OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

182702 "Dana Farmer& Cindy Miller" <cynthia.miller22@v...> 2008‑09‑05 RE: Re: OldTools Digest, Vol 37, Issue 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt5BLJhiMO0&feature=related
try looking at some galoot style wooden shoe making video.

Dana

Much neat info posted by ken snipped

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182701 "Ken Baddley" <kenbaddley@g...> 2008‑09‑05 Re: OldTools Digest, Vol 37, Issue 7
Message: 31
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 03:32:34 -0700
From: James Thompson 
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Brimfield - Fall 2008 Day Two or Slim Pickin's
       Hard    Walkin's
To: scottg@s...
Cc: porch 
Message-ID: <2104F94A-6055-452F-B06E-7BC1D51FEE38@s...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

The part that gets me is how do they hollow out the clog for the foot
to fit into it? I have watched the video of he guy using the wierd
knife to shape the outside, but they conveniently forgot to show how
the inside was removed. This would have to be well done for comfort
while wearing the clog.

I've seen the process once, about 25 years ago, in rural France. Though it
was demonstrated at a 'rustic fayre' the two 'Sabotier' making the clogs
(Sabot) were full-time clog-makers, and had large stocks of completed pairs
for sale.

The billet for the clog is wedged on top of the hewn log, as shown here:

http://www.sabot-breton.com/index.html

You may need to scroll down the page to see the picture of the chap using
the knife to trim the toe of a Sabot billet.

The hook on the end of the knife links with the ring hammered into the log.
The log (and clogs) were poplar (cf. Tulipwood in the USA?) and the Sabotier
used the billet as a fulcrum for the action of the knife on the billet. It
was a very skilful and surprisingly rapid process.

The initial drilling for the toe and heel was done with a Jennings pattern
awl in a brace. They only drilled a very short hole; the rest was done
(again with great skill, but with huge effort) with a large spoon bit, used
in a brace. Though it's hard enough (I'd have needed a breast drill) the
wood used is only just beginning to season; the Sabot are left to dry out
for several weeks before being sold.

This page shows the stacks of finished clogs drying, and (in the picture on
the left of the screen) shows the timber. It's hard to tell, but there may
be a hint of the 'buttressing' characteristic of Populus Alba on the large
log at the front of the stack. It all looks a big large-scale for Willow,
which is one of the other species used.

http://www.sabot-breton.com/la%20fabrication.htm

Sabot are extremely light on the feet, very warm when it's cold, and
comfortable as any shoe when well-packed with straw. Sabot is also the slang
term for a badly-made violin ...

Ken Baddley (of the well-made violin ...)
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Recent Bios FAQ