Chapter II: Preface

This Handbook contains, in a form convenient for everyday use, a comprehensive digest of the knowledge of How to Make and Repair Boots and Shoes, scattered over ten thousand columns of WORK, the weekly journal it is my fortune to edit--and supplies concise instruction in the general principles of the craft on which it treats.

In preparing for publication in book form the mass of relevant matter already published in the volumes of WORK, much that was tautological in character had to be rejected. The remainder necessarily had to be arranged anew, altered and largely re-written. From these causes the contributions of many are so blended that the writings of individuals cannot be distinguished for acknowledgment.

However, it may be mentioned that a number of articles from the pen of Mr. William Greenfield, an acknowledged adept in the craft, are incorporated in the text.

Readers who may desire additional information respecting special details of the matters dealt with in this Handbook, or instruction on kindred subjects, should address a question to WORK, so that it may be answered in the columns of that journal.

P. N. HASLUCK.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE
I.--Repairing Heels and Half-soling 9
II.--Patching Boots and Shoes 32
III.--Re-welting and Re-soling 50
IV.--Boot Making 62
V.--Lasting the Upper 75
VI.--Sewing and Stitching 84
VII.--Making the Heel 99
VIII.--Knifing and Finishing 120
IX.--Making Riveted Boots and Shoes 148

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

FIG. PAGE
1.--Worn Heel prepared for Mending 10
2.--New Half Heel, with Rivets to Resist Wear 11
3.--Half-heel Piece Holed and Hammered 12
4.--Home-made Awl 13
5.--Top of Awl Handle 13
6.--Cut Bill 13
7.--French Brad 13
8.--Half-heel Piece Bradded 14
9.--Snow’s Leather-plugged Half-tip 15
10.--Heel prepared for Half-tip 15
11.--Fixing Heel with Screws 16
12.--Sharpening Strop 17
13.--End View of Strop 17
14.--Shoemaker’s Bench 19
15.--Heel prepared for Repairing 20
16.--Rivets in a Boot Sole 21
17.--Iron Foot used in Re-soling 22
18.--Iron Last and Stand 22
19, 20.--Last Stands, with Reversible Foot 23
21.--Old Sole Removed 24
22.--New Sole partly Fitted 24
23.--New Sole Fastened in Groove 25
24.--New Sole finally Fitted 25
25.--Position for Rivets 26
26.--Edge of Sole Pened 26
27.--Shoemaker’s Rasp 27
28.--Enlarged View of Pened Work 27
29.--Top Piece on Heel 27
30.--Glazing Iron 29
31.--Leather Skived to form Patch 33
32.--Putting on a Patch 33
33.--Patch Completed 34
34.--How to hold the Boot whilst Sewing 35
35, 36.--Leather Skived to form Patches 37
37.--Preparing the Boot to receive the Patch 38
38.--Crack mended with Cross and Zigzag Stitches 40
39.--Cross Stitch 41
40.--Blind Stabbing 41
41.--Blind Stabbing 42
42.--Upholsterer’s Needle 42
43.--Needle in Handle 43
44.--Makeshift Blind Stabbing 43
45.--Sole raised to receive Underlay 44
46.--Leather Skived to form Underlay 45
47.--Skiver for Levelling 45
48.--Toe-piece and Underlay 46
49.--Loop Stitching 47
50.--Seat Stitching 47
51.--Stitch Drawing 48
52.--Grafting Sole to Waist 51
53.--Cutting Welts 52
54.--Welt prepared for Sewing 53
55.--Sewn Graft 53
56.--Fitting, Stitching, and Sewing 55
57.--Sewing-awl 57
58.--Blade of Stitching-awl 57
59.--Section of Boot 58
60.--Rubbing down Channel 59
61.--Fudge-wheel 59
62.--Waxing the Thread 60
63.--Hand-leather 61
64.--Shape of Foot Drawn on Paper 62
65.--Shoemaker’s Tape Measure 63
66.--Measuring a Stockinged Foot 63
67.--Measuring a Last 64
68.--A Last 64
69.--Bottom of Last 65
70.--Long Leather 66
71.--Instep Leather 66
72.--Joint Leather 66
73.--Heel-pin 66
74.--Last in Parts 67
75.--Peg-awl 67
76.--Gent.’s Lace Boot 70
77.--Oxford Shoe 71
78.--Inner Sole, Filled and Holed 72
79.--Prick-stitch 73
80.--Awl Holing the Inner Sole 73
81.--Stiffener 74
82.--Skiving-knife 74
83.--Side Lining 74
84.--Ready for Lasting 75
85.--Sole of Last showing Tacks 76
86.--Lasting Tack 76
87.--Lasting the Toe 78
88.--Shoemaker’s Pincers 79
89.--Side of Lasted Toe 80
90.--Sewing the Welt 84
91.--Welt enlarged 85
92.--Awl and Bristle 86
93.--Welt Sewn in 87
91.--Sole 89
95.--Rounding up the Sole 90
96.--Channel for the Stitches 90
97.--Channel laid open 92
98.--Stitching-awl 93
99.--Stitching the Boot 94
100.--Making the Stitch 95
101.--Rubbing the Channel down 96
102.--Sole-piece 98
103.--Cutting Split-lifts 99
104.--Turning the Split-lift 100
105.--Split-lift in position 100
106.--Heel ready for Sewing 101
107.--Flat-waisted Last 102
108.--Alteration of Last for High Heels 103
109.--Another way of Altering Last 103
110.--Heels Contrasted 104
111.--Stitching the Lift 104
112.--Method of Making the Stitch 104
113.--Pening to cover the Stitch 106
114.--Trimming the Seat 106
115.--Metal Guard used when Trimming 107
116.--Seat-breaker 107
117.--Welt-file 108
118.--Pegging a Seat 108
119.--Seat Sewn for Pegging 109
120.--Pegged Seat and Split-lift 109
121.--Flexura Spring 110
122.--Inner Sole for Pegged Waist 111
123.--Pegged Waist Enlarged 112
124.--Split Strip for light Pegged Work 113
125.--Completing the Heel 114
126.--Shape of Lifts for Blinding 115
127.--Top Piece Bradded 115
128.--Pitch of Heel 116
129.--Heel Pitching on Breast 116
130.--Heel Pitching on Back 116
131.--Correct Range for Spring Waist on Last 117
132.--Spring Waist off the Last 118
133.--Square Military Heel 118
134.--Smart Military Heel 118
135.--Heel in the Rough 120
136.--Knifing-up the Heel 121
137.--Paring Waist and Buffing Edge 121
138.--Peening Waist and Breaking Heel Corners 121
139.--Welt-beater 122
140.--Corner-beater 122
141.--Peening the Heel 123
142.--Rasping the Heel 123
143.--Yankee Heel Shave 124
144.--Peening Edge of Sole 125
145.--Rasping Edge of Sole 125
146.--Sole-plane 126
147.--Shoemaker’s Buffing-knife 126
148.--Welt Knife 128
149.--Breasting the Heel and Marking the Waist 129
150.--Sole, Waist, and Top-piece set up 130
151.--Seat wheel 131
152.--Handle for Waist Iron made from a chair leg 131
153.--Hollow Waist-iron 132
154.--Side-view of Waist-iron 132
155.--Round Waist-Iron 132
156.--Blind Double Iron 132
157.--Double Iron 132
158, 159.--Forepart Iron: Front and Side Views 133
160.--Double Iron 134
161.--Improved Fudge-wheel 135
162.--Portion of Boot for Pricking up the Stitch 136
163.--Spirit Lamp for Heating Irons 137
164.--Holding Heel-ball Cloth 139
165.--Double-handed Burnisher or Glazer 140
166.--How to Mark Waist 141
167.--Creasing for Flexura Waist 143
168.--Section of Boot 143
169.--Last Hook 144
170.--Round-headed Peg Rasp 145
171.--Peg Knife 145
172.--Seat-sock for Gent.’s Boots 145
173.--Sock for Ladies’ Boots and Shoes 146
174.--Putting in Sock not to Crease it 146
175.--Thin Sheet Iron to cover Last 148
176.--Boot Bottom with Blinders and Split-lift on Heel 149
177.--Boot Lasted Ready for Riveting 150
178.--The Riveted Sole 151
179.--Rivet Driver 152

BOOT MAKING AND MENDING.