Anyone make their own shoes.

[pastymuncher]

In my quest for minimalist footwear, I prefer barefooting but it's getting cold, I've been looking at making some moccasins or similar.
I know about VFFs and Plano but they're expensive and not quite what I'm after.
Has anyone out there made any or have any advice about this.

I've tried google and found a lot of info (mainly U.S. obviously) but I'm sure there must be some British/european designs out there.

cheers

 

[ChrisI]

Hi
I used to make historical reproduction shoes proffssionaly, the best things to look at are turn shoes, loads of info available especially on reenactment forums

To make a quick pattern draw round your foot onto a piece of cardboard, cut out your sole pattern out, put this put it inside an old sock and put sock/sole combination on , now for the strange bit , wrap your foot in masking tape, round and round and length ways, mark where the seams should go with a felt tip (where the seams go is dependent on what style of shoe you want ) carefully cut along the lines and lay the sections flat.

You now have a pattern that will fit your feet.

Good luck - and enjoy

 

[sandbender]

A viking shoe tutorial at 'earth & living'.

http://earthandliving.blogspot.com/2008/08/viking-shoes-tutorial-sort-of.html

 

[_scorpio_]

i was thinking about this today actually, so this thread is really helpful.
i was thinking a base of fairly thick hardwood (so i can cut grooves into it for stablilty) and using some kind of heavy duty tacks, attaching a rabbit skin to each one with a double layer of skin as an insole.
need to shoot some rabbits now lol!!

 

[forestwalker]

I've made numerous pairs of moccasins, two pairs of mukluks, and a some viking age shoes. The mukluks, which are made from cheap suede and light canvas, are awsome in winter (with two pairs of socks and felt liners) and the mocs work fine as long as you stay in the woods (gravel or asphalt kill them fast).

As a good start get Gerorge M. Whites "Craft Manual of North American Indian Footwear".

 

[Buckshot]

I've made a few pairs of moccs too
I've put soles on some of mine so they can be worn on tarmac etc. 2mm rubber all the way across so doesn't change the feel much

Mark

 

[pastymuncher]

Excellent suggestions so far, the masking tape trick being a stroke of genius, thanks.
Keep 'em coming.

 

[John Fenna]

I hade some moccs from a pattern that first appeared in SWAT many years ago - used them for years for Tai Chi and other martial arts practice...still going strong!

 

[Wayland]

I make Viking shoes and Roman Caligae for use in my work.

I wouldn't use any of them in preference to modern footwear unless I had to if I'm honest.

The Caligae are hardest wearing by far and also better on stony ground.

They also dry out faster, which is a factor because ancient shoes can in no way be considered waterproof.

 

[sandbender]

You could always make a pair of tyre sandals, not so traditional looking but very hard wearing.

 

[Wayland]

You could always make a pair of tyre sandals, not so traditional looking but very hard wearing.

Great link.

 

[treadlightly]

There are these. Not tried them but almost succumbed a while back.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/anaperiodshoes/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686.m570

 

[rancid badger]

Eric Methven makes shoes for re-enactment buffs and live action role play folk.

If he doesn't spot this, you could pm him.

cheers

Steve

 

[leon-1]

I have made a few pairs of moccasins.

Here are a couple of book suggestions that both have viable patterns that are easy enough to follow.

Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger ISBN 0-936070-12-9
Mountainman Craft and Skills by David Montgomery ISBN 1-58574-066-7

If that doesn't float your boat then you can always look at Centralia Fur And Hide.

The originator of a lot of the patterns on there is a Lady Called Sparrowhawk who has a company called Yatahai.com, they can be very helpful on there and they sell patterns as well.

I would offer to send you a tutorial on making a pattern, but until I recover the stuff from my other machine (mainboard death) that ain't gonna happen and this is a netbook so it's not as easy as just plugging in the other drives.

Anyway I hope the links help,

Leon

 

[Bushcraftsman]

hmmmmm...interesting. Always fancied making some moccasins as well, maybe should get on it

 

[forestwalker]

You could always make a pair of tyre sandals, not so traditional looking but very hard wearing.

There was an article a few years ago in Bulletin of Primitive Technology where the author tested various primitive and not so primtive sandals (including the tyre-based ones). It was of course in the western desert landscape, not damp UK woodlands nor the taiga that I inhabit.

Here's the article: Matt Graham "Putting on the Miles: A Test of Traditional Sandalwear", Bulletin of Primitive Technology (20):2000 (for some reason I never noted down the page numbers, and can't bother to walk upstairs to the bookcase and check).