wooden shoe lasts

[Marcus Julius]

I apologize if this has been discussed already, but are there commercial sources for wooden shoe lasts. I've been trying a few different searches so far, but all I can find are plastic ones. The only wooden ones I find are being sold as antiques, and are either the wrong size, not a pair, or priced like antiques. Someone please be nice and tell me I'm not going to have to carve my own

[Julia Langobardia]

are there any modern lasts without the back part shaped to fit onto a modern heel??
I don`t know how to use these for roman shoes :? so I make my own

[M. Demetrius]

It seems like it would be easier to add a bit to the heel, thereby flattening the sole, than to start over and carve a whole foot. Less wood to rearrange.

[Julia Langobardia]

seems a good idea to me - if I find a pair of lasts that fit my feet, I`ll try

I didn't find fitting lasts for my feet or the feet of my friend, for whom I made some first century AD-shoes after a find from Cologne - so I had to make something myself anyway
she has very narrow feet, mine are not narrow at all... why can't everybody habe "standart feet" :roll:

[M. Demetrius]

why can't everybody habe "standart feet"

Good question. I guess we'll have to ask the Manufacturer. :lol: :wink:

[Martin Moser]

Hi Chris,

are there any modern lasts without the back part shaped to fit onto a modern heel??

AFAIK, no. It's just the degree of the heel lift that varies.

I don`t know how to use these for roman shoes :? so I make my own

I find you can use them anyway, I've done it on a number of occassions. Check my posts on calcei or the Vindolanda fishnet boots here on RAT, e.g.

Alternatively you can modify a modern last quite easily. See here for difference between normal and modified:





If you find it gets too flat, just build the last up a bit on the upper side with leather etc.

Btw. Chris, I still have to see your finished shoes, got any pics perhaps? :-) )

[Julia Langobardia]

thanks for the pictures, Martin!

your posts here already helped me a lot with the Cologne-shoes
I still haven`t got pictures of the finished shoe - I`ll badger my friend about some :lol:
here is only a preview I'm sorry: http://www.pzlg-online.de/B/SchuhausKoeln.JPG


could you perhaps make the last also broader at the toes by glueing leather onto it? or will that become to soft to tack the upper leather on?

broad toes are my main problem with finished lasts and my feet :oops:

[Martin Moser]

I still haven`t got pictures of the finished shoe - I`ll badger my friend about some

yes, please do :-) )

could you perhaps make the last also broader at the toes by glueing leather onto it? or will that become to soft to tack the upper leather on?

to a degree, yes, certainly. I wouldn't add more than 5-8mm though. If you look closely at the lower pic you'll see that I broadened the modified last as well a bit with a piece of leather.

[Julia Langobardia]

I see, thank you

so I'll start hunting for a pair of wooden lasts german size 42 1/1 again...

[gaiusseptimiuslucianus]

I apologize if this has been discussed already, but are there commercial sources for wooden shoe lasts. I've been trying a few different searches so far, but all I can find are plastic ones. The only wooden ones I find are being sold as antiques, and are either the wrong size, not a pair, or priced like antiques. Someone please be nice and tell me I'm not going to have to carve my own

Hi Marcus,

I would echo what has already been said, modify modern lasts, it is just so much easier. I see you are in Montana, not exactly the land of shoemaking . In your case I would haunt eBay. Try searching on "shoe last," "shoe form," "cobblers form," or "shoemakers form" Hopefully one of those might turn up some hits. What sizes are you looking for? I can keep an eye open for you here in my neck of the woods.

Cheers,

Lucianus

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Are you anywhere near Kalispel Marcus? There were quite a few wood workers around ther if I remember........and western shops, maybe one of them will have something to modify? Or Missoula?

[Marcus Julius]

Well, being the fourth largest state (land size) in the Union, "anywhere near" is open to interpretation. Consider the fact that you can fit just about any european country inside the state :? Great Falls is the closest "city" to where I am, and it's a two hour drive to get there.

Yes, there are quite a few people around who do make and/or repair cowboy boots around - obviously going to have a severly elevated heel.

Specifically, I'm looking for American size 9d (or sometimes called 9 regular), something in the range of 11 inches long, rounded toe. I may, eventually, want to try a pointed toe style as well.

[Neuraleanus]

Alternatively you can modify a modern last quite easily.

Martin, it isn't clear from the pictures, did you cut away material from the last or add material?

[Martin Moser]

Martin, it isn't clear from the pictures, did you cut away material from the last or add material?

I only removed material to get a flat underside. I added the pointed toe, of course.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well, being the fourth largest state (land size) in the Union, "anywhere near" is open to interpretation. Consider the fact that you can fit just about any european country inside the state :? Great Falls is the closest "city" to where I am, and it's a two hour drive to get there.

Yes, there are quite a few people around who do make and/or repair cowboy boots around - obviously going to have a severly elevated heel.

.

Yes, having lived in Montana, and coming from Alberta, relatively near is very open to interpretation. If you can get there in 7 hours, you're close...LOL

Surely there is someone who could make one out there for you? I recall a great many woodworkers of talent when I was there. Mind you that was 26 years ago, so perhaps all the talented locals have been displaced by the
big city slickers looking for the country life?