The Armour Archive

Cat

Hey guys, I have a hauberk I need to make alterations to, and one of the things that needs done is to convert the 3/4 length sleeves to full sleeves. I need a tutorial that explains where to take the measurements on the arm, and how to go about tapering the sleeve to fit, while still allowing for go...

Cat

Maeryk, A last WOULD be a nice thing to have, but I doubt I could make one. I have trouble transeferring a 2D object to a 3D finished project. I would be better off buying one I think. The problem is that I have a pretty wide foot. When I was a kid, shoes from a regular store didn't come in wide wid...

Cat

Thanks for all the tips! Thanks also for the link to the sole material site. That may come in handy at some point. Shoe goo sounds like the easiest fix, so I may try that. Well, I WILL try that if I actually ever make a pair of shoes that fits me. I'm working on my third attempt now.... Thanks again...

Cat

Now that you guys mention it, I think the line drawing looks more like the Apache boot. The Apache boot has the curve centered on the big toe, whereas the Mongol boot has the curve centered on the foot. Are you going to make yours that fancy? It REALLY looks like a pain in the arse! You guys are gon...

Cat

Wow! Lots and lots of good info here. Timothy, thanks for that link! That picture you posted of the soles on those boots showed me some things I did wrong on mine. It was very helpful!

Thank you all SO much!

Cat

Cat

Maeryk, You may be right about the pattern. Here is a pic I found for a Mongol boot pattern: [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/SHOE46.JPG[/img] The pattern I used was for the Apache boot (on the same website) because it was simpler and because there were no instructions with the Mong...

Cat

Thanks for the tips! For myself, I need something that won't slip on linoleum. I have no plans for wearing these outside, but I may make myself a pair of slippers for in the house. I don't know where to get rubber or vibram soles, or how to put them on, so I may try one of the other solutions. Thank...

Cat

Just like the title says. I tried on the boot I made and 'bout took a dive cause the sole was very slick. (I'm lucky I didn't pull a groin muscle.) Can I cut shallow grooves across it to gain some traction? (The sole is made of 7 to 9 ounce veg. tanned leather)

Thanks a bunch!
Cat

Cat

Animal, I did some rough patterning (REAL rough), and this is what I came up with: [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/Toe1.JPG[/img] [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/Toe2.JPG[/img] [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/Toe3.JPG[/img] To make the toe part t...

Cat

Niall, Thank you very much! As for fit, the whole thing is too big. I don't even need to unlace it to get my foot in. It's wearable even in my bare feet, but it would fit someone with a larger foot much better than it fits me. The vamp needs narrowed down in the width, and lengthened from toe to thr...

Cat

Animal, I haven't begun on the patterns yet, but I came across this site: m It's an apache boot, but it has the turned up toe, and it describes how to get the toe to turn. Is the point on your boot supposed to be centered on the foot, or centered on the toe like the one on that site? Either way, I w...

Cat

Not a problem. I'm actually having a great deal of fun with these shoes! Maybe I just needed a break from maille. If I get the measurements I'm waiting on, I will have to get back to work (on the maille), but for now I'm having a blast! (Not that I don't enjoy making maille - I do - this has just be...

Cat

Jon, Thank you very much! I appreciate all of your help and your comments! I did learn alot, and I had fun too. I may go ahead and make the second one since it actually fits (somewhat), but I kinda wanna try for a different design since this one is so boring. I may go back to the first design I atte...

Cat

Animal, I turned my shoe, and it looks more like the design you are trying to make than the design I was trying for. Here's a pic: [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/Calf1.JPG[/img] As for the toe on yours, is there a seam that runs down the center of the vamp (the part that covers th...

Cat

I turned it!! It went super easy. I got it wet, (then played with it for a while once I realized it held water REALLY well and could be used as a bucket if not as a shoe) then I just pushed in the toe with my fingers. Then I reached inside and grabbed the toe and pulled. After folding and tucking al...

Cat

Maeryk, I may just do that. I want to trim down the top some, and that would be easier if the uppers were laying flat on the table. I may also just try removing the stitches from the inside part of the sole and see if it will turn. Then next time, I can make another boot with my modified pattern (sh...

Cat

Animal, I'm not sure about the toe. Mine isn't yet turned, so I don't know what it's gonna look like once I do. It may not end up with that upward turned toe. (I'm hoping it doesn't, anyway - mine isn't supposed to have that.) Maybe you could modify the sole shape I used to make it more pointy. Then...

Cat

You are welcome. I finally figured out the upper on mine, but it turned out too tall and pointy, so I guess I still have more work to do on the patterns. And I have yet to figure out how I am gonna turn the darn thing. (Hey, maybe I could start a new fashion trend by wearing my boots inside out! Wha...

Cat

Dave, Here are some pics of the boot with the upper attached: [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/CalfBoot1.JPG[/img] [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/CalfBoot2.JPG[/img] [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/CalfBoot3.JPG[/img] The inside seam still needs ...

Cat

Dave, I think I understand now. Thank you for explaining that. I am making my own patterns, and I don't have a last. I have kinda been making this up as I go along. I got the Shoes and Pattens book about half way through my first shoe attempt, and this time I am trying to make one of the boots pictu...

Cat

Dave, Thanks for the reply! I'm having a hard time picturing what you are describing. I'm REALLY new to making shoes. In fact, this is only my second attempt. I made one shoe several days ago, but it ended up not fitting. What is a counter? I also do not really understand the terms "running stitch" ...

Cat

If you are trying to make a pattern for the toe piece, try this site: m I don't know if this is the right kind of toe design you are looking for or not. It says to mark at the widest part of your foot ( near your toes), but to make the vamp part come further up on your foot, measure at the tallest p...

Cat

Not a problem! If you would like me to post the other diagrams from the book, let me know.

Good luck with the shoes!! And YES! We want pics!!! We loves them

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Cat

Cat

Here's a few of the pics. I will upload more a little later. Descriptions for each picture are under the pic. [img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/747693/turnshoeStitching.JPG[/img] Turn-shoe construction without rand. Pictured is edge/flesh stitch (on right side) going into grain/flesh stitch...

Cat

I'd be happy to post the diagrams. I can't do it tonight as it's pretty late, but I will get on it first thing tomorrow and post them here. I can also look up any specific info that might be of help and post it here also. Just let me know what info you might need. If the pictures don't show enough d...

Cat

Thanks for the replies! I will be adding the quarters before I turn it. It will have a heel piece that will be sewn to the ends of the vamp (and to the sole obviously) and around the heel. This heel piece will only extend a couple of inches above the ends of the vamp. To that will be attached anothe...

Cat

The surface (grain side) of the leather does has some sort of a waxy/oily APPEARANCE. It's not greasy to the touch or anything, it just looks "waterproof", for lack of a better term. It was stupid of me not to ask what it was when I bought it. I was just so excited that I was able to get a whole sid...

Cat

Hey guys, I'm working on a boot, and I have questions about how to turn it right side out. I THINK the upper leather is chrome tanned. Can I soak this stuff in water or will it ruin it? Also, with the vamp coming so far back on the heel, is it even possible to turn? The boot I am basing this off of ...

Cat

I like those!! What did you do to trim the edges around the front side? It looks like a rolled edge on a plate piece. Did you use a channel making tool to make it look like that?

Good job!
Cat

Cat

I have the Shoes and Pattens book. If the stitching is similar, I could take some pictures of the stitching illustrations and send them to you. I don't know how different these types of shoes are, so it may not be of any help.

Let me know if you need them.

Good luck!!
Cat

Cat

Spike, I'm also having the same trouble with keeping the dang rivets facing the right way. I look at it, decide which way it needs to go to be facing correctly, put on the ring, rivet it closed, and VOILA! WRONG WAY! Then, of course, I curse and swear that the NEXT one will be right - and it usually...

Cat

kilkenny, I must have missed your post before I added my last response. Thank you for your comments, and for taking the time to explain that for me! Yes, I do need to read that book. I have started it, but it seems like every time I read a sentence or two, I have to stop to do something for the kids...

Cat

Thank you all for your replies. Jehan, thank you for your honesty. Ok, so far there are people who don't mind the repairs, there are those that are willing to bear alot of extra weight to avoid repairs, and there are those that find the repairs to be a pain. I guess that's no real surprise. So I gue...

Cat

Matthew, That's great info!! Thanks! Those websites are awesome too! Thanks so much for your help. Now, if I only had TIME, there's these really cool boots in "Shoes and Pattens" that I wanna make. Does anyone have some time I could borrow?? Thanks again! Cat OOPS - almost forgot - Does anyone have ...

Cat

Well, I see you already have the MOST important tool in your shop - the COFFEE MAKER!!!! Aboslute necessity!! I haven't made much in the way of armour, but what I have done was inspired by pictures. If you look at various pictures of armour long enough, something will jump out at you and you will sa...

Need tutorial for tapering long hauberk sleeves

How do you keep leather soles from being slippery?

Questions about turning this shoe