Talk:Shoemaking

Separate disambiguation page needed...
x A separate disambiguation page is needed for the Shoemaker names. ~ clearthought 18:11, 5 August 2006 (UTC)
 * I agree that the list of names is not directly relevent to the topic, and should be split off. A notice like "Shoemaker directs here. See Shoemaker (disambiguation) for other uses". -- Infrogmation 23:12, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Technique for making women's shoes at home
Someone might possibly want to add a brief discussion of Mary Wales Loomis, who developed an uncommon method for making women's shoes and sandals using plaster lasts, an ordinary sewing machine, and other household tools (very different from industrial shoemaking techniques). Since Mrs. Loomis is my own mother (!), it would of course be inappropriate for me to add anything about her to Wikipedia, but perhaps someone else would like to consider if something constructive could be said here about her work without making it sound commercial. Richwales (talk) 01:26, 12 October 2008 (UTC)

the question is did your mother change how the shoemaking industry operated? Was her innovation somehow revolutionary? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.139.17.176 (talk) 03:40, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

A weird passage
No sure it was needed: "shoe making is a fine sport only played by thoes of extreemly fit and good looking bodys, it consits of many young muscular men racing to make the most amount a swam dangle shoes in ten minutes,the current world titel holder for this sport is Imawe Ner" If someone misses it, you can edit it into something comprehensible. --Oop (talk) 10:06, 16 January 2009 (UTC)

Bold text
Well I think cobblers are so cool!!!!

Shoe making bench


Just an image ... from. --J. D. Redding 00:16, 22 July 2011 (UTC)

Slang usage of "cobbler"
Since this page is about shoemaking and not cobbling, I removed the sentence about a cockney slang usage of "cobbling" that meant something that was untrue. In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary states that the term is from rhyming slang for awls-balls and can mean "rubbish" or "nonsense," first use in 1930s. Anyone with access to OED can look up, unfortunately I can't link to it otherwise. But here is the OED entry:

[Rhyming slang < cobbler's (or cobblers') awls.] A ball; esp. in pl., ‘balls’, testicles; nonsense, rubbish.

1934   P. Allingham Cheapjack xv. 186  The Cobbler is even more simple. It is a ball game‥‘cobbler’ is the slang for ball. 1936   ‘J. Curtis’ Gilt Kid xviii. 178  Well, they got us by the cobblers. 1955   P. Wildeblood Against Law 137   Oh, that's all cobblers. 1962   R. Cook Crust on its Uppers ii. 30  Talking more cobblers to the square inch than the bishop on confirmation day. 1968   Melody Maker 5 Oct. 6/4   Geno Washington says Grapefruit's recent attack on the Maryland Club, Glasgow, was ‘a load of cobblers’. They are one of the best audiences in Britain, says Geno. 1970   A. Draper Swansong for Rare Bird vii. 60,  I was a little suspicious. ‘What's the catch?’ I asked. ‘Why all this cobblers about clothes?’

If you have another source, please advise! Also removed the phrase suggesting that shoes were of of poor quality "back then." Source didn't state that, and shoes of all qualities were available then as they are now. ;) Bob98133 (talk) 19:23, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Cobbler
In reply to Bob98133, I heard 'cobblers' as "cobbler's nails", which rhymes with 'tales', and 'tale' often meant a lie (an untrue story).

More importantly, cobblers were real people, and it's surprising that Wikipedia has no article about their trade, and even this article barely mentions them. Anyone who can remember the early 1950s in Britain would know what a cobbler was.

Cobbler's nails were like tin tacks, but smaller, and held the sole to the upper. The cobbler had a cast-iron upside-down foot-shaped object called a 'last', over which he fitted the shoe while he hammered the nails in. When the tip of the nail hit the last, it turned sideways, making a partial hook that held it in place. These nails were placed only around the edge of the sole, of course.

As the sole wore thinner, the nails became uncomfortable, and also made holes in the socks. For a large family, shoe repairs and socks (only cotton or wool) were a significant expense. Most people walked a lot then, as very few had a phone or a car. Leather soles and heels wore out fast, so the cobbler was in demand. [By the way, the 1950s in Britain were uncomfortable in numerous ways; here I mention only that one had to walk outdoors every day, in all kinds of weather, in shoes that hurt, and clothes that were not warm enough; the shoes let in water immediately, and clothes were not very waterproof either.]

At that time the cobbler only repaired shoes, which looked like they were factory-made (with nails).

Some time before 1960, glue began to be used instead of nails, then rubber began to replace leather as the sole-patching material. Around 1960 new shoes with entirely rubber (and/or plastic?) soles/heels (glued/bonded to the upper) began to appear. These did not wear out so quickly, and were much more comfortable. 'Bata' seemed to be a major early manufacturer of such shoes.

(to talk, write to radia.e at gmail )

59.101.147.141 (talk) 02:48, 11 July 2015 (UTC)

useful source for history
this economics paper has a lot of very fascinating info on history of shoemaking, eg in 1850, Massachusetts accounted for about 44% of all shoes made in the us !! https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8wk3ngxp6q2esf6u4so2d/WillCockriel_JMP_Sept252023.pdf?rlkey=qoqy0yzngduovx34lptpxlpc8&dl=0