r/Cordwaining

Over the last few years I’ve been documenting a lot of my shoemaking process on Youtube, focused on traditional handwelted construction and techniques that may be useful for anyone learning cordwaining.

I'm posting the tutorial playlist here in case they’re useful to anyone:

Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhiOASE6nQBrRkWaO8n0EzR85R0eznCLt

The links to individual videos:

Beginners Guide to Shoe Lasts https://youtu.be/ZaoxgrczugI

The only tools you need to start making shoes https://youtu.be/0g4f-fRdw-4

Full build with commentary https://youtu.be/W1VKjzRdq98

Pattern Making

Pattern Making - Oxford Shoes https://youtu.be/-Z6ripjRpsA

Pattern Making - Derby Boots & Shoes https://youtu.be/15mGQtl-bN0

Pattern Making - Single Piece Heel https://youtu.be/9Mgjm7pP44w

Upper Assembly

Guide to Assembling Uppers https://youtu.be/EgWn9QLJ0-Y

10 Tips for using the £100 Chinese leather patcher https://youtu.be/sMqDXplWCsM

Midsole & Stiffeners

Hand-making a Midsole out of Sole Leather https://youtu.be/VRWx1bm20vo

Making Shoe Stiffeners https://youtu.be/kiKz3zU6W6g

Lasting

Beginners Guide to Lasting https://youtu.be/4AtRJXPnQic

Homemade Lasting Stand https://youtu.be/fki7U86FHfE

Should you wet the leather before Lasting? https://youtu.be/Vb9BYimgn8Q

Handwelting

Tutorial for Hand-Welting https://youtu.be/RY2_NRjzksA

How to make Steel Bristles for Sewing Leather https://youtu.be/AKcugJ23Ohg

I will continue to make more tutorial videos. If there is anything you want please let me know.

Hope someone finds this useful!

So I have just finished lasting one shoe made of 2.5mm horse butt and well anyone who does this often must have some serious patients. This took me three hours to last, I'm very happy with the outcome.

21. Wrapped Spiral Zip. Textured Shell HorseRump. Hand Dyed with Red and Oxblood. Hand Welted Construction. Distressed Metal Toe. Cowboy Heel. Exposed Spiral Shank. TB Sole Detailing. YKK Excella Zip.

I like the look. What do you think?

I found these antique boots, stretchers or lasts at a local Goodwill, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I snatched them up and would love to know any more info – they have a name on them, ‘Teitzel’, which, from what I can tell was the precursor to Dehner boots- Teitzel being the name of the cobbler who actually made the boots. I’d love to know from approximately what year they might be from, what type of boot, and how to best measure them so I know what size they are. So stoked that it’s a matching right and left side as well. There are also brass rings in the top, what were these for?

Put these together as a kind of experiment to see if simply overlapping and stitching the backseam is a viable method of joining quarters, especially since I don’t have a zigzag stitcher. I don’t really see this build that often and I’m wondering if there’s a reason for that, any advice appreciated.

Maybe a wedge sole in leather.

Hey guys!! I need some help. I’m trying to figure out which direction to cut my vamps out of these strips. Does anyone know? I’d appreciate the help thanks. Attached is a random photo of a strip for reference.

Made my wife some boots for Mother’s Day. Last one using the Singer patcher. Still trying to get the folded in dress-style backseam right, new ones add a dog tail at the top. Java waxed flesh from Horween with green split Dr Sole cork soles.

JOOTEY T1V1

- cowhide upper
- ⁠nappa lining
- ⁠steel shank between sole and upper
- ⁠layered sole with leather and rubber
- asymmetrical topline
- ⁠gusseted tongue
- exaggerated tongue
- ⁠exaggerated sole (might help run faster)

DM for enquiries

Yellow left are 40, 10, 11-13ish, wood top are mens size 9, then ladies 10.

Bottom left is womens 5, kids are gone. White is 6 and green is 37

I also have an anvil, toe puff, counter stiffener, and random tools

HI! I`ve had these boots passed down to me 10 years ago by a good friend whos been around the US in the mid to late 80s and purchased these there, did not mention the state, but it was somewhere near or wherever Peppy San Badger was breeding at the time as he also purchased one of Peppy San Badger offsprings and transported him back to the UK.
Is there any way to help me identify these please?
There are no markings apart from ''Neolite'' on the heel.
I`ve had to, unfortunatley, get new pull tabs attached(which aren`t great) a few years ago.

Any suggestions on fixing the tongue on my Redwing 899’s? Seems they may have been over conditioned. I’ve sewn the tear twice and the leather has failed both times.

Contemplating attempting a total tongue replacement

Split down the middle suggests a sandal with something between the toes, but the symmetry makes me doubt that.

Also unsure how to remove it from the shoe as there's no hinge. Maybe the heel is short enough that it can slide out whole with enough force.

No text on it other than the "6".