2nd pair of Dark Ages style turnshoes

[tombear]

Hi Folks
having finalised the patten based on the first pair of this style I made, which with insoles to pad them out have been claimed by the middle son for his 9th C Anglo Norse costume

Which were based on the flattened out sections of some mock ups I made on my own feet using the old sock and gaffer tape method,

I proceeded to cut out and stitch the things together. The soles are 4.5 mm, a little over 1/8th", and the uppers from some still 2mm stuff I traded some tools for (thanks! you know who you are!). I had decided I wanted the smooth side of the uppers on the inside to help them slip on and so that there would be a slightly shaggy, absorbent surface on the outside to apply my tallow, beeswax, neetsfoot and pine resin leather dressing to in a probably vain ataempt to waterproof them.

Its my first go at using a curved awl to make the holes so the stitching comes out of the edge of the sole leather rather than going from face to face. I'd been putting this off as it looked a lot harder than it actually was. OK the sticthes are a bit ropey and large but I'm happy with them. The awl sort of naturally comes out of the side when pressed in at the right point from the edge.

The side seam was left open to make turning the shoe the right way around easier after soaking.

I then made shoe soup overnight, emersing them in warm at first water for about 12 hrs.

The leather was then very pliable and the shoes turned right side out easily.

The black thing in the background is the Henderson Relish T-shirt I bought in Sheffield when we went to gawp at the Bentry Grange Helmet that herself then hid away for best part of two years and which I finally got to wear yesterday, but I digress.

I'm now in two minds do I treat it with Aqueous Nikwax while its still soggy or just leave it to dry and then apply the home made dressing after I've finished stitching up the sides.

I'm also undecided weather to cut them down to single toggle closure hieght to make them easier to get on and off and to be more typically saxon in style.

As well for dressing up I'm intending to use them as moccs around camp.

Theres some really good tutorials on the net for making turnshoes if you want more details of the method.

ATb

Tom

 

[tombear]

Any tips on hardening and waterproofing the sole? Im loathe to use anything like neets foot which will soften the leather and make the stitches more likely to pull through.

They are hung over a sink in the cool part of the shed so wont dry out fast.

ATB

Tom

 

[Baelfore]

hi

i remember a post a while back (think it was on here) where the person made a mixture of sand/grit and rubber cement and then applied it to the sole. i imagine this would give it some grip,water proofing and would seal in the stiches around the sole. the down sides would be that it wouldn't be as traditional and it wasn't my idea so i haven't tried it myself so i don't know how wel it worked.

P.S. nice shoes, thanks for adding yet another item to my to do list!

 

[greensurfingbear]

Really like them mate. I've recent drawn the template for the sole for making my own. Where did you find the pattern if you don't mind me asking?


Orric

 

[tombear]

There's a lot of sites dealing with it, this is quite a good one,
http://annaleshistoriae.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/adventures-in-medieval-shoe-making.html
the gaffer tape over the sock method realy works well but I recommend wearing two pairs and loosely apply the tape otherwise the pattern will produce a very tight shoe.

ATB

Tom

 

[Dreadhead]

Nice! Have made a few pairs for myself and always find them so tricky to get right! Been wearing mine here in Sweden in -10

 

[tombear]

Cheers! I've all but finished them. After sewing up the sides and wearing them for a bit with the overlap bits taped into place I decided I didn't like them so up my ankle so altered them so they will have only one toggle closure.

ill do a bit more research on how to do the fastening to make them more Saxon than Norse tomorrow then apply a lot of the waterproofing goo I made, especially into the seams.

while. I was waiting for them to dry I made 4 Hedderby round and semi circular purses. I'd discovered over half of the great mass of leather I was given was actually veg at not chrome, if the drop a strip into boiling water test is actually worthwhile. I'd not heard of it before but there was a big difference between how fast and violently the strips curled up between different samples. The three pieces of what I know to be deinately veg tanned did shrivel up in the way that veg tanned is supposed to.

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

I missed this
Very tidily done they look very sound indeed.
We use melted beeswax on and inside our soles. For some reason it makes them mostly non slip as well as waterproof. No idea why it stops the slipping though

Have you had a look at the triangular heel type ? I was really surprised at just how well they wore compared to the rounded ones, a bit like the old fashioned kids jump-jack shoes I suppose.

Thank you for the photos

cheers,
M

 

[tombear]

Thanks! I was going to ask if straight wax poured inside the shoe would waterproof the soles, there's me answered! I did want to make the sort with triangle extensions to the soles that folds up at the back but the 4.5 mm stuff I had left was only just long enough to make the sort I did. Now I have a pattern that works for my freakishly shaped feet I can knock up more quite easily when I get some more sole leather, and alter the basic design. Next will be some low slipper like affairs which seam to be common finds.

ps I've cleaned and hardened the goose quils so will take some pics of the conversion to pens once the shoes are done, then do a mini tutorial on the am gall ink.

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Eric Methven might be the fellow to ask about the waxing. Trish, Meg and I just put a wee bit of wax into the shoes and put them into a slow oven for a bit. The wax melts and spreads out and is absorbed into the warm leather
Meg showed us how to do it, and it works, so I've never really thought about doing it any other way, but maybe put on with a brush ?

Shuggie said it was a greylag goose. Good on you getting so much useable stuff from it
I did wonder how the wings would be by post.

atb,
M

 

[tombear]

Cheesr! How warms a warm oven please as I have a Baby Belling in the shed for such perposes. They are finished now and for a 2nd go i'm rather chuffed with them. They could be tighter around the ankle but they dont slob.

ATB

Tom

 

[Clouston98]

Great work Tom!

 

[Toddy]

Pretty low, meringue sort of temperature

Those are looking very good indeed

cheers,
M

 

[tombear]

I sprinkled raw wax pellets on the inside, on top of the soles and put them in the baby belling for half an hour at 120 ish C and it soaked in lovely. While tht was cooking I improvised a Bain-Marie and got the tallow/wax/neetsfoot/pine resin/pure turpentine to melt and slapped a good coat of that on the uppers while the leather was still warm. I'll apply more as and when the first lots cured.

The citric acid solution cleaned up the curved file nicely, a quick wire brush and it was as good as new, I fitted a new handle and soaked it in linseed oil for 3 or 4 hours.

atb

tom

 

[Toddy]

Those look absolutely spot on Tom

cheers,
M

 

[tombear]

Thanks, they fit spot on. I now need to score some period nalbinded (?) socks to go with them. Herself ain't interested in it and I can't get my head round things like knitting that need repetitive actions done evenly. I nearly lost the plot when I last had to do a simple plait to make a wrist strap for a stick.

Cheers for all the help and feedback!


ATB


Tom

 

[craeg]

Thanks for sharing Tom and great job. Might be a winter project there me thinks

ATB
Craeg

 

[tombear]

One thing I discovered today when I tried them on again, unless my feet have suddenly grown, these shoes have shrunk while in storage! Without socks I could just get them on but walking was very painful. I guess I didn't allow for the shrinkage after soaking them to turn them right side out, letting them dry and then soaking hot wax into the soles. Over time they must have shrunk some more as when first made I could get them on with thickish socks. Thankfully they will still fit the lad so won't be wasted.

So, after i have sounced more sole leather, at least 4mm thick, I will make a bigger pair, erring on the side of caution this time, may be lining them with kid skin since I have some ( thanks M!)

Since they have dug the odd pair made up thisway I will be putting the closures on th inside rather than the outside of the shoes. They have been a pain to do up since I made them and as I walk like a duck anyway the toggles not catch on ech other.

You live and learn

atb

tom

Here's a pic, the slippers are only a 1/2 inch big on me.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Nice I do like them.. Keep on threating to make some mocasons .. but never get round to it....

Thanks for showing

 

[shack]

they do look the business and no mistake, Big Stu- you are not alone in the moccasins on the back burner, one day lol