The
Shoemaker not only repaired shoes, but, perhaps more importantly, he made
new ones. The shoemaker was often disabled and his was small and narrow.
Here is a
collection of rather strange tools; a huge smooth stone for beating the
leather, a little shoemaker’s block held between the knees for hand sewing
...
To make a
shoe a mould was sometimes made of the client’s foot, but more usually
a wooden form of the size required was used. With the aid of a pattern
taken from this form, the pieces of leather were cut. These were trimmed
on a smooth stone or a block covered with zinc. The lining was trimmed
out of twill cloth. The sewing of the pieces was usually done by machine
and the lace holes were pierced. Heel and sole were then attached by studding.
The sole could be sewn on by hand; the shoemaker would make the thread
himself. After the finishing processes the shoe would be removed by a sort
of crochet hook from the form on which it had been made.
