At the present time the types of shoes ordinarily made are but five: the “peg” shoe, which is the cheapest type of shoe made; the “standard screw,” which is used in the soles of the heaviest types of boots; the “McKay sewed,” which is made after the fashion established by Gordon McKay; the “turn” shoe, a light type of shoe which was invented centuries ago and which is still worn at this time to a limited extent; and the “Goodyear welt,” which has been universally adopted as the highest type of footwear.

For this reason, this type of shoe has been selected to show the methods employed in making shoes.

The Goodyear Welt Shoe.—A Goodyear Welt shoe in its evolution from the embryonic state in which it is “mere leather and thread” to the completed product, passes through one hundred and six different pairs of hands and is obliged to conform to the requirements of fifty-eight different machines, each performing with unyielding accuracy the various operations for which they were designed.

It might seem that in all this multiplicity of operations confusion would occur, and that the many details and specifications regarding material and design of any given lot of shoes in process of manufacture would become hopelessly entangled with those of similar lots undergoing the same operations. But such is not the case; for, when an order is received in any modern and well-organized factory, the factory management promptly take the precaution to see that all the details regarding the samples to which the finished product is to conform are set down in the order book. Each lot is given an order number and this number, together with the details affecting the preparation of the shoe upper, are written on tags—one for each two dozen shoes—which are sent to the foreman of the cutting room. Others containing details regarding the sole leather are sent to the sole leather room, while a third lot is made out for the guidance of the foreman of the making or bottoming room, when the different parts which have received attention and been prepared according to specifications in the cutting and sole leather rooms are ready to be assembled for the making or bottoming process. If the tags which were sent to the cutting room were followed, it would be found that on their receipt the foreman of this department figured out the amount and kind of leather required, the kind of linings, stays, etc., and that the leather, together with the tags which gave directions regarding the size, etc., was sent to one of the operators of the Ideal Clicking Machine.

This machine has been pronounced one of the most important innovations that have been made in the shoe manufacturing industry during recent years, as it performs an operation which has heretofore successfully withstood every attempt at mechanical aid. Prior to its introduction, the cutting of upper leather was accomplished by the use of patterns made with metal edges, which were laid upon the leather by cutter, who then ran a small sharp knife along the edges of the pattern, cutting the leather to conform to it. This was a slow and laborious process, and if great care was not taken, there was a tendency to cut away from the pattern; and in many cases, through some slip of the knife, the leather was cut beyond the required limits.

This machine has a cutting board very similar to those which were used by the hand workman and over it is a beam which can be swung either to the right or to the left, as desired, and over any portion of the board. Any kind of skin to be cut is placed on the board, and the operator places a die of unusual design on it. Grasping the handle, which is a part of the swinging beam, he swings the beam over the die, and on downward pressure of the handle a clutch is engaged which brings the beam downward, pressing the die through the leather. As soon as this is accomplished, the beam automatically returns to its full height and remains there until the handle is again pressed.

The dies used are but three-quarters of an inch in height and are so light that they do not mar the most delicate leather when placed upon it. They enable the operator to see clearly the entire surface of the leather he is cutting out, and it is obvious that the pieces cut by the use of any given die must be identically the same.

After the different parts required by the tag have been cut out by the operator of the Clicking Machine, some of the edges which show in the finished shoe must be skived or thinned down to a beveled edge. This work is performed by the Amazeen Skiving Machine—a wonderful little machine in which the edge to be skived is fed to a sharp revolving disk that cuts it down to the desired bevel. The machine does the work in a very efficient manner, conforming to all the curves and angles. This skiving is done in order that the edges may be folded, to give the particular edge on which it is performed a more finished appearance. The skived edges are then given a little coating of cement and afterwards folded on a machine which turns back the edge and incidentally pounds it down, so that it presents a very smooth and finished appearance.

Aside from the work of skiving toe caps and folding them, there is generally a series of ornamental perforations cut along the edge of the cap. This is done very often by the Power Tip Press, by means of which the piece to be perforated is placed under a series of dies which cuts the perforations in the leather according to a predetermined design, doing the work all at one time. The number of designs used for this purpose are many and varied, combinations of different sized perforations being worked out in innumerable designs.

On one of the top linings of each shoe there has been stamped the order number, together with the size of the shoe for which the linings were intended. After all the linings have been prepared in accordance with the instructions on the tag, they, in connection with the various parts of the shoe, receive attention from the Stitchers, where all the different parts of the upper are united. The work is performed on a range of wonderful machines, which perform all the different operations with great rapidity and accuracy.

At the completion of these operations the shoe is ready to receive the eyelets, which are placed with remarkable speed and accuracy by the Duplex Eyeletting Machine. This machine eyelets both sides of the shoe at one time with bewildering rapidity. The eyelets are securely placed and accurately spaced; and as both sides of the upper are eyeletted at one time, the eyelets are placed directly opposite each other, which greatly helps the fitting of the shoe, as thereby the wrinkling of the shoe upper is avoided.

With the completion of this operation, the preparation of the shoe upper is finished, and the different lots with their tags are sent to the bottoming room to await the coming of the different sole leather portions of the shoe. These have been undergoing preparation in the sole leather room, where on receipt of tag the foreman has given directions for the preparation of outsoles, insoles, counters, toe boxes and heels, to conform with the requirements of the order.

The soles are roughly died out from sides of sole leather on large Dieing-out Machines, which press heavy dies down through the leather; but to make them conform exactly to the required shape, they are generally rounded out on a machine known as the “Planet Rounding Machine,” in which the roughly died-out piece of leather is held between clamps, one of which is the exact pattern of the sole. On starting the machine, a little knife darts around this pattern, cutting the sole exactly to conform with it.

The outsole is now passed to a heavy Rolling Machine, where it is subjected to tons of pressure between heavy rolls. This takes the place of the hammering which the old-time shoemaker gave his leather and brings the fibres very closely together, greatly increasing its wear.

This sole is next fed to a machine called the “Summit Splitting Machine—Model M,” which reduces it to an exactly even thickness. The insole—which is made of very much lighter leather—is prepared in much the same manner, and in this way it will be noticed that both the insole and outsole are reduced to an absolutely uniform thickness.

The insole also receives further preparation; it is channeled on the Goodyear Channeling Machine. This machine cuts a little slit along the edge of the insole, extending about one-half inch towards its center. It also cuts a small channel along the surface.

The lip which has been formed by the Goodyear Channeling Machine is now turned up on the Goodyear Lip Turning Machine, so that it extends out at a right angle from the insole, forming a lip or shoulder against which the welt is sewed. The cut which has been made on the surface inside this lip serves as a guide for the operator of the Welt Sewing Machine, when the shoe reaches that stage.

The heels to be used on these shoes have also been formed from different lifts of leather which are cemented together. The heel is then placed under great pressure, giving it exact form and greatly increasing its wear.

The counters are also prepared in this room, as well as the toe boxes or stiffening, which is placed between the toe cap and the vamp of the shoe. When these are all completed, they are sent to the making or bottoming room, where the completed shoe upper is awaiting them. Here a wonderfully ingenious little machine called the “Ensign Lacing Machine,” passes strong twine through the eyelets and in a twinkling ties it automatically. This is done so that all parts of the shoe will be held in their normal position while the shoe is being made. The knot tied by this machine is perfect and is performed with mechanical exactness. On high-grade shoes this work was formerly performed by hand and it will be readily recognized how difficult it was to obtain uniformity. The spread of the upper at the throat can be regulated perfectly when this machine is used. The different parts of the shoe now commence to come together. The workman places the toe box, or stiffening, in the proper location as well as the counter at the heel, and draws the upper over the last. To the bottom of this last has already been tacked by means of the U. S. M. Co. Insole Tacking Machine—which drives tacks automatically—the insole, which, it will be noticed, conforms exactly to the shape of the bottom of the last. This last, made of wood, is of the utmost importance, for upon the last depends the shape of the shoe.

The shoe as completed up to this point with the parts mentioned fastened together as shown, is now ready for assembling. The workman, after placing the last inside the shoe upper, puts it on the spindle of the Rex Assembling Machine, where he takes care that the seam at the heel is properly located. He presses a foot lever and a small tack is driven part way in, to hold the upper in place. He then hands it over to the operator of the Rex Pulling-Over Machine.

This machine is a very important one; for as the parts of the shoe upper have been cut to exactly conform to the shape of the last, it is necessary that they should be correctly placed on the last to secure the desired results. The pincers of this machine grasp the leather at different points on each side of the toe; and the operator, standing in a position from which he can see when the upper is exactly centered, presses a foot lever, the pincers close and draw the leather securely against the wood of the last. At this point the operation of the machine halts. By moving different levers, the workman is able to adjust the shoe upper accurately, so that each part of it lies in the exact position it was intended when the shoe was designed. When this important operation has been completed, the operator again presses a foot lever, the pincers move toward each other, drawing the leather securely around the last, and at the same time there are driven automatically two tacks on each side and one at the toe, which hold the upper securely in position. These tacks are driven but part way in, so that they may be afterward removed.

The shoe is now ready for lasting. This is one of the most difficult and important parts of the shoemaking process, for upon the success of this operation depends in a great measure the beauty and comfort of the shoe. The Consolidated Hand Method Welt Lasting Machine, which is used for this purpose, takes its name from the almost human way in which it performs this part of the work. It is wonderful to observe how evenly and tightly it draws the leather around the last. At each pull of the pincers a small tack driven automatically part way in holds the edge of the upper exactly in place, so that in the finished shoe every part of the upper has been stretched in all directions equally. The toe and heel of the shoe are considered particularly difficult portions to last properly. This important part of the work is now being very generally performed on the U. S. M. Co. Lasting Machine—No. 5, a machine of what is known as the “bed type.” It is provided with a series of wipers for toe and heel, which draw the leather simultaneously from all directions. There can be no wrinkles at the toe or heel of shoe on which it is properly used and the quality of work produced by it has been very generally recognized as a distinct advance in this important part of shoemaking. After the leather has been brought smoothly around the toe it is held there by a little tape fastened on each side of the toe and which is held securely in place by the surplus leather crimpled in at this point. The surplus leather crimpled in at the heel is forced smoothly down against the insole and held there by tacks driven by a very ingenious hand tool in which there is a constantly renewed supply of tacks.

In all of the lasting operations the tacks are driven but part way in, except at the heel portion of the shoe, where they are driven through the insole and clinched on the iron heel of the last. The tacks are driven only part way in, in order that they may be afterward withdrawn so as to leave the inside of the shoe perfectly smooth. In making shoes other than Goodyear Welts, with the exception of the Goodyear Turn Shoe, it is necessary to drive the tacks through the insole and clinch them inside the shoe, so that the different portions of the sole inside the shoe have clinched tacks. These are left even after the shoe is finished. This smooth interior of the shoe is one of the essential features of the Goodyear Welt Process.

In the lasting operation there is naturally a surplus amount of leather left at the toe and sometimes around the sides of the shoe, and this is removed on the Rex Upper Trimming Machine in which a little knife cuts away the surplus portion of the leather very smoothly and evenly, and simultaneously a small hammer operating in connection with the knife pounds the leather smooth along the sides and the toe of the shoe. The shoe then passes to the Rex Pounding Machine, in which a hammer pounds the leather and counter around the heel so that the stiff portion of the shoe conforms exactly to the shape of the last.

The shoe is now ready to receive the welt, which is a narrow strip of leather that is sewed along the edge of the shoe, beginning where the heel is placed and ending at the same spot on the opposite edge. This welt is sewed from the inside lip of the insole, so that the needle passes through the lip, upper and welt, uniting all three securely and allowing the welt to protrude evenly along the edge. The needle in making this stitch does not go inside the shoe, but passes through only a portion of the insole, leaving the inside perfectly smooth. This part of the work was formerly one of the most difficult and laborious tasks in shoemaking. As it was performed entirely by hand, the drawing of each stitch depended upon the strength and mood of the workman. It is of course obvious that with different operators stitches were oftentimes of different lengths and drawn at different tensions; for human nature is much the same everywhere, and it is impossible for a workman who has labored hard all day to draw a stitch with the same tension at night as might have been possible in the morning.

It is surprising how quickly and easily the work is done on the Goodyear Welt Sewing Machine. This famous machine has been the leading factor in the great revolution that has taken place in shoe manufacturing. Its work should be carefully noted—all stitches of equal length and measured automatically, the strong linen thread thoroughly waxed and drawn evenly and tightly; for the machine never tires, and it draws the thread as strongly in the evening as in the morning. Every completed movement of the needle forms a stitch of great strength, which holds the welt, upper and insole securely together.

As the lasting tacks as well as the tacks which hold the insole in place on the last were withdrawn just prior to this operation, it will be seen that the inside of the shoe is left perfectly smooth. After this process the surplus portions of the lip, upper and welt which protrude beyond the stitches made by the Goodyear Welt Machine are trimmed off by the Goodyear Inseam Trimming Machine—a most efficient machine, in which a revolving cup-shaped knife comes in contact with the surplus portions of the leather and trims them off very smoothly down to the stitches.

At this stage the shoe is passed to the Universal Welt Beater, in which a little hammer vibrating very rapidly beats the welt so that it stands out evenly from the side of the shoe. As the leather is bent around the toe, it is the natural tendency of the welt to draw more tightly at that place, and this is taken care of by a little knife which the operator forces into operation, in the beating process, the toe is being taken care of, and it makes a series of little cuts diagonally along the edge of it. The insole and welt now receive a coating of rubber cement. This cement is contained in an air-tight tank and is applied by means of a revolving brush, which takes its supply of cement, as required, from a can.

In this way, an even coating of any desired thickness is given to the insole and welt. This machine has many advantages; the cement being closely confined in the tank, there is almost no waste in its use. Formerly, when this was done by hand, the waste through evaporation or lack of care on the part of the workman was very material.

The heavy outsole of the shoe also receives at this time proper attention. The flesh side of this sole, or the side next to the animal, receives a coating of rubber cement, and after it has dried slightly the operator of the Goodyear Improved Twin Sole Laying Machine takes the work in hand. In this machine there is a rubber pad, or mould, which has been made to conform to the curve in the sole of the shoe. After placing the last on the spindle, which is suspended from the machine and hangs over the rubber mould, the outsole having been previously pressed against the bottom of the shoe, the operator by pressing the foot lever causes this arm to descend, forcing the shoe down into the mould, so that every portion of the sole is pressed against the bottom of the shoe and welt. Here they are allowed to remain for a sufficient length of time for the cement to properly set, the operation being repeated on a duplicate part of the machine, the operator leaving one shoe under pressure while he is preparing another.

The next operation is that of trimming the sole and welt so that they will protrude a uniform distance from the edge of the shoe. This work is performed on the Goodyear Universal Rough Rounding Machine, which gauges the distance exactly from the edge of the last. It is often desired to have the edge extended further on the outside of the shoe than it does on the inside and also that the width of the edge should be considerably reduced in the shank of the shoe. This is taken care of with great accuracy by the use of this machine. The operator is able to change the width at will. By the use of this remarkable machine the operator is also enabled to make the sole of the shoe conform exactly to all others of similar size and design.

The surplus portion of the leather is now trimmed off on the Heel-Seat Rounding Machine, and the channel cut by the knife on the Rough Rounding Machine is turned up so that it leaves the channel open. This is done by the Goodyear Universal Channel Opening Machine, in which a little wheel, turning very rapidly, lays the lip smoothly back.

The outsole is now sewed to the welt. This operation is performed on the Goodyear Outsole Rapid Lockstitch Machine, which is very similar in operation to the Goodyear Welt Sewing Machine used in sewing the welt to the shoe. The stitch, however, is finer and extends from the channel which was cut for it to the upper side of the welt, where it shows after the shoe has been finished. The lockstitch formed by this machine is a most durable one. Using a thoroughly waxed thread, it holds the outsole securely in place, even after the connecting stitches have been worn off. This is one of the most important machines in the shoemaking process. It is able to sew even in the narrow shank, where a machine using a straight needle could not possibly place its stitch.

The “Star Channel Cementing Machine—Model A” is again called into operation for the purpose of coating with cement the inside of the channel in which this stitch has been made. A special brush with guard is used for this purpose, and the operation is very quickly performed by the skilled operator.

After this cement has been allowed to set a sufficient length of time, the channel lip, which has previously been laid back against the sole, is again forced into its former position and held securely in place by rubber cement. This work is done by the Goodyear Channel Laying Machine, in which a rapidly revolving wheel provided with a peculiar arrangement of flanges forces back into place, securely hiding the stitches from observation on this portion of the shoe.

The next operation is that of leveling, which is performed on the Automatic Sole Levelling Machine—one of the most interesting used in the shoemaking process. This is a double machine provided with two spindles, on one of which the operator places a shoe to be levelled. It is securely held by the spindle and a toe rest, and on the operator’s pressing a foot lever, the shoe passes automatically beneath a vibrating roll under heavy pressure. This roll moves forward with a vibrating motion over the sole of the shoe down into the shank, passes back again to the toe, then cants to the right, and repeats the operation on that side of the shoe, returning to the toe and canting to the left, repeating the operation on that side; after which the shoe automatically drops forward and is relieved from pressure. This rolling motion removes every possibility of there being any unevenness in the bottom of the shoe, and while one shoe is under pressure the operator is preparing a second one for the operation.