razb

I have large and slightly wide feet, and I was wondering if it is possible to have someone make lasts of my feet that I would own, that I could then use to have shoes made by different makers, so that I wasn't locked in to one maker's sort of styles, or else having to pay repeatedly to have lasts made at each maker's.

Does anyone know if this is possible? I am near London in the UK, btw.

Thanks in advance for any advice -

raz

Dr. Shoe

It all depends on the policy of the shoemaker. Though I cannot foresee any problems and most will probably be happy to use their customers' own lasts, some may get a bit funny about it... It all depends on what they charge for last making (and therefore the profit) and whether they use their own specially designed ones.

If you want lasts made, one way to do this is to get an old shoe that's a nice comfy fit and make a plaster cast of the inside and send it to a last maker such as Mobbs-Miller or Springline (if they still exist).

Morally, if a shoemaker charges you for a last to be made then this should be yours to keep but we all know that it doesn't really work like that!

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Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.

Arctic

Dr. Shoe, you probably know the answer to this one... I have always been wondering if one could have some kind of standard last of one's foot in 4" heel wearing position. (since my favourite hh height is 3 1/2" to 4" anyway). And then make the toebox part modular, ie. have some screw-on part for pointy or square or whatever shape toebox I would want to have....

That would be worth a good investment, because having the standard last would almost guarantee a perfect fit for every custom order...

Another option would be to design lasts myself with CAD and having them milled out of a block of wood each time. I've been thinking quite seriously of getting myself a small CNC mill just for that purpose...

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What's all the fuss about?

JNR

Now, there's a man that's serious (and lots of money, too)

Amanda Snake

I think it sounds like a good idea.
I'm sure it's not cheap but then how much are ones feet worth and how much did all those shoes cost that I bought that turned out to be too uncomfortable to wear?.

Amanda Snake

http://www.ehow.com/how_2105948_make...eel-shoes.html

Here are some very easy to follow instructions I found on the web.
I'm sure this will provide you with an inexpensive end to all your shoe comfort issues.

I'm not about to try it myself.
I'm sure if I did have a suitable shed and the right attitude and tools then I would swiftly break a nail, lose my temper, stamp my foot, get my heel stuck through the floorboards and then stuck there, have to struggle with the buckle of my ankle strap with the broken nail while an impatient delivery man rings my doorbell back in the house.