u/hobiebuchannon

Finished these up awhile ago, they are my handmade rendition of the 1940's era US Navy service shoe (class A uniform) done on the original last for the shoe.

Upper leather: Shinki shell cordovan
Lining leather: Japanese calfskin
Insole: Shonan shoulder
Outsole: Gerberei Martin oak bark tannage
Misc veg tans of various weights and temper used for all other parts of the shoe.
Vibram half sole set and Lulu Au Lion toe steels

Fully hand sewn welted, hand sewn sole stitch @ 8spi, full leather shank and round waist, full leather filler.

I started with 2 pieces of shell at 14dm each, used one and half of them comfortably on the shoes. I ended up with enough leftover shell to make a billfold (someday) which was convenient, because the second shell wasn't split so evenly and one half was the right thickness for shoes and the other half is the right thickness for a wallet or small goods.

I’ve made some 1940’s style US Navy service shoes (class A uniform) reinterpreted in handmade format.  They’re done on original vintage US Navy lasts, so these are the actual shoe that was meant to be made on this last, and I’m sure many pairs of shoes were made on them and went out into the world.  Both of my grandfathers would have worn them in this time period, so it was a fun opportunity to bring a recreation to life.  I also had this teacore Shinki shell laying around for years, and it felt like the perfect pair to use to it on.

There are so many interpretations of this shoe being made; there’s the Lofgrens, Jelados, Clinch, Dr Sole has a pair now, Alden x Brogue shop in Horween shell, and then plenty more obscure Japanese brands that have done them over the years.  All of them differ a little or a lot from the originals, but the originals were also being made all over the country by different entities, and there is some variance originally, too.

Like the Lofgrens, I chose to forego the ’T’ shaped backstay found on most of the originals and went with a backseam and a tab, which makes the upper pattern more similar to the USMC cordovan shoe of the time, but I feel that the quarter closing is really the most characteristic part of these shoes, with tight double stitching everywhere.  

Also like the Lofgrens, I’ve also gone with a 360 welt/360 sole stitch with the wider heel as I’ll wear them more casually, so I dispensed with the 270 welt that would’ve been truer to the originals.  The 360 still looks correct for the classic American 6-hole Blucher look. 

Specs:

Upper:  Shinki shell cordovan
Lining:  Japanese calf
Sole:  Martin
Half sole set:  Vibram
All other parts are various bovine veg tans in different weights/tempers as needed.

Construction specs:

360 hand sewn welted, flat welt
360 hand sewn sole stitch @ 8spi for a chunkier vibe
Leather toe puff
Leather heel counter
Full Leather shank 
Blind eyelets
Blind sewn waist

I started out with two relatively small 14dm shells; the pattern comfortably fit onto 1.5 shells for these low quarter shoes.  I bought the shell long ago and there were no details provided besides the Shinki stickers on the back, so I’m not sure what version this is.

Due to the original theme/inspiration for the shoes, I’ve kept them fairly modest looking in details - no decorative brass tacks on the bottoms or extra ornamentation, no overly fancy finishing details.  I like how they’re a fairly humble looking pair of American shoes, just built properly and of good materials.  Had to give the heels a little finishing polish with my grand dad’s old shoe polish I had here, just for kicks - I think he would’ve liked seeing these.

I had some of the lasts (the wooden forms that the shoes are made on) that the original 1940's US Navy shoes were manufactured on, and I had collected some materials that were a good match for this pair, so it was the right time to make this pair of shoes. I didn't slavishly replicate every detail of the originals - because when making shoes by hand, they can be made much better than a factory can do, but I did try to bring over everything that gives them the right look. The fun thing about using vintage lasts is that you can bring the past back to life, and hold it in your hands. In the end, you get a nice humble looking pair of American bluchers.

The uppers are made from Shinki Shell Cordovan, the soles are Martin from Germany (plus Vibram rubber pieces) and the rest of the leather is vegetable tanned leather from Japan. The uppers are sewn on machine, and then everything else is sewn and worked entirely by hand, with no other machines.

Bonus: had to give the heels a little ceremonial polish with my grand dad's shoe polish that I had here, as a tribute.

Bonus end pic: the last pair of shoes I made, previous to these