Customer Reviews

Handmade Shoes for Men

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Information on shoemaking is getting difficult to find. I bought this book hoping I could learn how nice shoes are made. I was very pleased with what I learned from this book. One step further into the details, however, would have made this book the last word on the subject.

If you have a little imagination, however, it is not too hard to fill in the details. Actually, since the author is a very respected Hungarian shoemaker, I can imagine it being a difficult decision on where to draw the line between "details" and "wordiness." Do you have to talk about glue viscosity (he does) or glue recipes (he doesn't, "shop secrets"). Plenty of information is included and hundreds of excellent photos make it easy to imagine yourself right alongside a master craftsman.

Topics include:

* taking measurements
* anatomy
* shoe sizes
* history and making of lasts
* characteristics of different styles of men's dress shoes
* design of the pattern (the gist of it, anyway)
* leather tanning processes
* characteristics of different leathers
* clicking, brogueing, stitching and reinforcing of uppers
* lasting the shoe (stretching the upper around the last)
* lots of detail on tacking and stitching during the lasting process
* welting
* soling (including the shank and cork filler)
* building the heel
* ornamentation and finishing
* proper shoe care
* short bios on the greatest workshops in Europe and America

Needless to say, I learned alot. I had no idea top-end shoes use wooden pegs to hold the heels on or that broken glass and bones are common tools in the trade. This is a very nice addition to my library.

A 20th century "how to" in the manner of old-time works by Rees, Leno, Devlin , and so forth. This work examines first the history and basic technology of handmade shoemaking, with gorgeous photographs, and fairly clear text (particularly considering that it's a translation). It then takes a quick trot through the crème of the big-name shoemaking firms still in operation today, and concludes with a heartfelt tribute to shoemaking as an art form. As an overview of the trade, this work is more than adequate, although for someone not engrossed in the topic, the jumping back and forth between topics can be a little distracting. The author's knowledge of shoemaking history is fairly standard, with many of the traditional old shoemaking chestnuts reappearing here. The author's discussion of techniques is a trifle problematical, in that he does not indicate the universality of the techniques and tools (for example, not all handmade shoemakers use needles or wax made by the recipe shown) - but this is a common failing in shoemaking texts,and certainly nothing to count against the text. Having gotten down this far, you are likely wondering why I gave the book this high a marking if I was this critical of it - it's the pictures. The text could be gibberish and the pictures would make it worth the price. The text is pretty good, which makes it more than worth the price.

If you want to know how to make shoes or just want to know how shoes are made this is the best book that you can buy. Every page has beautiful closeup color photographs. Just by looking at the photographs alone shows you how it is done and there are many, many, photographs showing you every stage in the process of hand making a pair of men's shoes.

The book is basically one-of-a-kind and that alone should give it some due respect. You will come away knowing more about shoes and their manufacture than you ever thought possible. However, if you ever visit Vass in Budapest for a fitting, don't expect them to follow the lengthy steps outlined in the book for having custom shoes made. They won't. How quickly (and simply) you are measured will come as a great surprise. That said, you will still be stunned at the beautiful (and perfect fitting) shoes that you will receive. And through the book you'll be clear on how they came about.

HIghly recommended for the clothes horse.

I want to make my own shoes, and this book explains a LOT of terms that I couldnt find definitions for. VERY detailed, with a lot of interesting history related to shoes. Nice hardcover, with color glossy paper.

This book is about bespoke handmade shoes for men - but not about any of the major ready-made brands. The book presents a great introduction to the more than 200 steps from measuring your feet to the finished shoe. Chapters include taking size, making lasts, the different shoe styles, the different parts of the shoes and how to care for your custom-made shoes. The book also includes superb features on the world's most famous workshops including Lobb, Berluti and Vogel. The author Laszlo Vass is the owner of the well-known Vass shoe workshop in the center of Budapest, Hungary. If you are a shoe connaisseur or affictionado and also think that "elegance begins with shoes" then this book is the right choice for you.

I think this is the only book of its kind, or at least the only one in print. The photographs are great, as is the content.

The only disappointment I had was that I had purchased the book in part to try to understand better my own shoes. However, after reading this book, I doubt very much that the various shoes I've owned are constructed in the same manner, so I haven't gained any useful insights. I'm still stuck with price-tag as a mediator of quality, which I hate.

The great tradition of shoemaker's art is explained here with passion, precision and clarity. Contrasting with the venerable British bespoke shoemaker John Lobb, the sophistication and subtleness of Ausro-Hungarian shoemaker Laszlo Vass reflect the glories of an empire long gone by. A must for Gentlemens' reference library.

i love this book for all the photographs inside. it's extremely helpful in understanding the art of shoemaking as opposed to shoe manufacturing. the vass brand name and family name churn out exceptionally high quality shoes and boots, and it's great to see a book detailing just that.

Handmade shoes for men takes everything you need to know about shoemaking and distills it into one book. While not a "How To" in the strictest sense, this book provides you with enough information to make a pair of shoes from little more than a cow and a tree. It details everything from the selection of wood for the lasts down to the angle of the rubber heel caps, touching on everything in between.
This book is probably the best resource for any cordswain, aspiring cobbler, or anyone else who has an unhealthy obsession with shoes. The detailed color photographs of traditional shoe making give you clear enough explanation that you could reproduce the works within if you cared to try.