 Finally, a decent book on shoemaking |
| Review Date: August 14, 2002 |
| Reviewer: K. Pace, Idalou, TX United States |
| Information on shoemaking is getting difficult to find. I bought this book hoping I could learn how nice shoes are made. I was very pleased with what I learned from this book. One step further into the details, however, would have made this book the last word on the subject. If you have a little imagination, however, it is not too hard to fill in the details. Actually, since the author is a very respected Hungarian shoemaker, I can imagine it being a difficult decision on where to draw the line between "details" and "wordiness." Do you have to talk about glue viscosity (he does) or glue recipes (he doesn't, "shop secrets"). Plenty of information is included and hundreds of excellent photos make it easy to imagine yourself right alongside a master craftsman. Topics include: * taking measurements
* anatomy
* shoe sizes
* history and making of lasts
* characteristics of different styles of men's dress shoes
* design of the pattern (the gist of it, anyway)
* leather tanning processes
* characteristics of different leathers
* clicking, brogueing, stitching and reinforcing of uppers
* lasting the shoe (stretching the upper around the last)
* lots of detail on tacking and stitching during the lasting process
* welting
* soling (including the shank and cork filler)
* building the heel
* ornamentation and finishing
* proper shoe care
* short bios on the greatest workshops in Europe and America Needless to say, I learned alot. I had no idea top-end shoes use wooden pegs to hold the heels on or that broken glass and bones are common tools in the trade. This is a very nice addition to my library. |
Fantastic Book !
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| Review Date: September 9, 2002 |
| Reviewer: rbarch, Aliquippa, Pa. United States |
| If you want to know how to make shoes or just want to know how shoes are made this is the best book that you can buy. Every page has beautiful closeup color photographs. Just by looking at the photographs alone shows you how it is done and there are many, many, photographs showing you every stage in the process of hand making a pair of men's shoes. |
Great information clearly illustrated.
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| Review Date: August 16, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Return to Cal, |
The book is basically one-of-a-kind and that alone should give it some due respect. You will come away knowing more about shoes and their manufacture than you ever thought possible. However, if you ever visit Vass in Budapest for a fitting, don't expect them to follow the lengthy steps outlined in the book for having custom shoes made. They won't. How quickly (and simply) you are measured will come as a great surprise. That said, you will still be stunned at the beautiful (and perfect fitting) shoes that you will receive. And through the book you'll be clear on how they came about.
HIghly recommended for the clothes horse. |
Great book!
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| Review Date: January 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Irpgal, UTAH United States |
| I want to make my own shoes, and this book explains a LOT of terms that I couldnt find definitions for. VERY detailed, with a lot of interesting history related to shoes. Nice hardcover, with color glossy paper. |
great book, not helpful for the shoe shopper
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| Review Date: March 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: cxlxmx, |
I think this is the only book of its kind, or at least the only one in print. The photographs are great, as is the content.
The only disappointment I had was that I had purchased the book in part to try to understand better my own shoes. However, after reading this book, I doubt very much that the various shoes I've owned are constructed in the same manner, so I haven't gained any useful insights. I'm still stuck with price-tag as a mediator of quality, which I hate. |
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