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Role Club by Brian The Bootmaker

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rayw44 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rayw44 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 6:50am
I don't know for sure, but I would imagaine it has to do with the process that Real McCoys were using to get the toe track. I doubt they were using the types of lasts that made them on their own, and were probbaly doing something similar to what Brian is doing. So the leather was probably folded over som mold and then pressed into it, and whatever they pressed the leather into the mold with created the dimpling at the end.
 
The way Brian is gdoing it he puts the entire length of the vamp over the object. It looks like RMC had a shorter object, since the tracks stop before the toes. Just a best guess though since I have no actual proof.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Double 0 Soul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 7:13am
Thanks ray, have you ever seen the dimple on other examples of vintage engineer? It was only present on the Cordovan and not the HH and knowing McCoys obsession for the perfect reproduction and the ticket price im assuming that in the RMC archives they have examples of this feature on 1950,s Buco,s and intentionally reproduced the dimple.
I don't think it was too popular with the customer and subsequently dropped.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rayw44 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 8:02am
I can't say that I have, but you can almost always find a single pair of vintage engineer boots that has a unique, quirky, feature not seen on any other pair. It certainly wasn't very common though, as I (or John or Zip or anyone else who is way too into the stuff) would have seen some other examples.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (3) Thanks(3)   Quote BrianTheBootmaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 8:24am
The indentation you see on the boots is called a toe track. The reason a boot has a toe track is because the vamp went through the crimping process. It is used to get all the stretch out of the vamp because when a bootmaker needs to turn something that's 2D into 3D it is more work if the vamp is not crimped. Another benefit when a vamp is crimped is it keeps the vamp smooth without any wrinkles. The crimped vamp sits well on the shoelast.

There are different way to crimp a vamp. For example Buco puts their vamps into a crimp machine. It is a hot blade that folds the vamp in half and indents the leather. I wouldn't mind having a crimp machine (really expensive!) but I use crimp boards at the moment. It is the same process but more hands on. I last the vamp on a piece of board to get all the stretch out and it naturally gets the toe track. Not to knock on Ray, but I don't believe there is any last out there that created the toe track. The indentation is made from the grain to the flesh so the vamp gets that beautiful ready to last moon shape. The reason why a shoe last sometimes has something protruding is to change the width of a shoelast not to create a toe track. If it was true then the toe track would be protruding, and that wouldn't be attractive in my opinion.
"Pride Produces Quality Work." -Role Club

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rayw44 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rayw44 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 8:47am
That's very helpful Brian. I had always assumed it was the last itself, but I obviously have never worked in a shoe factory or repair shop of any kind. I'm more or less trying to fill in the gaps from the things I have seen firsthand (pics, blogs, catalogs, and stories from those who do this kind of stuff).
 
I also didn't know the thing you were using to do it was a specific tool. That's pretty cool! Do you have pics of the machines or more pics of the process?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Double 0 Soul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 9:28am
Nice one Brian very informative.
Ray, I thought the same as you i think its the general consensus. There would be no logical reason for the last to have raised shoulders but as you say from blogs ect we have both come to the same inaccurate conclusion.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (6) Thanks(6)   Quote BrianTheBootmaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 10:24am
No problem!

Crimp machine: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h3Y19hduH6U

Crimp board:







Inspecting the shafts alignment before lasting the counter. You use one knee for the height of heel. This quick inspection was used by my teacher when he had to last 75 pairs a day. My hats off to his hard work.

This is the black CXL horshide.

"Pride Produces Quality Work." -Role Club

RoleClub@yahoo.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A_See Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2014 at 6:23pm
Thanks for all the behind the scenes shots and info Brian. I respect an artist/craftsman who is willing to open the doors a bit and spread info freely.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote topgearskin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 2014 at 4:16am
So glad I asked. Thanks everyone for the replies, it's one of the many things I like about this forum. Everyday should be, and is, a schoolday.

Those role club engineers look really really great Brian.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote BrianTheBootmaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 2014 at 12:44pm
^No problem! It is best to inform everyone so they know what they are purchasing.



"Wear'Em with Pride." -Role Club

"Pride Produces Quality Work." -Role Club

RoleClub@yahoo.com
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