Vindolanda Fishnet Boot

[Mithras]

Amazing hock:

[Robert Vermaat]

Awesome! How much time did it take you cuting that myriad of small holes (I bet you did not count them!!)?

[Martin Moser]

Awesome! How much time did it take you cuting that myriad of small holes (I bet you did not count them!!)?

Not that long actually - I have a set of punches with various forms, squares and rectangles among them. Otherwise I might never have started that shoe :-) )

[tlclark]

Martin

These are just amazing!!

Excellent work.

Travis

[Martin Moser]

Hi,

finally I finished my reproduction of these boots, actually those were numbers 3 and 4 ;-) )
For some reaason with the first I did the fishnet pattern on both sides, where the original find only shows it on the outside. I also tried to get the shoe's ridge line (where it is laced) more out of center, as the cut of the find indicates. The upper leather was fixed with cross-lacing as found on other shoes of about the same time, the sole attached with a tunnel stitch again (see my Valkenburg/Castleford Caliga Howto - http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=6707 - for details on this if necessary, please)
Didn't nail them yet, still debating with myself about this. From the original only the upper leather survives, so we can't be absolutely sure about whether they were nailed or not, but most shoes were back then. I'll probably use small nails of 3-4 mm diameter, which I can make myself ...
If you have any suggestions on the whole thing, please let me know!

Crosslacing of the welt of the upper leather before lower sole is attached


Asymetrical ridge line


Fishnet pattern and shaft detail

[Vincula]

I remember my professor explaining that the owners wore brightly contrasting socks to accentuate the details.

Who's your professor, Franklin? And what's his evidence?

[Martin Moser]

I remember my professor explaining that the owners wore brightly contrasting socks to accentuate the details.

Who's your professor, Franklin? And what's his evidence?

I think this is one of those popular, always again picked-up ideas you find in many books/articles. I think I remember reading about it in 2 or 3 publications on shoes that I have. We know there were (colored) socks (finds from Vindolanda and Egypt and depictions). We do not know for sure that the owners of such shoes as above actually wore contrasting colored socks in order to enhance the effect of the pattern, but it is of course a possibility...

[Peroni]

Martin,

Does the punching of the holes add to the flexibility of the shoe leather at all?

I was wondering if they stretched like a type of net?

[Martin Moser]

Hi Peroni,

Does the punching of the holes add to the flexibility of the shoe leather at all? I was wondering if they stretched like a type of net?

Not much really, I think. It may make stretching the leather over the last somewhat easier (but not much, I am sure) and once the shoe is built and the upper made fast between insole and outer sole and laced as well, there's not much "leeway" left for the material to stretch, be it horizontally or vertically. When wearing them the feeling is pretty much like a modern shoe, minus the heel, of course.

[Peroni]

Thanks Martin.

[Franklin]

I remember my professor explaining that the owners wore brightly contrasting socks to accentuate the details.

Who's your professor, Franklin? And what's his evidence?

Sorry, I've been away from the boards for some months. The professor was Dr. David Shotter from Lancaster Uni, although I just looked at their website and didn't see his name so I think he may have retired since I graduated. Type his name in at Amazon, though, and you'll see the list of books he's published. No clue about his documentation for the socks. Just a random tidbit he tossed off while touring our class through the Vindolanda site.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Hi, Martin!

Can you give me a pattern of this shoes? I have seen one recontruction of that kind onf shoes in Archeon and i like it too much.

I want to make me ones. Some authors say it's possible to be used not only by woman and children, for men too. For soldiers?

Thanks for share your beutiful work!

[Martin Moser]

Can you give me a pattern of this shoes? I have seen one recontruction of that kind onf shoes in Archeon and i like it too much.

Sure, give me an email address and I'll send you a pic of it. I would still advise you to follow this method to make sure you make the shoes the right size.

I want to make me ones. Some authors say it's possible to be used not only by woman and children, for men too. For soldiers?

For soldiers we can't be really sure I guess, but at least the sizes point towards both sexes as wearers. This one here, btw, was found in the quarters thought to have been occupied by the commanding officer at that time and his family.

[Martin Moser]

Finally, finally finished this pair ... I blackened the upper leather with iron + vinegar and, mostly, made the last couple of hobnails, must be something around 180 of them. So for a last time, a few pics of those:



nailing pattern (from an unrelated late 1st century find):



detail of one of the hobnails (one of the better ones, admittedly ;-) ) ):

[gaiusseptimiuslucianus]

Martin,

Those look great! I have a question about your punches, did you buy them or make them yourself? I'm a shoemaker myself and would love to get some for my tool collection. :mrgreen:

Congratulations on the great work,

Lucianus
_______
L.E. Pearson