(1912) how to repair shoes
DESCRIPTION
1912 - Frank L. West, Tuskeegee, AlabamaTRANSCRIPT
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18
HOW TODiagram No.of the outside.
REPAIR SHOESof the in-
2
shows the length
side of the divisions as
compared with those
Notice the long shank andof the
short ball.
Diagram No. 3 shows the outside
XD^V-g.
divisions
shape of
and the effect they have upon the Notice the short shank the shoe.ball.
and the long
19
HOW TOAlways remember
REPAIR SHOESthat the ball of a shoea shortis
longer on the outside having
shank.
The
ball
is
shorter on the inside having a
long shank.
Compare3.
outside
and inside
Diagrams 2 and
THE FRENCH HAMMER, WELTKNIFE
AND RHAN-FILEhas a round ball face.forit
The French hammer
Whenit is
heavy,
is
used
beating
andlight,
moulding thesuch
soles
in shape.
When
used for hammering in rounded placesas the
shank.is
The
Welt-knife
used for trimming thealong the welt (or,
upper surfacethe same
of the sole
the part next to the upper)
.
It is
sharpened
way
as the lip-knife.is
The
Rhan-file
used for smoothing sur-
face after the Welt-knife has
been used.
20
REPAIRINGTheheel, beingfirst
A
HEELunder theground,the
moreto
directlystrike
body and thegenerally wearsreason,
out
first.
For the above
much
care must be taken to see that
good leather and solid work is put into it. Pull oH the worn top-piece and see that what is left is hammered down solidly. NextI,
l(L.
3
yc^V^V
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46
HOW TO
REPAIR SHOES
THE BACKBONE STITCH
To make
the job strong and
at
the
same
time neat, the parts should be stitchedwith the Backbone Stitch.stitchfirst
downis
In making this2)
(See
Diagramthelining
No.of
the
place
whipped together, catching the materialto
through
upper.
This
is
done with one end and the stabbing-awl.
The
stitch
is
made
just
as
the
back
stitch
is
made, only
it is
put in across the broken place.
Be sure and keep the stitches straight across the place on the outside and the same length.After the place has been whipped together,the stitching
down is done. With the same end sew down the stitches. This is donethrough to the lining and pullingin the joint ofit
with the back stitch catching every otherstitch
down
broken placestitch
as
thoughasta-
you were driving theple. After pulling
down withthe
downtheoff
every other stitch gorest
back
and
catch
same way.
Whenplace
through cutlightly.
thread and beat the
down
47
48
SHOE LEATHERSwhich are most commonly made into leather for the purpose of making boots and shoes are taken from the steer, calf, horse, colt, goat, sheep, lamb and kangaroo.skins
The
Thesesuch
skins are called "hides," "kips" and
"skins."as
Thethe
skinssteer
from the larger animalsand horse, are called
"hides."
Skins which
come from
the half
grown
steer or
cow
are called "kips."as the
The
skins
from smaller animals suchand kid are simply called
goat, sheep
skins.
The skin of the steer is most generally made into sole leather. Whenever it is usedforit
upper
leather,
it is
split.
Splitting causes
to lose
muchis
of
its
durability.it
Calf skinrability.
not
split;
is
noted for
its
du-
Nothing better could be wished.is
This skin
tanned whole. used for soletexture
Skins from the horse and colt are also verystrong.leather.
Neither of these
is
Goat skins
are
uniform
in
and
strength, and are very generally used.49
For
HOW TOreal finefinest grained skinis
REPAIR SHOESis
work, the kid skin
used.
The
gotten from the kid be-
fore the animal has
had any food except that
gotten from
its
mother.is
Sheep skin
quite
spongy and pHable.a
This does not make such
strong leather.
Cheap gradessheep skin.
of soft shoes are
made from
makes a very fine grained leather if it is taken from the animal before After this age the skin it is one month old.skin
The lamb
begins to get coarse.
The kangarooalthoughit is
skin
makesIt
a
very toughbutlittle
and durable leather.
stretches
quite pliable.
Themostfor
animal
which
is
exposedto
to
theitself
weather most and which hasits
exert
living always
produces
a skin
of
superior quality.
50
PUTTING ONAsa
A CEMENT PATCHjob
rule,a
shoemakers consider cement andtryto
patching
hard
avoid
it.
Most
of the time they
would rather sew
a
patch and spoil the looks of the shoe thantake pains to prepare the patch properly for
cementing.
"^^Theveryfirst
step
is
to select a patchis
fromof so
the same material that the shoethat the fibers will cohere.
made
Next
see that the
part to be patched
is
clean and dry.
Tighten
the place with stretchers.
Now
proceed ac-
cording to diagrams.51
52
HOW TODiagram2.1.
REPAIR SHOES
Skive patch in shape desired,
bringing outer edges to
Lay patch over the
Diagram hole and mark placea feather.
with crayon;pencil.
make3.
cross
guide lines withoff
Diagram
Take
the
patch
and skive the shoe.
Diagram
4.
Put ce-
ment on patch and shoe; distribute evenly with small wooden paddle. (Note: Be sure and keep cement well corked. The thumb should be held over the mouth of the bottle while cement is being used.) Let the cement Diagram 5. turn white on shoe and patch.53
HOW TOWarmplace
REPAIR SHOES
patch and shoe with an even heat andtogether
Press firmly
making guide Unes meet. together all over and smooth
WJ
well with
warm
heel-burnisher.set well,
Diagram
6.
After patch has
sew
it
down
to sole
well back and trim off surplus leather.54
HALFSOLINGCutoff
A
SEWED SHOEpick out the old
old
soleoff all
and
stitches.
Cut
double soles next to the
welt and pull the middle sole from the outersole.
This
will leave the stitches out of the
middle
sole.
Test the weltat
all
around.it
If
found
to
be weak
any place,
should be
re-sewed.First,fit
on the
sole as
usual, having the
sole wellin.
moulded
to the shoe
and theit
filling
Trim
the sole, leaving
a little
widerthea
than the welt so that the edge can be worked
on without cutting the welt closershoe.
to
After trimmingfor
the
sole,
make
guide-line
cutting
the
channel
close
enough to the edge bed of the channelhole in the welt.that the channelstitches.is
of the sole to
throw the
directly
under the old
See
Diagram.to
Be surehide theis
deep enough
(Half the thickness of the sole
deep enough.)
When
the
bed
of the
channel
is
too far inin
and not directly under the old hole55
the
c/)
^
03
5!
6
HOW TOsite side of that
REPAIR SHOES
welt, the sole will be
drawn from the oppoon which you are sewing,
consequently, to sew the opposite side, thewelt will be drawn down, causing the shoe to
much narrower, and in most cases, to become much tighter. This one point has caused many shoemakers to lose customers. The work was neatly done by them, but thelookshoe wasleft
with a narrow welt and a very
uncomfortable feeling.
The
channel,
when
cut, generally
is
aboutsole.
1-8 inch
from the outer edge
of
the
This space between the edge and the channel will be covered by the guard of the edgeiron.
This guard
will
make an impression
whichto
will hide the channel.is
See that the weltsew.
moist before beginningstitches
When
sewing see that the
on the welt do not pull through, by pullingharder on the right-hand thread (the stitch
on the
sole)
.
See to
it
that the awl
is
smaller
than the two threads put together so thatthere will be a resistance
when
pulling
them
through.57
HOW TO
REPAIR SHOES
down the channel while the leather is yet moist. Some shoemakers use the bone to rub down theAfter the shoe has been sewed, rubstitchesin
the
channel before closingcausestheit
it.
This
operation
channel to bewill
forced so wide open thatclose.If
be hard to
the stitches are put directly in the
bed
of the
channel,
there will be no needclosing channel.
to rub
them down beforejob will notset
Theline
be complete until thethe shank-
edges are
up, shanks blacked;
and the
joint of the soles fudged.
Thestitch
stitches
must
also
be divided with thethe
divider or fudged to give the finish.
Black-
ing the shankspair job.
is
last
thing to do on a re-
It is
better to use a gloss polish.
Put
it
on
after everything else has
been done
sothatto dry.
youfar
will not
have to wait on the shoeof joint should the
Hownails
from the edge
be put?
How
long should an end be
for
sewing on the average halfsole?it is
Why
is
leather put in case before
used?
58
PREPARING AN INSOLE FOR SEWED SHOETheinsoleis
A
the
foundation of the shoe.forit,
When
selecting leatherin
much
careis
must be takenlight, firm
order to get material that
and
flexible.is
Light, because noit
surplus leather
wanted; firm, because
holds the whole shoe together,
and
flexible,
because the foot must haveas possible
as little resistance
whenit
a
person
is
walking.to the last
The
insole
is first
moulded
andat
fastened to
withit
as
many
nails as are neces-
sary to hold
properly in place.the ball, oneat
Two
the toe, two
at
the shank and
one
at
the heel.
(Some shoemakersat
use one
at the toe,
onethe
the
ball,
one
at
the
shank
and one
at
heel.)
Trim
the sole well in
shape by the outline of the bottom of thelast.
The width
of the
shank
will
be deter-
mined by the best judgment of the workman. Under the ball on the inside is always a placewhere much care must be taken.Itis
hereinsole
where one
is
most
likely to leave the
59
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60
HOW TOtoo wide.
REPAIR SHOES
In order to get this particular
place right, the sole will have to be
trimmed
underof the
just
a
little;
trim with the pointknife.
square-pointif
This particularlittle, will,
place,
not trimmed under just a
after the
shoe
is
finished, stand out
from un-
der the ball of the foot too much.
By
trim-
ming
it
under, the foot
is
thrown directlyThis
over the inside bottom of the shoe.particular pointis
explained more clearly into
the next book,
How
Bottom
a
Welted1-4
Shoe by Hand.
The
bar on the average shoeis
is
inch
wide; the shouldershank, whereit
the same except in the
is
madetheit
gradually wider inpoint might beleaves
order that the stitcheshidden.
at this
When
shoulder
theit
shank and
ball line
begins to widen untilit
reaches the middle of the shank, thengins to blend back toits
be-
1-4 inch width, end-
ing just 1-8 inch beyond the heel line.
See
diagrams
for
cutting the
bar and
shoulder.
After making the line for shoulabove,61
der
as instructed
make
a
horizontal
Cuv CD^
y
Q.D'\-
OUT
I'ieuel
./^~
J
.'-
SI
\^v
62
HOW TOcut in linehalf
REPAIR SHOESthicknessofa
the
the
sole;
make nexttaken out.lip-knife
a slanting cut so that
V
can bethe
This
V
will allow
the
lip of
to
run freely along the bar
when
taking out the shoulder.is
After the shoulder
cut out,
make
line for
your bar 1-4 inch
back.
Make
cut half the thickness of the sole;
make second
cut to take outto
V
and cut out
long enough bevel
allow the inseaming-
awl to pass through the bar easily andoutflat
come
on the shoulder.
After the bar and
shoulder are cut, punch the holes with the
inseaming-awl 1-4 inch apartginat
all
around.holesa
Belittle
the tip line to slant the
toward the center
(of toe) so that there
will
be plenty of room between the stitchespoint,
at this
and allow the holes on the outside
of
the bar to be 1-4 inch apart.
63
PATCHING
A
SHOE
AT THE
TIP
Often the desire tohastily causes the
mend the place broken workman to lose sight ofhis
the fact that the
wearer wantsit.
shoe to
look neat
when he wears
^V.
Patchingtipis
a
shoe whichif
is
broken
just at the
quite easily done
the
right steps are
taken.
The same
process
is
used generally
when
putting on cement patches.64
Before putting
a$
HOW TO
REPAIR SHOES
in the stretchers to tighten the place (in this
case) rip the tip loose so that
one end of thein
patch can be put under
as
shownas
Diagramin
No.
3.it
Fit the patch, cutting
shown
Dia-
gram No.andletit
1.
In this case, put on the patchafter
set,
which take outis
the
stretcher and push the part that
left to
go
under the
tip in its place.
See dotted linestip
showing patch stuck under
in
Diagramagain
No.
3.is
After this
done sew downto
tip
and
fasten patch to the sole.
Another wayfirst,
put on
cut the patch as
same patch shown in Diagramthis
is:
1.
Skive the edges.
Second,
ripas
the tip loosein
and push the piece under
shown
Diaat tip.
gramplace.
3.
Third, sew the patchputin
down
Fourth,
the
stretcher
and tightenpatch and
Lay patch back down over the upperlift
and rub crayon over it. Fifth, Apply cement. skive shoe.
66
HALFSOLINGShoemakers
A TURNEDdread
SHOEto
generally
attemptof
halfsoling turned sole shoes.
Many
them
know howtheir
but do not care to concentratedetails of fittingit
minds on the few smallsoles.
on thedoit
Others could do
and wouldbeingdis-
easily
if it
were not
for their
couraged by some other workman.ing turned sole shoescalls
Repair-
for accuracyat
andright
doing the righttime.
thing always
the
Leather thatbe firm andcase.
is
used for turned shoes shouldIt
flexible.
should be well instarted
The workis
should beto
whenand
there
ample time
sew on both
soles
turn the shoe back toit
its
right shape and put
on
a last before stopping.1
Diagram No.
shows the shoe with holesit is
in old soles before
repaired.
If
the shoeeither
has a cap, notches should beside of the old sole
made on
and the places marked onto getit
the
new
sole to
show how
(the cap)
straight
when
lasting the upper.67
Rip the old
HOW TOsole
REPAIR SHOESas far
from the upper
back
in the
shank
as the
new
sole
is
to
come; cut the threadsyet.
towards the old sole to avoid cutting the upper.
Donew
not cut off old solessole
Cutin
the
(which
is
to
be put on)Place
rough shape (Diagrampart in
2);
have the shank
the shape desired.
new
sole
on old
sole
and fastensole,
it
temporarily to old3.
sole as in
Diagram No.
Trim newit
sole
the shape of old
leaving
about one-
sixteenth of an inch larger so that there will
be something to work on
when
finishing
up the edge.
Diagram No. 3 shows new68
HOW TOsole fastened to old.
REPAIR SHOES
Make
guide lines across
the shank end of
new
sole,
extending them
equal distance on the old soles.
Makesole.
a line
on old
sole at
bottomjust
of
newto
These
lines will
show
where
place the
newcut.
sole after the bar
and channel have been
Diagram No.old sole cut off.
4.
shows the shoe with theold soleis
The
cut off oval
shaped oras
left
longer
in the
center of the lap
shownjust
in
is left
Diagram 4. The lap at the sides long enough to allow one stitch tobar of the old sole.
be made
in the
CUTTING THE BAR
AND CHANNELnewsole
Markshoulder.
the line around
for
the
Makeis, if
allowance for the one-sixallowed
teenth inch which wassole, that
on the newis
the shoulder on the old sole
three-sixteenths of an inch
wide;
make
the
new sole one-fourth of an inch wide. Do not make shoulder on new sole wider unless the new sole is wider thanshoulder of thethe old sole.
To
cut the shoulder see lesson on prepara69
HOW TOtion of an insole
REPAIR SHOES61.
on page
On
the turn soleis
after cutting the shoulder the
Va
not cut out
behind the bar; instead, maketurnit
channel and
back
so that
it
can be rubbed
downas
over the stitches.in the
Do
not punch the holes
new
soles;
these will be
madewill
you
sew; the old holes in the
upper
guide
you.
In some cases
it is
best not to use old
holes; the desire to
do an honest job andthatpart.
conditions will
govern
Underbe
normal conditions the
stitches
should
about one-fourth of an inch long.70
HOW TOSKIVING
REPAIR SHOESSOLEthe
AND FASTENING ON NEWcut on
After the bar has beensole, skive the old sole
new
not cut out theacross old sole at
down to a feather; do mark which was made the shank. The close linesthat
on lap
in
Diagram No. 4 show
the
lap
is
skived thin.its
Next, place the new sole on
old sole in
proper place, using the guide
lines to help;
mark
the outline of the lap of
old sole on the inside of the
gram No. gram No.
6 shows old sole7
new sole. on new sole.
DiaDiaof
shows new71
sole with outline
HOW TOlap of old sole
REPAIR SHOES
on
it.
The newis
sole
is
then
skived from the lines to the shank.
Skive asleft
much from newon old
sole as there
material
sole so that ato leave the
neat joint will be made.
Be sureat
newthe
sole thicknails
enoughto
the joint to holdit
which are
fasten
on.
After this place thesole
new
sole
back on the oldfastenit
(by guide lines) andthree nails.
at
the shank with9.
See
Diagram No.bar of
Fasten the bar of old sole to
new
sole
where they
join with a short
tack from the inside.
LASTING
AND SEWINGupper on the wrong
Pull the sole through the bottom of upperthatside.at toeis
loose and turn the
Pull the center of upper over the sole
and fasten with tack.pull the
Diagram No.at
10.tip
Nextlines
upper overit.
side
or
at
and fastenportions
Pull
it
over next betweenit.
the tip line and the joint and fasten
The
of
upper which are notstitches
fas-
tened must be evenly distributed while sewing.
Begin sewing about twothe upperis
below wherebackto-
ripped; bend the sole72
HOW TOwards the heelto
REPAIR SHOEStighten the
upper.
Benotget
very careful in crossing thepull stitch at this point tight
joint.
Doto
enough
upper out
of shape.
The bar determinesawl mustthe bar
the
shape of the shoe, therefore the upper mustlay close toit.
The
come
out
di-
rectly in the angle of
and shoulder.
After the shoesole
is
sewedItit
fasten the lap of old
down withNo.
the short flat-head tack.10.is
Seeaside
Diagramto dry,
then turned and
straightened.after
Put
on
a last
and
set
which the edges are prepared
and
set
up.73
LIST Of1 11
TOOLS NECESSARY TO HAVEHammer-
French HeavyPlain
$ .50.30.15 .15 .25
11
Square-Point Knife -----Lip Knife Eight-inch Rasp ------.
Hammer No.
-
-
-
-
.
1 1
Pair of Nippers
.25.25 .25
Welt-KnifePrier
111 11
Rhan-File --------Heel ------Bone -----SharpenerScratchBuffer
.10
.10
.10.15 .10 .10
Knife
11
Half Dozen Plain
Awl Handles
-
-
Pegging Awl Handle
$2.75
The
prices of these tools
addition of a set of good edge-irons
the above
list
will
make
a
change but h'ttle. With the and heel-burnishers, good kit for a shoemaker whostart
works
as a
journeyman.
To
a business,
lasts
and
jacks are necessary.
74