Basic Techniques

Making any kind of raised heel requires a certain amount of knowledge of cordwaining and the shoe construction process.  However, they are, in essence different skill sets, and a good grounding in basic turn shoe construction is necessary to understand the process. Marc Carlson's website, Footwear of the Middle Ages, is an excellent resource in this respect, and I highly suggest that you read through at least the section on Stitches and Seams, as it describes the basic techniques that we will be using to construct these various raised heels.  At the minimum, you will want to be familiar with Edge/Flesh seams, making stitching threads, and attaching them to bristles (or needles as the case may be).  As Marc's website has very detailed information on those topics, I will not go into great detail on those particular points.  As I think of more useful things to put here, I will continue to update this page.  If you have any suggestions, please do write me!

An example of five cord linen thread attached to a monofilament fishing line. I tend to use seven cord almost exclusively, except for those instances when very fine stitching is needed.
A more period solution of using boar bristles as opposed to monofilament fishing line. One advantage of boar bristles (aside from the fact that they cordwainers of old used them!) is that they have a thinner diameter, but are still sufficiently rigid AND flexible to follow the awl hole. Another advantage is that you are able to split them down the center and put the thread onto the bristle in that manner, which helps to better "lock" it in place (this is described in Garsault's 18th century text on shoemaking). It also constrats better with the leather, so you're able to see the bristle more easily (although some bristles are actually white, as shown in the pictre). If you're looking for boar bristles, I can get you some, just write me!
This a clear example of the shoemaker's stitch passing through two layers of leather. The main idea is that you are creating a running stitch on both sides, and interlocking the threads as you pass them past each other, pulling and holding the seam tight.		Diagram from Marc Carlson's Website
If your vamp is split and you need to make eyelets, then you need to make the holes in the leather larger than those needed to get your lace through. Then, you can sew an eyelet in the same fashion as one would do for fabric.		Diagram from Crowfoot (164)
Here, I will try and give a little more insight on using a bench grinder to carve your form out. Obviously, they did not use this technique and resorted to hand tools and lots of effort, but since many of us have need of a shortcut here and there, I'd like to give a bit more detail. This particular technique is very difficult to describe, but I will do my best. When grinding, you should be facing the grinding wheel, with the rotation of the sanding disc being counter clockwise. The left side of the grinding wheel should be your work surface for 95% of the carving, if not all. Use it to "scoop" cork out of the block when you need to get a lot of material out of the way, or use it to gently "scrape" material away. Whether or not you dig or scrape all depends on the angle with which you are holding your workpiece.

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