Making leather footwear.
- Thread starter Tengu
- Start date
-
The awesome MakerMoot is coming up (13-15th Nov 2026), Visit the TORM & ARM markets,and have space back at camp to work on projects and enjoy great company. PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
I've looked into making basic leather shoes a number of times but never have I managed to get around to doing it. I've often thought that meso/neo lithic man would have needed shoes before a loin cloth (unless running through bramble 
)
This is one of the resources I looked at - but also various moccasin patterns:
leatherconservation.org
)This is one of the resources I looked at - but also various moccasin patterns:
A how-to guide for making Iron Age shoes, by Pei Pei Lee - Leather Conservation Centre
leatherconservation.org
I'm with Tengu on this. Courrans and sandals are miserable to wear in our climate, on our soils, especially if they're stony.
I made myself Viking turn shoe style boots, they were incredibly comfortable, and more so, there are a heck of a lot of extant examples.
We have Pictish leather shoes too.
Regia Angolorum have an online shoe making bit on their site
Marc Carlson is the fellow who has compiled records and images, etc., of shoemaking through the millennials.
personalutulsaedumarccarlson.wordpress.com
I made myself Viking turn shoe style boots, they were incredibly comfortable, and more so, there are a heck of a lot of extant examples.
We have Pictish leather shoes too.
Regia Angolorum have an online shoe making bit on their site
Marc Carlson is the fellow who has compiled records and images, etc., of shoemaking through the millennials.
General Historical Shoemaking Stuff Links
My Stuff Footwear of the Middle Ages Some Historical Shoemaking Texts in English (in Progress) Related Links Where are the elves? Yahoogroups Medieval Shoemaking Group. Yahoogroups Med…
personalutulsaedumarccarlson.wordpress.com
I haven't ridden in ohh at least thirty years so Shank's pony it is.....and even though I walk about barefoot in my home and garden, even I wore shoes when I worked where Tengu is now.
Wet's the issue with shoes, which is why the courrans/sandals are sort of effective, but unless you use very fine, and thus not terribly strong, leather, then they really needs socks of some kind beneath them. Even Oetzi had shoes, though his were stuffed with soft grass.
Picked clean fleece is very good, it felts down beautifully, is warm and comfortable, and if you leave the lanolin in it doesn't stay as wet.....ends up stinking though, while the grass doesn't.
so Shank's pony it is.....and even though I walk about barefoot in my home and garden, even I wore shoes when I worked where Tengu is now.Wet's the issue with shoes, which is why the courrans/sandals are sort of effective, but unless you use very fine, and thus not terribly strong, leather, then they really needs socks of some kind beneath them. Even Oetzi had shoes, though his were stuffed with soft grass.
Picked clean fleece is very good, it felts down beautifully, is warm and comfortable, and if you leave the lanolin in it doesn't stay as wet.....ends up stinking though, while the grass doesn't.
Long ago I stayed in digs in Derbyshire. My landlady’s husband worked in the quarries and wore clogs (leather uppers, wooden soles with a horse shoe nailed to the bottom.) No I’m not suggesting clogs but:
He wore a cotton toe rag wrapped around his foot. They were washed each night and burned on Friday.
Edited to add:
Could pattens be useful?
He wore a cotton toe rag wrapped around his foot. They were washed each night and burned on Friday.
Edited to add:
Could pattens be useful?
Last edited:
I have made "Turn Shoes" etc but perhaps the "Iron Age" shoe is more suited to your new role ... I just googled for "Iron Age Shoes" and found a step by step tutorial...
I've made a few pairs of high leg american style moccs.
I used to use them bushcrafting but found the restricting factor was the smooth sole and lack of grip.
putting a rubber outer sole helps a bit but not to the extent of a modern shoe.
As i wasn't LARPing i moved onto the modern barefoot style shoes.
I did find it concentrated the mind when using an axe though!
I used to use them bushcrafting but found the restricting factor was the smooth sole and lack of grip.
putting a rubber outer sole helps a bit but not to the extent of a modern shoe.
As i wasn't LARPing i moved onto the modern barefoot style shoes.
I did find it concentrated the mind when using an axe though!
Those shoes are turn shoes made under the watchful eye of Eric M at the Moot many years ago - the year you made a costrel if I am not mistaken. I wear them now with my Neolithic kit
It would seem that the mocs are Una tribe style....
It would seem that the mocs are Una tribe style....
An interesting pdf....
Margarethe Hald, Making primitve shoes.
Margarethe Hald, Making primitve shoes.
Similar threads
