Ancient Ghillies

[Stan]

Thanks, it was an interesting project.

After I finished this pair, I've had a few friends that wanted make some as well. It's a pretty simple project, and total time was about 3 hours. Because that 3 hours also included making the pattern, and fitting them, (and then making the needed modifications to the pattern) any additional pairs could be be made in about an hour.

[Mairsial MacÙr'ille]

Well, first of all if I want to make a pair of shoes I will have to buy some leather...

[Stan]

If I remember right for my shoes (size 12 US) each foot take a piece of leather that was 16 inches by 14 inches. Also after having looked at several on line instructions, I came to the conclusion that each pair that I saw on line had 20 "fingers" that went around the front of the foot.

After working on making the pattern via measurements that I took of my foot (over the top, around here, and around there), then making the shoes, with the need to do a bit of final cutting and adjusting on the (almost) finished project, I came to the conclusion that the best way to make a pattern for your foot was to put on a tall (sacrificial) sock then wrapping your foot with tape. You want to wrap the tape over the sock and onto you foot, as if you were making a second skin.

When you've finished the "taping", you can then simply use a marker and draw the shoe onto the out side of the tape. After that's been done, then use some scissors and cut down the center of the taped up sock (I'd go down my shin bone) remove the taped up sock, and there you have it.....Your perfect shoe pattern.

It may still take a small amount of modification and fitting, but (I'm of the opinion) that the taping method, and time that it takes is a much more productive than the measure, and remeasure time fallowed by the transferring (and indexing) of those measurements onto paper fallowed by the transfer onto the leather that our going to be using.

Have fun...

BTW making the heal portion of the shoe was the only "head scratches" part of the project. If you'd like a few more photos of the process I'd be happy to post them.....I documented the experience, so that I could (visually) answer the "how did you do that" questions that I was getting from my friends about the project.

[Mairsial MacÙr'ille]

very useful tips! If you didn't it before, you could start a thread (or continue here) explaining with pictures, but I understand the process with your last post

[Benning Boy]

I think Stan is onto something. I had forgotten about using the tape method. I remember now somewhere on-line that being described for making a shoe last.

I mentioned my ghillies above. The have fewer of the fingers than usually seen in the on-line descriptions. I think they might be more comfortable with more. Also mine are made of heavy waxed leather, and don't shape to the foot well. Moccasins are usually made out of lighter 4-5 ounce leather. I'd go with that if making my own old style shoes.

Someone mentioned needing an arch support. Orthotics could be trimmed to your foot shape, and worn under the socks when making the tape pattern, and then you could use the orthotics with your new ghillies.

Concrete and pavement are the enemies of soft soled shoes. ancient shoes were mostly designed for off roading.. It might be wise to glue a foot shaped outer sole to your new shoes, once they are broken in so you can see where the shoes are going to get the most wear. Little patches of leather under the ball of the foot and under the heel, as on a modern dance shoes, (the theatrical kind) might be enough.

[Stan]

I used thin leather because I bought (buy) leather scraps from a leather wholesaler in in Tulsa for $2.00 a pound. Some times the scraps over there are full (24 sq. ft- 54. sq ft) hides.

I'm of the opinion that (definitely) the more "fingers" you put around the toe area the better the shoe will make the curves and conform to you foot. After a lot of observation it seemed to me that the optimum number of "fingers" was (is) 20. I'm also suspect that if you used "waxed leather" that when completed you can put the shoe in water get it good and wet, and then put it on for a bit to get it to conform to your foot a bit better.

To accelerated the drying (setting) time, I'd use a hair dryer to speed up the "setting" of the leather into it's new shape. For support and comfort I DID put a Dr. Sholes insert into each shoe......It worked great. For the insert to have great fit inside the finished shoe, I only needed to (and didn't really need to) trim about a 1/4 inch from the toe of the insert.

Putting 1/4 inch thick sole on was a must, and because the upper was made from such thin leather (good for shoe tops, but not for shoe soles) , for my project it was necessary. The inserts Dr. Sholes inserts were $10.00.(wall-mart)

If I was to make another pair I'd use thicker leather. The kind that you'd make a saddle from. The trade name for that thickness of leather is called "Skirting". I'd suggest that after getting the (sock) pattern traced onto the leather (and cut out) I'd get them soft an pliable, by getting them good and wet, then I'd put them on (nice and tight), get out my hair dryer and then accelerate the drying "into shape" process.

IF you wanted to put a sole onto the shoe after that I'd use the finished (and shaped) shoe to trace the shape onto the material that you were going to use as a sole.......Actually (on line) you can buy a composite sole that you cut to shape, heat in the oven, and then apply to the (new) shoe. When it's cooled, then you trim the compost sole to it's finished shape after it's cooled.

Personally for a sole, I'd simply use the same leather that I used for the shoe. I'd just wet the sole material, make it conform to the new (shaped) shoe) and then mark it, cut it, and when it was dry I'd glue it (using Barge solvent based leather glue) to the new shoe, fallowed up by stitching it to the shoe.

You can use an Awl to pre-make the holes in the thick leather for the needle to go through. I did this "stitching retro fit" and it only took one (frustrating) hour per shoe.

[Mairsial MacÙr'ille]

Thank you so much!! I'm going to buy the leather this weeken!d if I find it! I would like to dedicate my Sunday to this

[Nathan]

I'm not into reenacting but if I was and I were going to make a pair, I'd try to track down some red deer pelt with the fur still on and make the shoes with the fur side in as described in the historical record. Not only would they be more period accurate, they sound as if they'd be more comfortable.

[Stan]

It shouldn't be a problem..... I'll see if I can post some info about doing the heal of the shoe. It's tricky in that you really need to leave a LOT OF material on the back of it so that you have enough to cross over it's self when you pull the left side over the right side, and then pull the back side up.

I'm suspect that if your doing the Tape the sock" method you'll be better equipped that I was. My work on the heal area was trial and error.



I've found a place to buy nice good quality, reasonably priced fur bearing leather. Here's the link....http://www.glacierwear.com/furs-pelts-leather.html

(BTW, I don't have any connection with this company other than being a satisfied customer)

[Stan]

I like that Idea, and I think that I'd be tempted to use a .75- 1.0 inch nap (washable) New Zealand lamb skin.....I think that would make them feel like Ugg boots... A while back I was tempted to see about making myself a set of nice Felted wool sock's / liners...Probably about the same affect.