Chapter VII: Making the Heel

The split-lifts to form the heel are made from a piece of butt leather, generally first-cut, as it requires to be tight, and must be supple. The piece should be about 7 in. long and 1 in. wide; this, split down the centre while quite wet, makes a pair.

The splitting is done as follows:--Place the leather (Fig. 103), grain side up, on a board held upon the knees, let the left-hand thumb rest at A, and the little finger at B. With the first, second, and third fingers press upon the leather to keep the part marked C firm on the board. The knife, held in a slanting position, is put in at D, on top, and passed through to E on the other side. The knife is drawn along the dotted line D until it reaches F, with the point on the lower side, and following the dotted line C to A. This splitting gives two wedge-shaped strips of leather, A, B, as shown (Fig. 104). If not made quite to this shape while splitting, trim them up afterwards. One strip is then laid on the lap-iron, with the thin edge towards the worker. The left thumb is placed upon A (Fig. 104), and the right upon B, with thumb-nails towards you, the hands back to back, and the two forefingers against C and D. In this way the thumbs can be pressed very hard, and the two ends of the strip brought round to the dotted shape E and F. The thin edge will pucker up in the centre (G and H), but the puckers are hammered flat by tapping round the centre while holding the two ends between the thumb and finger of the left hand. Thus one split-lift is made, and the process must be repeated for the other. The leather to make split-lifts must be split while wet, but it is best to let the strips dry a little before blocking them on the lap-iron. In drying they open a little at the ends, as shown by the dotted lines. For this reason the ends are brought together when making, in order that they may dry the proper shape.

The heel, as shown in Fig. 102, is rasped off and made rough so as to receive a thin coat of paste the same width as the split-lift, which is rasped on one side and treated similarly; it is then put on as shown in Fig. 105, the boot being held firmly, the heel end on the right and the toe on the left knee, by the strap passing over the waist and between the knees.

The split-lift is placed with its edge flush with the edge of the centre of the seat-piece at A. A peg is driven in, another at B one at C, then one at D, and another at E. These pegs will keep the split-lift in its place while other pegs are being put in between them; all must be placed towards the centre, as far away from the edge as the thickness of the split-lift will admit.

This is then nicely pared round. If a gent’s or lady’s square-heel boot, the outside corner should be left square; towards the back and inside corner it can slant in somewhat. The tops of the pegs may be cut off, the top rasped as was the seat, and the two ends trimmed. A piece of zinc slipped under the end previous to cutting protects the grain of the sole from being scored in the process.

The split-lift being now pegged in its proper place on the seat, the top of it is roughed with a rasp and pasted. The first entire lift, after roughing and pasting the flesh side, is then put on grain side upwards. The size for each lift piece should be got by placing a piece of paper over the split-lift. Then stroke the paper over the edge of the split-lift, until the edge of the heel is shown. This pattern will do for roughing out all the lifts for a square heel, and they should be a little larger than the pattern. If a smart (hollowed) heel is to be made, each successive lift may be a little smaller than the one on which it lies. For the present boot only two whole lifts are wanted to make the heel, shown in Fig. 106, A being the sole and seat-pieces, B the split-lift, and C and D the first and second whole lifts. In putting on the first lift, about five pegs can be inserted midway between the centre and edge, as was done in the split-lift, the top of the pegs being cut off with a portion of the lift. The top is rasped until nearly all the grain is off the leather, then it is trimmed to the shape of the heel. The second lift is then roughed, the two surfaces pasted, and the lift placed and kept where it belongs on the heel by driving in two ³⁄₄ rivets at E and F; or two sole tacks may be used temporarily, and then withdrawn when the sewing down has been done. At the breast of the heel the first lift should overhang the ends of the split-lifts a little, and the second should overhang the first, and so on, until the heel is the height required, and the top piece is on. A channel, shown by the dotted line, must be cut in this top lift. If a second cut be made an eighth of an inch from the first, with the knife held slanting the reverse way, it will cut a ~V~-piece out and form a groove, which need not be deep, for the stitch to lie in. The sole and seat-piece should be rubbed round from G to H with the bone to open it a little, so that the seat stitches may be clear.

If the last is out of range for the height of heel you wish to make, it can be counteracted by feathering the insole, and sewing close and full, unless the last is very badly out, when its construction must be altered. All the full lines circumscribing the lasts in Figs. 107, 108, and 109 are alike; and it will be seen by Fig. 107 that the last is somewhat dead, or flat in the waist. By building a high heel, one lift above the other, without reducing them at the breast, the heel will be thrown out of range, as shown at A, B, and C (Fig. 107). If to give a better range the lifts are reduced at the breast when the boot is worn, the pressure of the foot on D will press it down to the ground line, and again throw the heel out of range. To prevent this, there are two ways to fit up the last, and if it fits someone, and will be again wanted to make low-heeled boots upon with little trouble, the alteration will be best made in a way that the last may be quickly brought back to the original shape. To do this, take the measure of the last round the joints at A B (Fig. 108), and then peg a piece of wetted leather on the bottom and right across the last from C to D; skive the leather, as shown by the dotted line B, tapering to nothing at C and D, but less abrupt from B to C than from B to D. Rasp away the wood at A E, as shown by the dotted line, until the new measurement is the same as first taken. Peg on the heel a piece of leather, thick at F, and tapered to nothing at G. A little wood can be taken off at H, and if the lasts are to be used for high-heeled boots only, it will be the best. Rasp off the bottom at the toe a piece from A to B (Fig. 109), as shown by the dotted line, and also from C to D, taking away most at E; this deficiency can be made up with leather at F and G. The two diagrams given in Fig. 110 contrast the pitches of the same heel on the different-shaped lasts.

To sew down the heel the boot is placed on the knees with the heel towards you, and the lifts to the left, as shown in Fig. 111, and held very firmly by the strap. The thread for the heel should be about four or six strands stouter than sewing thread. The heel awl is a tool nearly straight, but in other respects like the sewing-awl. It is used in a large-sized sewing-awl handle, and before making each hole the blade needs to be dipped into soap. It has a thick substance to go through, so the leather must be sufficiently moist, and good bristles are wanted on the thread.

To make the first hole for sewing the heel, the awl is put in at A (Fig. 111) and brought out at B. The exact place where the point of the awl is to be put in the sole is shown in Fig. 112, which is a section of the welt and seat. The heel is indicated by the dotted lines B B, and the first hole is made at near A the corner of the heel, and the thread is drawn half-way through. In the same way the second hole is made at C. In making all the holes after the first, the awl must be kept clear of the seat stitch (Fig. 112), as this might impoverish the stitch and make it somewhat rotten. After the second hole is made, the point of the awl is placed under the seat stitch to raise it in line with the mouth of the hole, so that the sewing thread may pass through the loop of the seat stitch. The stitch is made by passing through the two bristles from opposite ends of the hole one after the other. The two ends are then drawn through together, pulling the thread hard on both ends. The third hole is made in the same way by putting the awl in at D, and the sewing process is repeated. This will make a stitch as seen at H, coming out of loop G, and returning into loop I; and when the stitch is drawn tight it draws the upper to the sole, and also holds the heel on. This process is repeated, each hole following on as at E and F, until all the stitches that lie on the upper leather are sewn down. The stitches in Figs. 111 and 112 are shown loose to clearly illustrate their positions. The heel thread should fall into the groove cut on the top of the heel, the last stitch being finished off with a knot. After each few stitches are set the heel should be hammered down to keep it in its place. When the heel is sewn all round, and the ends of the thread cut off, it can be firmly and well hammered down all over.

Now when the leather is damp and workable is the time to make the seat; and after it has been hammered on top, the stitches A D (Fig. 111) should be rubbed down well with the bone. The heel can then be dressed carefully with the pene end of the hammer, so that in the process all the stitches are covered by the leather. In commencing, the pene of the hammer must strike the heel at the bottom of the split-lift and the top of the sole and sole-piece, as shown in Fig. 113. This is to drive the leather over the stitches as much as possible. When this pening has been done all round the heel, turn the boot and commence at the extreme edge B, holding the boot in the position shown; and when hammering towards the back, let the toe slip between the knees. The blows of the hammer do not want to be hard, but sharp and frequent, and repeated in various rows all round the edge of the heel, as at A (Fig. 114), leaving no part untouched. Then the leather can be slightly flattened with the face of the hammer.

The next step is to trim the rough edges of the seat at B. Hold the boot firmly upon the knees (as at Fig. 114), and just start cutting with the point of the knife; and to save it from slipping into the upper, a metal guard will be found very useful. The handle of an old metal spoon hammered thin and flat (as A, Fig. 115) makes a handy guard to the knife for several purposes. This guard is placed on the upper, as at C, and moved along with the knife when cutting off the rough edge D. The seat is trimmed up, so that E is left firm and solid, and well covering the stitch. The next process is running the seat-breaker (Fig. 116) round from the other corner of the seat. In the illustration A is the cutter, B the guard, C the handle. The guard B is put against the top of the seat at the opposite corner to B (Fig. 114), and, taking three or four sweeping strokes in one direction only, the seat should be made smooth and even all round. If it is not, the lumps must be cut off with the knife, and the breaker used again. This finishes the edge E; and the edge B must now be rubbed round with the welt file (Fig. 117), used for smoothing the welt, etc., made with cross-cuts on one side only (as illustrated). The heel can be allowed to dry, and it can then have the remainder of the lifts put on.

If a pegged seat is wanted, it must be arranged for before the boot is lasted, as it is necessary to skive the stiffener (Fig. 74) much thinner and more tapered than is wanted for a sewn seat. The inner sole is not fitted and holed as described on p. 72 (Fig. 78), but it is left quite square and plain to the edge, to where the heel is coming; the waist and fore-part only are holed. The seat portion is left its full substance, and it will be found that even then the centre is higher than the sides, unless the bottom of the last is very flat at the heel--which it should not be, as this will make the boot feel very uncomfortable to the heel in wear.

A pair of thin split-lifts about ¹⁄₂ in. wide must be made, as described on p. 100, to go round the edge of the inner sole. The thickness that these split-lifts should be must be decided by the amount of drop that the last has at the edge, as their purpose is to make the top as near flat and level as possible. The split-lift can be pegged on with a few short fine pegs, so that in pegging the seat the sole and all the upper leather and stiffener should lie quite flat. Pegs should go through everything, inner included; otherwise they are never solid, and tend to yield to any strain from top and bottom; so pegs must go straight through each substance, and not on the slant. Fig. 118 is a section of the seat, upper, stiffener, inner sole, split-lift, and sole, with the right side with the split-lift, and the left without. The difference between a peg that is driven through straight, as the line A, and the one driven aslant, as the line C, can be easily seen. To get upon the leather on the left the same effect as shown by the line A, the peg would have to be driven as the line C, which is not nearly so strong as A.

When the inner sole is prepared, the top can be lasted round the seat as described on pp. 75-77, excepting that the lower edge of the upper leather must reach towards the centre fully ³⁄₈ in. more than is needed for a sewn seat. Bought tops are generally quite large enough to allow this, without making the golosh too low at the back; but tops not large enough must be sewn. There are several ways of sewing the upper to the inner sole; but this is not done as described for a sewn seat. The upper leather can be stitched by felling to the inner sole, or the stitch can be set, first on the sole side and then on the upper; but that is not solid enough for good work, as too much depends upon the pegs.

The best method is as follows:--Hold the boot as for stitching the sewn heel, with the heel towards you (see Fig. 119). The sewing awl is put in at A, the point is brought out at B, and a thread is put through and halved. The awl is next put in at C and brought out at D; this is a little on the slant, and the remainder of the holes can follow the alternate dots from side to side in like manner. The stitch is set like this: the thread end hanging from B is held in the left hand, and when the hole C D is made the end at A is put into C; B is then put between A C under the thread that is going to form the stitch across these two holes. The thread A is then drawn out with the left hand at D, and the thread B drawn through under the stitch A C. This will draw the upper over at B. The next stitch is set in the same manner, which will draw D over, and so on right round. Each time a stitch is set it can be hammered down on top and at the side; this drives the stiffener into its place, and helps to make a nice square edge, shown by the line E F, to form the seat upon. By the diagram (Fig. 119) it can be seen at the last stitch that the two ends G and H tied together will make a good finish, with a solid and smooth seam, and that the top is flat to receive the sole.

The sole and sole-piece are put on as with a sewn boot, only they are pared nearer to the upper, leaving about ¹⁄₁₆ in. all round. A row of fine pegs, just long enough to go through the inner sole, is put in (as shown by A, Fig. 120) near to the edge of the sole and sole-piece; and they must reach the edge of the inner sole and just go through it. A straight fine awl is like an ordinary fine bradawl, it should be used with a short stumpy handle; and if the leather be too hard for it to be forced in by hand pressure, it can be held in its place with the left, and driven in with a hammer in the right. The tops of the pegs must be cut off, rasped, and pasted, ready to receive the split-lifts, as described on p. 101. When the split-lift is put on, it must have a row of pegs put round, as in Fig. 120, only they must not be quite so near the edge, as shown by B. The first lift is treated in the way described on p. 101, and, with these exceptions, all is the same, as with a sewn seat.

A steel spring inserted in each waist is useful for those who like a boot or shoe to fit close under the waist and instep, or for those who have a flat foot and want to improve it. This spring need not be so strong as to hurt the foot; and at first wearing it is best to have springs very little curved, and stiff enough to keep the waist from dropping by the weight of the body. As you get used to them, a spring more flexible, yet stronger, can be used. There are several kinds of springs--single, double, twins, Goodyear’s, etc.; but a good strong single spring will answer the best, using women’s or men’s as wanted. Flexura springs can be got at almost any grindery shop. The price is about 3d. or 4d. per pair, or from 2s. 2d. to 4s. per dozen. Two pieces of brass or zinc for the plates, and about eight copper tacks, should be included with each pair. Fig. 121 shows their shape; they are about 4¹⁄₂ in. long, and ¹⁄₂ in. to ³⁄₄ in. wide; this is before they go in the boot. They will not need padding, as the spring should not be strong enough to hurt the foot. Should this happen, it can be prevented by bending the spring back very gently at first, and increasing as you proceed, so as to make the spring nearly straight and yet not to break it.

To put the springs in, the boot is unlasted after the inner sole is fitted, and put on the lap-iron to have riveted upon it a plate of brass or zinc. This plate of metal has three holes made in it; it is laid upon the flesh side of the inner sole, as at A (Fig. 122), and three holes are pierced with a fine awl in the inner sole. The place for the end of the spring is just below the end of the waist, as shown. If it is put nearer the ball of the foot, the steel will work through the metal plate and the leather also, and thus let water in before the other parts of the boot are half worn out.

Then lay the sole on a board, and from the grain side drive three copper tacks through, so that the heads are well into the grain and smooth with the leather. Take the shoe off the board and put it with the tack heads flat on the lap-iron. Put the plate of metal over the points of the tacks, and hammer it down to the leather. Cut the points off near to the plate, and, while the heads are flat on the iron, gently burr or rivet the ends to fix the plate very solid.

Proceed, as previously described, with making until the welt is in and the seat and waist sewn down; then the steel spring is put in. It has a hole through one end only, C (Fig. 122). The other end, A, is put under the metal plate, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 122, a tack is put through the hole C in the spring, and when the boot is made it can be cut off and riveted in the same way that was done for the plate. This is usually enough to hold the spring, but a few stitches can be put across from side to side if it needs it.

The boot is then proceeded with as before described; but no welt is wanted in the waist if it is to be made pegged, which, if done properly, is by far the best for a flexura spring waist.

In fitting the inner sole for a _pegged waist_ the waist is skived at the edges only, and not very far in, excepting at the centre of the inside waist (as D), where the outer sole will have a greater curve, and still allow the pegs to be put in, so that they will go through the whole substance of the leather. For the pegged seat more upper leather is wanted to last over than for sewn work, and this can be sewn down as described for the seat.

For a pegged waist the sole need not be made thinner in the waist than for a sewn one, unless it is very stout; and in that case, it can be thinned uniformly from the grain side; so that, although the waist is thinner than the sole, it is all the same substance. Assuming that the sole is stitched on and the seat pegged, we have only to peg the waist. This is very important work, for if the waists once give way they are exceedingly difficult to repair.

A diagram of the waist is given in Fig. 123 on a larger scale to show the essential points. The dotted lines A and A show the inner sole. The full lines B and B show where the outer sole is to be rounded up. The lines C and C show the edge of the upper leather, and D D show the stitches that hold it in its place, which are like those in the seat. If the flexura spring should require further fastening, the stitches D, D can be drawn from one side to the other. E E show where three rows of pegs should be put in. About six holes, marked F, F, F, F, F, F, should be made in each side, and as each hole is made a peg should be put in. This holds the waist in its place. Then between each two of these another peg can be put in, as at G. The remaining holes necessary to complete one row are made, as shown at H I; each one is pegged as it is made. When one row of pegs are in, trim off the tops with the knife or rasp before putting in the second row, and proceed the same with the second row if you intend to put a third, which will be necessary for heavy work.

For making light pegged work there need not be a middle sole, as a simple runner will suffice. Measure from joint to joint on the fore-part; select a piece of firm leather, first-cut is best, and cut it to this length, and about 1¹⁄₂ in. wide. Split this strip down the centre as in making a split-lift; the cut, being ¹⁄₂ in. wide (as shown in Fig. 124), will give on each side ¹⁄₂ in. width of solid stuff to peg through. Skive the strip a little wider and thinner at the toe, so that you may get it round smoother. Hammer it, peg it on, cut the pegs off, skive it down towards the centre, and fill the bottom up in the ordinary way. By this means it may be made as flat or round as you choose. No matter how broad the bottoms are intended to be, the pegs must be far enough from the edge to go through quite ¹⁄₈ in. from the edge of the insole. It will be found best to slant the edge with an ordinary knife, but be very careful not to cut the upper. Hold in the left hand the piece being cut away, twist it between the thumb and finger, and only use the extreme point of the knife, guided by the second finger of the right hand. The fore-part iron will do for smoothing with as for sewn boots.

The heel was left, on p. 101, built up to the second whole lift, A (Fig. 125). To make a 1¹⁄₄ in. heel will need two more lifts and the top piece. The top of A should be roughed with the rasp, and pasted, and the third lift laid on and secured by two rivets nearly in the centre; this is also rasped and pasted, and the last or top lift put on. This lift is rasped and pasted, and also the flesh side of the top piece, which is held firm by headless rivets put in at A and B (Fig. 126), so that it may be rounded up. The heel can be rounded up to whatever shape may be desired. Fig. 126 is a medium heel; it can be built smarter, or quite square, as the dotted lines show in A and B; either way, it should be longer and more square on the outside corner C (Fig. 126) which in this case shows the right heel. The remainder of the rivets can be put in not very near the edge, as D and E (Fig. 126). They should slant outward all round, as B (Fig. 125).

To blind on the top piece drive six blinders, or headless rivets, down the side of those at A, D, and F (Fig. 126), as shown there by the small dots. Prior to pasting the top lift these blinders are put in, leaving enough to go through about two-thirds or three-quarters of the substance of the top piece. The top piece is laid on and hammered down, causing these portions of rivets to embed themselves into it, and so hold it on. For very light work, or when the wearer objects to his heels making a noise in walking, blinders can be put in all round, and other nails need not be used; but then the top piece wears out quicker than if it has nails or brads in it. The system has one advantage--that heels need not be worn down badly, as it is not much trouble to slip this piece off, knock another on, and pare it up and finish. It need be renewed only as far as it is worn; therefore it is as well to put this top piece on in two pieces, joined as shown by the dotted line (Fig. 127), when only the part C need be slipped off and replaced.

The position for the brads is as shown at C (Fig. 127), being on the outside of the heel, unless the wearer treads inside, when the heels should be bradded on the inside. The top piece should be left about ¹⁄₁₆ in. wider where the brads are to go, leaving something to trim off. By this means the brads are got quite to the edge of the top piece, where the hardest wear comes. One, two, or three rows of brads or rivets can be put in, according to the strength of the boot; a third row need only reach from D to D, the inner row being the shortest.

Most of the care necessary to give symmetry to the bottom of the boot lies in fitting the inner sole and sewing in the welt and seat; and to have a boot well ranged, this must be kept in mind. The inner sole must be so arranged that when the heel is built to its full height, and the top piece on, a straight-edge placed as shown by the line D (Figs. 125 and 128) will show that the flat of the top piece is level with the flat part of the sole.

This plan line of the inner sole’s edge may be thrown out of level, as shown in Fig. 129, by the dotted line A, through sewing the welt and seat corners too snug, as the dotted lines E E show in Fig. 122. Raising the point of the sewing-awl here and dropping it at F will make a heel built lift upon lift too high in front, as at B (Fig. 129); to make it stand flat upon the ground a wedge-lift would be put in, as at C. The reason for this is that the last is round at the bottom of the heel, it being highest at C (Fig. 122) and lowest at F and E E. The closer the two dotted lines E E, the higher they are, as at A (Fig. 129), and the more they are sewn down at F (Fig. 122), the lower they are at D (Fig. 129), and this gives the result explained. If the reverse is done it will make a heel too high at the back, as shown by A (Fig. 130); but this fault is not nearly such a bad one as the other, except in a spring waist; then the spring would raise the waist and pitch the back of the heel so prominently as to make it very uncomfortable in wear.

From Fig. 131 can be seen the importance of having this line a curve sweeping towards the heel, and straight at the sole. The way certain lasts have to be fitted for particular types of feet sometimes makes it difficult to do the fore-part in nicely; but it should range correctly at least from the waist to the heel, as from A to B.

A heel dropping, as at B (Fig. 130), which makes it look higher in breast than at the back, or rising at A (Fig. 129), which makes it look higher at the back than at the breast, is very unsightly, and throws the boot or shoe out of position in wear. It is this sort of heel which gets worn down at the front, B E (Fig. 128), and also causes the waist to drop, as though the wearer had a flat foot. The effect is that the upper part is drawn out of place, and wrinkles are made on the instep of the boot, making it appear old with only a very little wear.

The range of the heel has a certain effect upon the pitch, because a little defect in the range can to a certain extent be set right by properly pitching a heel; but it is not advisable here to dwell upon makeshifts to overcome defects, as the aim is to show how to be boot-makers, not boot-doctors. Therefore, remember that range depends upon pitch, and pitch upon the form of heel.

A gent’s ordinary military heel (Fig. 131) should be pitched as C, unless the boot has a spring waist; then it can be pitched as shown by the dotted lines D and E. When off the last, and also when on the foot, the waist will have a tendency to rise, and so pitch the heel forward, as shown by A (Fig. 132). The spring waist will also have the effect of making the toe lie flat on the ground, as at B, which adds beauty to the boot or shoe. The higher the heel, the more forward it wants to be pitched, as A (Fig. 133); or, for a lady’s, as shown at A (Fig. 134). An extra smart high heel could come even as far as the dotted line B. The last should then have more drop in the waist, and more off the bottom of the back of the heel, as at the dotted line C.

The shape for a heel is to a great extent a matter of fancy, though some heels would look out of place on certain work. A boot for heavy wear should have a square-shaped heel. A light dress-boot can have a small top piece. For ladies, even if the heel is smart, it is best to have the top piece somewhat large. Low heels are best for walking, riding, shooting, or for any purpose where the wearer is likely to be long on the feet. For light walking-dress wear there is no objection to high heels providing the wearer knows how to walk on them which very few persons do.