Does anyone here know anything about ...

[Michael Mcneil]

No. What is the interest? There is no way anyone not already well trained can compete with modern machines and/or cheap imports.

[Mary Fisher]

The interest is that many of us have feet which aren't catered for by standard sizes in commercially produced shoes. There are two answers to that: hand-made shoes (frightfuly expensive) or make them yourself. Spouse has made all mine and many of his own (including all our Roman, Dark Age and Mediaeval ones) for years but now he's being asked to cater for others.

I thought someone here might know more than we do. It seems that they don't, which is fair enough.

There's a huge amount of untapped knowledge on d-i-y skills in this ng, any question is worth asking.

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

It's a long way to go and expensive to travel for something one can do one's self :-)

Mary

[Rob Morley]

Seems to me that, as long as he can find a quick and easy way of making lasts for his customers, he doesn't really need to do anything differently.

[Rick]

You can make shoes, can you make the to fit very weird shaped feet, if you can then lets talk. My mum has major issues with shoes, the last people to hand make some for her,made shoes that were useless.

Rick

[Mary Fisher]

OK, how do you suggest doing that?

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

Well, we can talk - but you were just suggesting going to Cairo ... :-)

Mary

>

[Rick]

Me mum won't go, she won't leave Great Britian. I even got a friend who lives there to volenteer to act as a guide for her, but alas ...

Me Mums feet are not far off being as wide as they are long, she has arthritus in several joints, but still likes to spend all day up and walking her dogs .......... Somewhat of a challenge I guess ?

Rick

[Mary Fisher]

I don't blame her. Full of tourists :-)

Ours are too. What's more I have hammer toes but they're going to be straightened.

Apart from the dogs she sounds like me...

If you're serious mail me.

But I'm not promising anything.

Mary

[Rob Morley]

Wrap socked foot in clingfilm, apply plaster bandage, remove plaster and use it as a mould for resin casting (if the shoes are to have a raised heel then the cast should be made with the heel raised the right amount with a block). The form of the toe shape of the shoe can then be added to the casting - make it removable and you can use the same last to make different styles of shoe just by changing toe forms.

[Mary Fisher]

You've done it that way, I assume.

[Stephen Gower]

Gosh, I knew you'd been around a while, but I didn't realise you went back to Roman Times. :)

[Mary Fisher]

That reference referred to the last four centuries of Rome. I don't give my age away but yes, we we've been around for quite a time :-)

Mary

[Rob Morley]

In article , [e-mail] says... changing toe forms.

No, it was just an off-the-cuff suggestion. :-)

[Mary Fisher]

I thought so :-)

Mary