This is the one tool that makes custom shoes so special. #shoemaking #artisan #craftsman

[Music] that's Simon he's been making shoes for over 15 years the fit is tailored completely to each person whereas a ready-made shoe is essentially a generic shape the key difference is this the last it's a wooden mold carved to the exact measurements and features of the customer's foot he starts by cutting away large amounts of wood then make small adjustments with hand tools even the smallest

little half a millimeter sometimes can just make all the difference it can just throw the whole thing off the challenge is to make it useful and to actually make it fit last making is Simon's specialty he inherited this workbench from the Shoemaker who trained him making a last can take days it's a constant process of carving wood and checking the measurements but that effort is worth