St. Landry democrat., 1890-07-26
Building o. Rubber Boot.


THE PROCESS REQUIRES MORE LABOR
THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON THINKS
1t Is forty years since the first rubber
boot was made, and ve-v clumsy specl
men of footwear it was. Prior to this thu
old fashioned rubber shoe Was in txlst-
ence, but not much worn, ard 1t was called
galoshe. The style OF boots nov made
are nearly Identical in all of the Leading
rubber com panies each, however, having
some strengthening device of more or less
excellence upon which they pride them
selves All boots are made by hand upon
wooden "trees," which are prepared of
carefully seasoned msple The seasoning
is necessary, else the trees would shrink
in inflammation and become worthless.
iron trees have been used, but are practi-
cally "barred out" by their great weight.
A well arranged boot room has first
wide center circle running its whole
length, through which run car tracks for
the easy removal of the finished boots to
the heaters" Running from this main
passageway are the alleys of the work
men, in front of each of whom is long
table, fitted with rack capable Ct holding
fifteen pairs of boots. A portion OF this
table is padded and reserved for the work
of making up, the tools for this being
simply small hand roller, stitcher,
knife and a cement cup and brush.
AS the various pieces that are TO De
Joined together to maze the perfect boot
are brought in ''books" to the bootmaker,
they are first laid over the table and &C.
mented with paste made of rubber and
benzne. The first step then IS the last-
ing. tree is put upon the "block with
the foot upward, and the leg lining, of
felt usually, is wrapped upon it and con-
nected at the beel by bit of piping
The edges are then Tapped one upon the
inner sole, where they stick fast. The
lining is then scanned up the back by
drawing up the piping edge over the rub
Der coating Next the lining is fastened
at the top of the tree to make 1t firm, and
also to take out any looseness that may
be In it,
Then the foot lining is connected at the
instep and Tapped over on the inner sole
| A rag filler is the next necessity, to Ill the
space left on the sole between the lower
edges of the leg lining. Over this, and in
| deed on the whole bottom of the foot, Is
placed tough sole made of rubber and
| FIBER called the rag SOLE This IS
| "skived" and all round, and then both rag
sole and lining are brushed over with q
| fine quality Of rubber cement and left
| to dry.
When the benzine has fully evaporated
| from the cemented surface the process OF
trimming" is next in order. First the
holes are cut for the straps and they ale
placed in position. Then small heel
| stay" Of cloth is added, followed by an
''ant le piece of rubber cut without LAP
ing" at the back. heavy counter of
=, tEta
next, to be followed by back strip of
rubber that runs up the seam IN the lining
from the heel to the top of the boot. This
is succeeded by toe strip of piping, toe
piece of rubber and side stays of the same,
when the boot is ready for the ''cover."
All this time the boot has the look of
some of those felt boots that car drivers in
Chicago fancy, only this is decorated with
cement and trimmings and the other Is
plain. The leg cover is rubber and goes
over the whole with the exception of the
sole and part of the toe. 1t 10 put on
with great care, a back seam being run
down in the middle of the back strip, q
binding" put around the top, vsmp lin
ing the sides extending over the counter,
secured and the "outer filler added to
the bottom of the foot.
| The third stage, known as &C 'vering,
now follows. In this. counter OF heavy
rubber is put around the heel, the point
being in line with the back seam, the
edges being carefully rolled down. Then
d vamp of heavy rubber-"the TONGUE
exactly covering the vamp lining. The
| sides of this extend around to the corner,
and are distinguished by two side seams.
These seams are then run over with a
dou ole stitcher," which is similar to a
pair of sharp tracing wheels, and which
not only help fasten the rubber to the
cemented surface beneath, but also make
a very neat finish. After this, the vamp
| is cut out around che outdtler, and the
bottom of the boot receives coat of &C.
,nent, which is to hold the sole on
When the boot is dry, it is ready for the
fourth stage, which is "soling," To di-
gress little, sole is in four pieces and
is made up for the bootmaker in the soling
room These four parts are a fiber and
rubber form" thin rubber ''sole piece,
8 "top" and a heel. These are put
together and sent to the boot room to be
covered with the strongest possible rubber
cement Oh the bottom and edges. The
sole is attached to the partly finished boot
at the TOE, and brous ht over to the heel.
that the la tersmay sit straight. Then the
heel is hammered, the sole rolled, the
edges rolled down in the vamp and couater
the last seams are stitched and the boot
passes on to the vanishing room and then
to the vulcanizer .-India Rubber World.