Help with shoe supplies

[Guest violetsrose]

I discovered this forum after searching the internet looking for information on making my own shoes. I've already learnt loads from the tutorials. You guys are real artists with what you do.

 

Can anyone give me any help with finding suppliers for shoe making bits and pieces. I'm primarily looking for someone who can supply full leather soles, heels (low - about half inch high but large like on mens shoes), the metal shanks that hold the footbed firm (although I'm not sure I really need these) and glues (I have read about shoemakers cement but haven't found anywhere that sells it).

 

If these kind of supplies aren't readily available, would shoe repairers add soles and heels to uppers I have made myself? (I'm not sure of the etiquette of this but I would be making these shoes to wear myself, not for sale to anyone else) If they would be happy to do this, how much do you think they would charge?

 

I'm basically wanting to make flat (with just a slight heel block) mary-jane shoes (you know those chinese slippers they sell in hippy shops in velvet with a bar over the foot - well like that only more substantial) in all sorts of fabrics including leather, as I find it really hard to find the style and design of shoes I like

 

Sorry to bombard with questions on my first visit but this is the only place I can find online that actually seems to know anything about shoes and is willing to share its expertise with others - any help from you guys would be much appreciated

[kobblers]

charles birch may be able to help you out with some of the stuff you require violets. try them on their freephone 0800 591558.

 

alternatively, you could always request that somebody from here sell you some stock if it's only small quantities you need, stick a post in the for sale/wanted section with a list of exactly what you need, just be sure to order more than what is probably necessary as you may make a few mistakes till you get the hang of what you're trying to achieve.

 

if you're bonding mainly leather then neoprene adhesive is the best way to go although most of the polyurethanes are pretty good too.

 

bostik make a neoprene called 6092. we use it regularly and it's brilliant stuff, has a great open time on it , good grab and can be cold or heat bonded.

 

they also make a polyurethane called 5050 which is great although it goes off pretty quickly compared to the 6092 and requires a level of heat to reactivate it for bonding.

 

if you need any technical help, there are plenty of people here with the skill and the rare ability to explain properly how best to do something, all you have to do is ask

 

if you successfully make a pair, post some pics so we can all have a look

[Gingerbas]

Hi, Good to see someone else making shoes, try looking at www.algeos.com .They have a list of all products online.

 

As to neoprene glue, everyone has there preference mine is Foss Fix 1222.

 

Depending on what ur needing you can PM me with a list, always happy to help a fellow shoemaker..

[Guest violetsrose]

Oh Algeos look great - thanks for that link!

[Gingerbas]

No Probs.. Like I said Give me a list of what you need, I've got odds and sods kicking about if there any good to you. hope i can help..

[Guest walker]

Hey,

Shoemaking is one of my passions.

some links for more info...

http://www.shoeschool.com/shoeschool/pr ... tlepi.html

and..

http://www.thehcc.org/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi

and

http://customcowboybootsandshoesforum.com/

you'll find some good ideas there...

Get the shoe books and read them. Ferregamo's biography is good. So is Tomas Bata's.

It's not so hard to make shoes and boots, if you have the time and patience. But making good shoes, that look good and promote health takes more thought, experience...

...walker

[Gingerbas]

Hi walker and welcome to the forum, had a look at those links some good stuff on there cheers...