admirers swooning (and getting their credit cards out hopefully).

The popper on my shirt just burst open as I stretched, so, unfortunately, Christmas is still being felt in all the wrong places.

That image has probably brought most of you to the end of your tethers with this, so I will stop.

The next post will be about bespoke shoes I promise. I have an interesting pair of oxfords to make (the last is challenging let's say) and a pair of dark burgundy cordovan monk shoes...mmm!