12 Last Carving:   Sanding
Channel: Orthopedic Shoe Making
Date: 2019-05-01

Bill Bird shows how to use a modern purpose built sanding machine for refining the shape of a last. He shows how to feel the shape of a plaster cast and transfer that shape to the last. Bill emphasizes how important the sense of feel is and how it is far more sensitive and sophisticated than our vision.

Bill uses 3 inch wide belts, with both 8 inch and 4 inch diameters. The 8 inch is the classic shoe repairers finishing machine, but the 4 inch allows shaping narrower curves. The surfaces are 24 grit for fast removal of wood.

• Shaping the bottom profile

o Calculating the pitch
o Shaping the front range, crown, tread and brake point
o Using chalk and pitch spacer for reference
o Shaping the heel seat
o Shaping the arch
o Using a plaster cast of the foot to feel the shape of the arch for reference to the last – but not making a total replica of the arch, instead using rectification to give some lee-way for the foot to move.
o Feeling on the cast where the ball of the foot is from the heel and creating a similar feeling on the last.
o A slight curve on the waist for elegance. 

• Shaping the upper

o Shaping the lateral and medial lines 
o Shaping the top bone plane
o Shaping the back
o Shaping the scoop or sweep for elegance
o Relative straightness to shape the toe

• Re-Marking the lateral and medial lines and re-measuring

o Adding an allowance for the feather edge on the heel seat
o Add a leather patch to bring up the measures if required

• Finishing off with hand sanding