Hard sole mocs tutorial

[powwowbum49]

Charliemom

Boy I couldn't imagine a moc with a vibram sole on it...LOL...be like dancin in huntin boots. I do know folks that will make their mocs and then take them to town and have a second leather or foam sole glued onto them. Even knew a guy that used a flip-flop sole as the sole on a moc.

Rawhide soles last very well but they are slick on concrete...not to bad on grass though. Nice thing about them is that they will form to the persons foot as they are worn and get damp. Just for your info...rawhide moc sole leather is not like rawhide for a drum or commercial rawhide. It has the flesh side scraped clean and them fur side is dry scraped leaving the scarf skin and some small amounts of hair on it.

Latigo isn't too bad and is easier to work with than rawhide but wears out faster. The most important thing about making good mocs that will last a long time is to use good hide, uppers included. Commercial hide will always wear out faster than brain tanned. If I am using commercial I like to use elk or thicker...in fact elk is my all around favorite for hard sole mocs, moose for soft soles

[Blackbear]

I made a pair of hard sole to wear around everywhere. Sole is latigo, upper is commercial tanned elk. They don't look so pretty anymore because in the summer that's all I wear unless it's raining but they are holding up rather well.

[charliemom]

yes the Vibram soles wear well. They are not the full thickness of a pair of hunting boots. I can't imagine my daughter dancing in something that awkward. She would rather go barefoot. I think that I will try the rawhide sole though. If they hold up well on concrete and grass, is that also true for hardwood floors?. Alot of the winter dances are in gyms. Thank you for all the help.

[fly with me]

STEP 24

Now you can put on a tongue in the desired shape you want. You may also want to run a lace through the upper of the moc as per the tribal style you have chosen to do. I prefer to use an awl to punch the hole for the laces through the hide rather than cutting slits in it.

Once these things are done your mocs are ready to try on. If you chose to bead them after sewing them up then you have a bit more work to do. If the uppers were beaded first, then you may have a bit of edge beading and embellishing left but should be pretty well finished.

Good luck and if anyone has any more questions feel free to fire away.

I was browsing I came cross your work. Excellent work!

[charliemom]

check ur local bead store that sell native work. they should know of someone local.

[The Last Joe-hican]

I have plantar fasciitis which requires me to have a lot of arch support or my feet hurt. If I want to put insoles in my mocs should I give them a little bit of extra room or should they stretch a little as I break them in?

[powwowbum49]

Actually both...I would suggest getting your arch measurement with your inserts under your foot so you know you have just enough room for it. Too much and the moc will be baggy. You will also have to watch as you sew it up that you do not stretch it too much around the sides. Pay close attention to the marks on the sides of the sole and the upper and try not to let the upper mark end up more then a 1/2" past the sole mark. This will make sure there is adequate room for your foot and the insole.

[The Last Joe-hican]

Thanks pwb49

[tribaltagz]

Great

Great tutorial! I've made canvas top mocs before and they hold up rather well. Any chance of getting a tutorial addendum on:
rawhide soles
Ladies boots (kiowa/Comanche style)

The worst time I had was when I made a pair of mocs for my mom and couldn't get them sewn on straight. (Was in a time crunch too of course) The design was such that made it VERY obvious too...She put them on and it looked like she was pigeon toed! Had to redo them 3 times before they looked even halfway right. That's when my sis taught me to tack them at the toe and on each side at the arch beforehand...... will never do a pair any other way after that fiasco.

[powwowbum49]

Tagz

That is why I start sew front and center and go around the big to first. I normall have no trouble when I do this (unless I screwed up beading them first. What are you wanting to know about rawhide soles and boots? I can add on to this I suppose. I am working on a set of boots for my wife right now and I have a new set of mocs underway for me that are being put on rawhide soles.

[tribaltagz]

rawhide soles and boots

I've just enjoyed reading your tutorial so much I'd kind of like to see it coninue.
Last year I bought some rawhide soles from a guy at Hammond Pow wow over Memorial Day (have since misplaced the dang things) Is there anything special you need to do when you sew them up. Also, I was taught if you have trouble popping latigo soles, place a wet rag on them to soften them up a little then turn 'em. If you do that to rawhide soles, would they shrink?
On boots, I guess I'd like to see how you change your regular pattern to add the "legging" part of it. How much overlap, how you attach the ties. Just trying to keep the thread going.

[District826]

Oh wow! I just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I have been wanting to try making a pair of maccasins for years. Now that I finally have the time to do it, I was lacking a good pattern. Thank you!!! I can not wait to start!

[standnbear]

A piece of advice....
Try to find some good knife-edged shears (scissors) to cut your leather with. They're stout enough and sharp enough to cut latigo, and you won't run the risk of slicing your finger. I haven't had any problems cutting leather (latigo or otherwise) with scissors. I just find it easier. X-Acto knives are nice, but one slip, and you ruin your piece or slice a finger.

I use a pair of tin snips(designed to cut sheet metal). I use them to cut elk rawhide for drums, they will cut all thick hides like scissors thru paper. rawhide, latigo, strap, you name it they will cut it.

[Maize-Grower]

Hey I kid you not! I only tried one rawhide soled mocs and that was over 10 years ago. I just used my buckskin needle and pushed it thru with a scrap of TOUGH buckskin and pulled it thru the other side with a scrap of GRIPPY buckskin. I still have the Tough piece and you can see the many, many holes punched in it.

I have an awl, but it must be a FAT awl. Until I find a skinnier one, or someone gives me one;) I'll have to stick to soft soles or latigo.

Anyway, what's the next step after getting all these specific supplies together? And do you make custom patterns or do you have tons of patterns labeled by size?:Chatter

Take your fat awl and file it down to a roughly 20 degree point with a grind going at least an inch up the shaft. Keen points with gradual transitions to full thickness will go though easily compared to standard rope awls. Be sure to get the file-work even all around and circular. It may take an hour or so, but it will save many headaches. It helps to clamp the file down and sharpen the awl that way since it's easier to see what you're doing. A fine sandpaper can be used to get a mirror polish and make it even better, but isn't needed. If your awl is not stainless steel, I suggest bluing or soaking in vinegar to prevent rust. (Maize-Grower is a former Blacksmith with 7 years experience in making, modding, and repairing tools; and making knives.)

Disclaimer:
Keep in mind to never point it towards yourself or others or things you don't want holes in. I'm not responsible for any injuries or damages.

[MadMax003]

Oh, that's cool. I will try. Thanks