Fore-part Iron. Seat Iron. Seat File. Gigger Iron. Jim Crow. Breaker. Glazing Iron. Bevel Iron.
The lining in all shoes, at least, but those of the very strongest kind, is entirely the work of the woman, being done with the needle, and elegantly it often is done. After the lining, the upper has to be set; a matter soon effected; the flat-seam-set, or, if stabbed, the stabbing-side-set, being heated at a candle (though this is not necessary, and might from the danger of the practice be well dispensed with) and a little dissolved gum being rubbed on the seam, the set is immediately to be somewhat forcibly and briskly pressed along the line of stitching, which thus takes an almost instant polish, and being also hardened, the upper becomes ready for shop; that is, to be sent to the maker, or shoeman, to finish by putting in the welt, soles, and other parts of the shoe; the “stitching” being effected with a square awl.
Knife. Last. Paste Horn.
The number of tools used by the Boot and Shoemaker who combines all the branches of the trade is very great, although few of them are remarkably expensive, except some of the patent metal or hardwood lasts, on which the shoes or boots are placed. The lapstone on which the leather is hammered after being damped; and the various kinds of irons used for rubbing, paring, or shaping the soles and other parts of the shoe, are the principal implements, beside the awls, knives, hammers, and rasp.
The glazing iron is used for burnishing the heel of the boot or shoe; the paste horn for containing the paste used in the inside lining of the shoe or boot; the irons for setting up the leather beside the stitching, and the Jim-crow, which is a small toothed wheel running in a handle for the same purpose. The long stick is used for “sleeking,” or smoothing and softening the upper part of the boot or shoe, after it has been made and placed on the block, in order to take out any wrinkles that may remain.
Long Stick. Rasp.
It would be impossible to give any clear description of all the operations of the trade of the Shoemaker in the space devoted here to this particular business, and even were it attempted, no very clear idea could be conveyed of the various portions of his work; since, like the tailor, he has first to cut out the leather to the proper shape for making the various parts, which have afterwards to be put together. Indeed, beyond mentioning the uses of the various tools, most of which are simple enough, little can be said to explain the operation of the Shoemaker that would not require actual inspection of the different processes; although many of them may be understood by looking at a shoe, after having observed the accompanying pictures and having read what has been said about the tools employed.