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Shoe maker. How to find someone to make shoes for you?
Wondering how to LOOK for a person to make shoes for me? Talking about me as an indvidual, not starting a company. Multiple health problems and extra wide feet make it nearly impossible to locate shoes. Given the outrageous price anything that sounds promising costs, seems it could be possible to locate someone locally (Phoenix, AZ IS the tenth largest city in US) who could make a couple of pair that would not be for a much worse price than the mass produced shoes and should fit better and last longer. Looking for a good pair of "athletic" shoes and one good pair of dressier leather flats, so folks who make sandals/flip flops, etc. are of no use to me. Just wondering if anyone is aware of a trade group, term that used, etc. and no, guys who REPAIR shoes rarely MAKE shoes.
Nana, never heard of The Bootmaker, but I did a Google and found David Espinoza. Expensive, but sounds interesting, at least for a pair of leather shoes. Thanks.
If anyone else knows of other options, I'm not sure I can afford the fellow AND I don't know he'd try to do an "athletic" shoe, so resources are welcome.
Matt, thanks for the additional information. Didn't know the last was that expensive; realize person needs pay for his work, but the last is three times what I expected. It's not easy to find someone to do shoes though. You get major shops, shoe repair, or chain stores with the searches I do.
4 Answers
- Nana LambLv 78 years agoFavourite answer
Try the BOOT MAKERS!! You live in the region that has the best boot makers in the world!! They should be able to make you some shoes that will work since they deal with odd feet and odd feet problems on a daily basis!!
- 8 years ago
..Hi there .... you should not have any problem finding a qualified shoe maker to make you a pair of shoes but the price will be an issue. You said you want to pay about what a pair of store bought shoes would cost. I'm afraid the shoe last ( the wooden or plastic mold the shoe is built upon) alone will cost at least $ 150.00. And a completed pair of shoes about $350.00 minimum. However..after the first pair is made the price for the next pair of shoes will drop in price because the customized shoe last has already been made. The shoe last has to be customized ( altered with leather or narrowed ) to your foot measurements before the upper can be lasted ( pulled with lasting pinchers and afixed with nails) onto the shoe last by hand. The process takes a considerable ammount of time .. After making a paper pattern from the shoe last (last copy) or geometrically.. using a measurement design technique (without drawing on the shoe last) the upper leather must be cut..skived and sewn together. Then as described earlier the shoe upper must be hand lasted onto the shoe last. The last step is bottoming ( soling & heeling ) the lasted shoe with materials that you choose . So..as you can see the price of a custom hand made pair of shoes is considerably more expensive than a production store bought pair due to the labor involved. There are quite a few custom shoe makers around although the price to have a pair made is much more than a store bought pair. Good luck there ...
Source(s): ... Over thirty years in the shoe service industry and manufacturing as well ..and making some custom boots and shoes through out the years.... - 8 years ago
Try searching for medical supply companies or a company who fabricates splints or diabetic shoes in your area. Some companies are able to bring you into their office for a fitting for specially made shoes. Hope this info helps
