video of Jim McCormack’s presentation at the 21st Independent Shoemakers Conference explaining making of French pumps
Introduction
- comes from the turnshoe
- turnshoes difficult
- goal: light construction
- theory: easier way to get a similar look
- met a French shoemaker who said nobody in France makes French pumps
- turnshoes
- make inside out
- “right on the left and the left on the right”
- turnshoe makers only made turnshoes
- two or three guys for the whole West End
- lightest possible construction
- evening pumps
- velvet slippers
- light ladies’ dress work
- French pump not as robust
- indoor shoes
- arguably obsolete with modern adhesives
Materials
- very flexible sole
- still from the bend
- block insole as for other shoes
- J&FJ Baker used to make “spring soles”
Construction
- no feather
- upper secured by a stitch
- small little channel for stitching
- come in relatively far
- pump stitch goes on the outside
- large lasting allowance
- sole pattern with an allowance
- cut sole to fit so stitching won’t gape
- sometimes use calf toe puffs, much softer, no paste, as a customer option
- lasted the same
- paste under the lining between the lining and the upper and side lining
- make sure all the layers tight to the insole when stitching
- “bracing stitch”
- leather shank
- fill just enough to get it level
- can’t really use felt, because will react with the glue for the outsole
- cork, most rasped away
- very thin lining leather
- make sole from sole pattern
- must be almost exact
- slightly over for a trim allowance
- little extra around the toe where the stiffener will be
- finishing is very quick and easy because edges so small
- lightweight outsole
- waist different thickness from forepart
- maybe 1/8 forepart
- 1/16 waist
- traditionally square, but can do a bevel if you don’t have the tools
- “traditional West End…as if that matters”
- mark a line for first pump stitch
- skive
- punch holes halfway through the outsole with an awl
- can’t do really small stitches, as they’ll tear out
- normal West End stitch densities
- biggest 10 to the inch for soles
- 4 or 5 to the inch for welts
- also helps flexibility
- let the sole dry out so you can glue it on
- glue on the inside of the stitch
- now uses modern adhesive for this
- aside: makers used to fill channels with paste, but cut them in a different way to lessen the chance they’d open up
- lighter thread
- can’t get hemp or linen in different sizes and weights like they used to
- old days: 9 or 10 cords for a welt
- hemp now heavier and coarser, so use fewer cords
- thicker than sole-stitching thread
- with light hemp, a sole stitching thread might be 5 cords
- Tony Slinger aside: when building cavalry boots, did 14 cords of the old linen. 14 cords of modern linen would be rope today.
- six cords of different hemps
- thin Swedish hemp available
- correct stitch: correct awl and correct weight thread
- hypo
- thin welting awl, normally use thicker thread, will burn the threads
- drop a cord in the thread to match the awl
- wax heating up but not heating the thread
- setting locks the thread
- if you’re limited in what you can get, adjust the cords in your thread to match
- for pump stitch: maybe 6 cords
- used ramie to use it up, after gifted from a student
- incredibly strong
- “it’s very good”
- “hard to get hold of”
- put sole on reasonably mellow
- shrinking is a problem
- quick technique
Demonstration
- start by opening the holes on outsole and insole
- make a hole opposite
- if you go too deep into the outsole, it will create puckering
- lots of hand wriggling the awl
- pick up as much material as possible
- good light very important
- overhead light and light on your work
- using nylon bristles from Japan, fishing line
- pulls the threads one after the other
- do a few stitches and then tap
- a bit like a chain stitch
- bottom thread goes through sole
- …