A Shoemaker's Blog — last making RSS

I took in an order for a customer with flat feet and here are some photos of the last that I had made. Normally, I prefer to work with wooden lasts but because of the climate in Singapore and logistical issues, I find myself using more plastic lasts here. Before and After Here is a before and after shot of the last. The left shows the unmodified side while the right has been completed. Another angle While the lasts are built to the customer's measurements, there are usually 2 main points that I pay attention to on flat feet, namely adding volume to the arch and reducing volume from the instep. Here are some photos to illustrate. Big piece of leather...

One of the biggest challenges of shoe making is that a single last can only create a single shape. This was one of those times where I wanted a chisel toe but did not have the right last on hand. First step is to add some scrap 5mm soling leather on on toe. After skiving the top edge and wetting it to help the hard leather conform to the last, I nailed it in place temporarily while waiting for the leather and glue to set in place. After drying, I shaped the toe using a combination of knife and rasp to get the desired toe profile. I was looking to get a sleek chiseled look so I lowered the toe...