Lasting Handout 1

B.
Sc in Manufacturing Engineering
LASTING TECHNOLOGY
Introduction
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B.Sc-Lasting Technology
Lasting is the term applied to the processes involved in stretching the upper material over
the last and securing it to the bottom of the insole either with tacks, adhesives or threads
Providing that the operations are carried out in the correct way, the upper will confirm itself
to the contours of the last and, when the last is removed, retain this shape.
There are many variations in the way by which footwear can be made from the Lasting
point of view. These are known as lasting constructions. Construction is defined as the
method of attachment of sole with the upper.
Lasting methods and its types
Lasting of a shoe is the very first operation of assembling. We know that lasting may be
done by hand or by machine. Through machine lasting is fast replacing hand lasting and
generally hand lasting is taken off from the growing market. Hand lasting still survives,
because it is the foundation of machine method. For surgical and bespoke work it is still the
normal and only method since each shoe can receive the individual special treatment which
is not possible by machine.
Till 50’s before the introduction of poly-chloroprene adhesive manufacturers were

dependent on riveting or stitching to secure outsole to the upper which was quite labor
intensive job. Attaching sole with adhesive found to be lot easier once better bonding
adhesive came into effect. Gradually other methods like strobe lasting for direct vulcanizing
bottoming and string lasting for direct injection moulding were introduced. For minimum
work force and for faster output but by more expensive tooling(moulds etc.).
There are many ways to attach the sole to the upper but commercially only a few methods
are preferred. Shoes were traditionally made by moulding leather to a wooden last. Modern
technology has introduced many new materials and mechanized much of the manufacture.
Remarkable as it may seem the manufacture of shoes remains fairly labor intensive.
Methods of lasting
In actual lasting the upper can be attached to the insole, runner or sole
Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

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 By grindery such as tacks, wire staples, pre-formed staples, wire and thread
attachment
 By adhesive such as pressure sensitive, heat activated, hot adhesives
 In string lasting the upper is held in place by a string
There are many ways to attach the sole with the upper but commercially only a few
methods are preferred. There are two types of attachment, the types of constructions used
will often depend upon what the finished shoe is used for so each will demand different
considerations.
 Direct Attachment
 Indirect attachment
The methods of attachment can be divided into two groups:-
 Direct Attachment------Where the soles are attached directly to the lasted upper.
 Indirect Attachment---Where the soles are attached to the welt or runner or any
other intermediate component which are these already being attached to the last
upper.
Group one includes Cemented (Stuck-on) Constructions, Direct Moulded Constructions,

etc.
Group two includes Good year Welted Construction, Veldtschoen Construction, etc.
The lasting department is divided into three sections:
1. Assembly
2. lasting
3. Bottoming & Finishing
A shoe nearly always has to made on a last to achieve a shape to give the necessary
comfort and fit. Lasting is the process of stretching, the upper leather over the last and
securing it to the insole, runner etc., so that the upper conforms to the last contours.
The areas of the last which present the greatest difficulties in lasting are mostly in those
where the major shape changes occur, to facilitate shape retention it is essential to apply
correct strains at certain major points.

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The amount and direction of strains must be suitable to both material and the design of the
upper to help to produce good shape retention throughout the life of the shoe. Shoes must
be lasted to match in pairs so that the design of the uppers is correctly matched. It is
important that the back height will be according to specification; otherwise if the back is too
high, the shoe will rub the heel, if too low the shoe may not fit the foot as desired.
The top line of every shoe must be reasonably tight. It is essential during lasting that the
top line is pulled somewhat tight to maintain correctly the balanced top lines. If the initial
stretch is not taken out of the upper, the top line becomes loose, resulting in poorly fitting
shoes. The top line must also be correctly balanced, i.e. the out side quarter 2-3 mm below
the height of the inside quarter, the reason for this being the difference in the anklebone
height, or according to the specification.
Traditional hand lasting involves the use of twelve basic lasting strains, which make the
upper conform to the shape of the last. the order in which these lasting strains are taken
can vary to suit the individual situation, and the laster may modify the order, to make sure
the upper is lasted properly. For example, if the upper is tending to the swing to the outside
then the laster will remedy this by pulling the upper from the inside first, in other words, the
laster will:
 Ensure that the upper conforms to the shape of the last.

 Ensure that the upper is positioned centrally on the last.
 Take care that the upper components are falling on the proper places on the last as
specified by the designer.
The operator sets lasting strains in the modern lasting machines. For quick up a machine
for various last shapes, upper models and sizes the lasted forepart lasters have computers
which enable the entire machine.
No matter the type of construction the first stage in construction is to attach the insole to the
undersurface of the last. Two main operations follow: Lasting describes the upper sections
are shaped to the last and insole. Followed by Bottoming , where the sole is attached to the
upper. The process of bottoming will determine price, quality and performance of the shoe.
A footwear upper can be turned into a shoe in different ways. The following are the some of
the other methods employed for lasting of footwear upper:-
 Lasting Down
 Lasting Up
 Force Lasting

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 String Lasting
Lasting Down:-
In this method the upper and the lining are pulled down.e.g.. Rib lasting, flat lasting, Pre-
welted lasting, flanged lasting
Flat lasting/Cement lasting
The flat lasting of the upper, can be performed in one of the following ways:
a. All tacks method, by hand or machine
b. Combination of tack and cement lasting
c. All cement lasting by machine
However, in order to facilitate satisfactory sole sewing, the following points should be
carefully noted:
1. The lasting margin should be adequate and free from excessive pleating
2. It is preferable to have less metallic (tack heads) in the lasting margin, which may
affect the sole sewing operation and cause swing machine needle breakage.
3. Tacks should be positioned as far as possible, away from the feather edge.
4. A cement lasted margin which is quiet smooth and flat is desirable and would assist
the sole sewing operation tremendously.
In this process the upper is attached to the insole by cement, the lasting margin is
roughened. The sole is attached with lasted upper by means of adhesive. The result is the
permanent bond between three elements (upper, insole, sole). There is no stitch. Many
women and children shoes along with a large number of men’s dress and casual type of
shoes are made in this process.
Rib lasting/Goodyear welted lasting

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This is an indirect method of attachment of sole, upper and welt. One of the major
characteristics of this process is the use of an insole with an upstanding wall or rib. First the
rib of the insole, the upper and the welt are sewn together at the point where it curves
under the last. This is supplemented by a lockstitch out seam bonding the welt and outsole.
The outsole is then sewn to the welt around the edge.
The process is mainly used for men’s dress shoes and in industrial footwear. Goodyear
Welt creates heavier less flexible footwear.
Advantages of Goodyear welted lasting
 The welt being attached to the insole and the sole makes the shoe relatively water
repellent.
 It is very flexible light and comfortable.
 Easy to repair.
 It is a strong construction and has the ability to keep its shape under heavy wear.
Pre-welted lasting/Moulded Methods/(DIP/DVP)
Due to developments in technology and chemistry, injection moulded shoes have become
very important in shoe manufacturing. In order to economically manufacture shoes by this

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method, it is desirable to have large quantities per style, as expensive machines (possibly
including robots) and equipment (moulds) have to be used.
We differentiate between shoes with direct injected outsoles and shoes which are
completely injected moulded. Direct injected soles can have one or two material layers
(double-density) and be made from different types of plastics.
Shoe with direct injected outsole
Before the outsole can be injected on, the upper has to be pulled over a last and attached
to the insole. This usually takes place using the cemented, Strobel or California
construction. Labour intensive bonding of the outsole is not necessary.
 Last the upper

 Upper is lowered into the outsole mould and locked firmly in place
 The plastic is injected or foamed into the enclosed cavity of the negative mould (the
 sole shape has the desired engraving such as profile, name or size)
Fig: Double density direct sole Injection

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Vulcanised
The discovery of vulcanization by Charles Goodyear in 1839 opened up new production

Methods for the shoe industry. Wild rubber, brought from Spanish colonies in the middle of
the 18th century, was used to make the first rubber shoes. Vulcanization technology has
been further developed over the years. This manual operation is very labour and time
Consuming (long vulcanization times) and is no longer competitive today. Injection
moulding is now widely used.
Shoe with direct vulcanised outsole

Before the outsole can be moulded on, the upper has to be pulled over a last and attached
to the insole. This can take place similarly to the cemented construction.

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 Last the shoe

 Slip the last
 Pull the lasted shoe onto the metal last
 Insert an elastomer blank into the metal mould (the sole shape has the desired
engraving such as profile, name or size)
 Insert a waist reinforcement into the mould, if required
 Upper is lowered onto the sole vulcanization mould which is then tightly closed
vulcanization takes place at around 130 °C for 8 min.)
Fully vulcanized shoe
These shoes are factory manufactured but require considerable manual work.
 Pull a textile sock over the aluminium mould

 Cut out the upper pieces from a textile coated with a rubber which can be vulcanized
 Use a solvent to join the individual pieces on the aluminium mould
 Bond onto a pre-vulcanised insole
 Press ole on separately
 Vulcanise for around 90 minutes in a vulcanizing oven (sometimes called autoclave)
at 130 °C until cross-linked.
Characteristics
 Direct vulcanised method:

 Very good bond between upper and sole
 Flexible, insulating and slip resistant

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 Sole edge partially matt and irregular
Fully vulcanised shoe:
 Heat insulation and air circulation are often inadequate

 Economical method when sufficient pairs can be made
Recognition
Direct vulcanised method:
 Dividing lines on the outsole are visible
Fully vulcanised shoe:

 Dividing lines of the vulcanising mould are visible on the front and back of the Upper
Usage
 Textile and leather slippers

 Lightweight sport shoes
 Town and business shoes
 Apres ski shoes
Remarks
Vulcanising can also be used to produce loose midsoles and outsoles, which can be
attached later to the upper in a number of ways.
Lasting Up:-
Moccasin lasting up:-

Moccasin can be ‘lasted up’ by hand pincers by securing the vamp by tacks on top of the
last. after lasting, the plug(apron) will be tacked into position ready for hand stitching.
Stitching is done by removing tacks at a time.
Thought to be the oldest shoe construction this consists of a single layer section, which
forms the insole, vamp and quarters. The piece is moulded upwards from the under surface
of the last. An apron is then stitched to the gathered edges of the vamp and the sole is
stitched to the base of the shoe. This method is used for flexible fashion footwear. The

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imitation moccasin has a visual appearance of a moccasin but does not have the wrap
around construction of the genuine moccasin.
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McKay stitch (Machine sewn) construction:

This is a direct method of attachment of sole to the upper by stitching. After flat lasting as
for cemented, the sole is temporarily attached by adhesive, the last is slipped and the sole
is stitched to the upper through the insole forming a series of loops. The chain stitches are
hidden in the groves of the sole. The method is very much easy to identify. The seam or
loops of stitch can be seen in the inside, if the sock is lifted.
Force Lasting:-
The upper is forced over the front of the last with the back being pushed into right position
e.g.. slip lasted shoe(Californian shoe)moccasin, strobe(sewn in sock)e.t.c Storable
construction is also known as Force lasting has evolved from sport shoes but is
increasingly used in other footwear.
The Strobel-stitched method (or sew in sock) describes one of many force lasting
techniques. The upper is sewn directly to a sock by means of an overlooking machine
(Strobel stitches). The upper is then pulled (force last) onto a last or molding foot. Unit
soles with raised walls or molded soles are attached to completely cover the seam.This

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technique is also known as the Californian process or slip lasting if while the insole used
while at manufacturing.
Fig:- Force lasting california or slip lasted construction
Fig:- Force lasting moccasin(the moccasin plug stitched before lasting)
String Lasting
This method of lasting has been gaining popularity in recent years as it replaces all lasting
operations with a single operation. It is particularly suitable for lasting soft flexible upper
materials but it has been used on a wide variety of material. When the closing operations
have been completed, a special string-stitching machine is used to attach a strong string to
the edge of the lasting allowance of the upper. The stitch used is an over lock one which is
type of chain stitch.
Typical machines are the boins ‘Never Stop’ and Allbook & Hashfield ‘success’.

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Fig:- Allbook & Hashfield “success” Over lock Stitching Machine
It is important that the tension of the over lock stitch is correct to allow the string to run
freely but not loosely. Also it must not be stitched through the string. The start and stop
positions must also be correct. Ends of about 45-60cm (18” – 24”) are left on the string for
lasting. Should any of these points be neglected it will be difficult to last the upper
accurately. The upper must be correctly conditioned, generally by steaming, before lasting.
Stitch down /Veldt or veldschoen Construction
A cheaper method used to produce lightweight flexible soles for children's shoes and some
casual footwear describes the upper turned out (flanged) at the edge of the last and this is
the only one construction where the lasting allowance is turned outwards(The insole is
larger than the last) This is then stitched to the runner The upper outside curved edge is
cement lasted to the insole. In some cases a thin micro cellular mid sole is also temporarily
cemented with the insole. The sole itself is also cemented and all the elements are bound
together by stitching. The excess material from the side has to be cut before trimming. This
process may or may not have the welt. Single or double sole can be used for any desired
thickness. In some countries it is known as 'veldt' and 'veldschoen.'
Identifying characters:-No stitching or metal parts are visible inside the shoe. On
examination of the shoe it is noticeable that where the upper meets the insole, the edge of

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the upper turned outside and is inline the edge of the insole. Advantage of this type of
construction is that the shoes are strong and flexible.
Principles of lasting
The art of lasting lies in reproducing the shape and characteristic of the last in a finished
shoe in such a way that the shape is also retained while being worn .This is obtained by
suitably stretching and molding the material over the last. A material cannot be lasted
unless among other things, the material stretches sufficiently.
Materials like leather, rubber etc. have sufficient types of stretches in them. So it would be
worthwhile to know about these stretches. For example, if a strip of 15.25 cm of such
material is taken and one end is tacked to a table and the other end ispulled it would be
seen that original length has been exceeded, by say 1.97 cm but this extended portion
would not stay long after the pulling force has been released. It will be noticed that after
some time the extension is only 1.27 cm or so and this would stay permanent. This little
experiment shows that there are two different types of stretch is that which recovered its
original shape or length i.e.0.7 cm this is known as ‘’Elastic Stretch’’. The other stretch is
the portion which did not recover its original shape or length i.e.1.27 cm portion and this
stretch is known as ‘Plastic stretch’ or rather know as ‘set’ portion.
It is desirable that the footwear should always retain the manufactured shape. For this
reason, it is necessary that the upper should be lasted beyond its elastic limit, so that as
long as it remains on the last it may slowly assume the shape of the last due to its elastic
nature. It will be seen that if the last is removed from a lasted upper within a few minutes of
the lasting, the upper will return to its unlasted shape except over the toe and counter
where the leather has been stretched most and also the toe puff and stiffener help these
portions to retain the shape i.e., over most of upper it did not have time to take up the
shape of last, and that is the reason why it is always best to keep the shoes on the last as
long as possible, the lowest limit of this time being the time taken for the toe puff and
stiffener to dry hard. After the shoe has dried completely and a permanent set has
assumed, the upper will not loose its shape when temporarily deformed i.e. when worn due
to its elastic nature.
In other words, the process of lasting ‘takes the stretch’ out of the leather but the stretches
here only refer to the elastic stretches. The material of a completed shoe should be elastic
in nature but during manufacture plasticity is required i.e. once formed into the shape of
shoe the material is required to possess the very opposite property i.e. elasticity.

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Tools for hand lasting
Tool is any item that can be used to achieve a goal, especially one that is not consumed in
the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a
specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different
designations such as Instrument, Utensil, Implement, Machine, or Apparatus. The set of
tools needed to achieve a goal is equipment. The following are the tools that are used in
making footwear using hand lasting method and their function.
Pincer
There are different types and shapes of pincers that are used for different functions. The
primary function of this tool is used to pull or stretch the upper over the last i.e. for correct
positioning of upper on the last.Some pincers tip of the handle is modified to ease the
removal of the lasting tack.
Fig1: pincer
Chisel head hammer

This tool is used to remove minor wrinkles in critical contours of a lasted upper (Fig; 2).

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Fig2: chisel head hammer
Hand iron
This is used for smoothening of the grain surface of the leather upper. While doing this you
should regulate the temperature because very high temperature will damage the grain
surface of the upper.it also help us to remove wrinkles by application of heat (Fig: 3).
Fig 3: hand iron
Awl
It is used for making perforation of thick material to be stitched beforehand lasting. Here
are some of the examples for its application (Fig: 4)
 Stitching out soles with mid sole

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 Stitching true moccasin (apron and vamp) using awl for making perforations on them
and stitch.
Fig 4: The Awl.
The cobbler’s Anvil

It is used for attachment of bottom components Such as outsole and shoe repairing
manually. As you see from the above diagram it has three parts. The left part is used to
hold the heel of the shoe, the right one helps to hold the children shoe and the top one
helps to hold the adults shoe while repairing the shoe.
Fig 5: The Cobbler’s Anvil.
The hammer
It is used for flattening of bulge of any nature on the lasting margin of the lasted upper.

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Fig 6: The Hammer
Rampi
It is used for removal of excess accumulation of lasted upper from the bottom. This tool is
also used for preparation of channel on the leather insole for welt stitching in case of welted
footwear and also used for opening channel for sole stitching.
Fig 7: Rampi
The nail lifter/tack puller
It is used to extract or remove unnecessary nails/tacks from the Shoe during lasting. Some
of the nail lifters handle is made of wood and others are made of plastic material (Fig: 8).
Fig 8: The Nail lifter/Tack puller
Lasting jack (post and pins)

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It is consists of a post and a pin. The post is held by a screw with the table and helps to
insert the pins on it.The pins are used to hold the last thimble in order to perform the lasting
operation easily.
Some of shoe makers do not use this tool; instead they use their hand to hold the last
Fig 9: Lasting jack
Scissors
This tool helps us to cut the excess lining during before pulling the upper on the last. It
should be sharp enough to cut the material easily.
Fig 10: scissor

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Hand lasting pulls
Traditional hand lasting involves the use of twelve basic lasting strains, which make the
upper conform to the shape of the last. The order in which these lasting strains are taken
can vary to suit the individual situation, and the later may modify the order, to make sure
the upper is lasted properly. For example, if the upper is tending to the swing to the outside
then the later will remedy this by pulling the upper from the inside first, in other words, the
later will
• Ensure that the upper conforms to the shape of the last.

• Ensure that the upper is positioned centrally on the last.
• Take care that the upper components are falling on the proper places on the last as
specified by the designer.
First draft Pull

After the upper has been positioned on the last, it is turned upside down and is put
on the lasting jack. If the upper is lined, first the lining is cleared off the wrinkles by giving a
light pull with hand pincer. Then both the lining and the upper are held with pincer at a
central position of the toe and sharp jerk should be applied, only a forward pull giving a
rather lengthy drawn out strain should be taken. Only that much of strain should be applied
which does not result either in distortion of the design or material of the upper.
Second and Third draft Pull

These pulls are taken on both sides of the point where the edge of the cap or toe-puff
comes. These pulls are given in lengthwise director as well as across the last, with a view

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to conform the vamp portion to the shape of the last. the lengthwise strain should be taken
first then with a twist pincer movement (without altering the position of the pincer) the upper
should be brought over the side of the last and secured with tacks. Care should be taken to
give an equal strain on both the sides. If pulled harder on one side than the other, the upper
becomes twisted and distorted. The last at this stage is taken off the jack and if the upper is
found properly positioned, further pulls are continued.
Fourth draft Pull

It is taken at the back. Care should be exercised to maintain a suitable height of the
quarter. If too much is lasted over, the back of the shoe will be too low. If too little is taken
over it will result in a high quarter and the shoe will bite into the back of the heel in wear. It
is advisable to mark the height of the back on all the last for the designs to be made over.
Then this results in uniform heights.
While taking over the pull it should be seen that the lining is cleared off the wrinkle and
then the portion laid over together with the upper should be secured with tack. The
advantage of the hoisted method is very much implicit here. When the upper is pulled over
the last it will be noticed that it has resulted in an added pull to quarter top line allowing it to
fit snugly on the wall of the last which ultimately gives a good fit on the foot.
Fifth and Sixth draft Pull

The fifth and sixth pulls are given at the corner of the stiffeners. These pulls should
not be taken just upwards because otherwise the quarter top line will be pulled down the
shoe will lose its shape resulting in gaping quarters. These pulls are a little complex and the
method should be followed as follows:-
 First the lining should be cleared of any looseness and the top edge of the quarter
should come tight along with sides of the last.
 Next, take the stiffener with the pincer, giving it a pull first towards the point, then
upwards the around the correct lasting allowance, then take the whole, the lining,
stiffener and quarter together and with a twist pincer movement pull around the
curvature of the seat over the feather and secure it with tack.
Seventh and eight draft pull

The next pulls are No.7 and 8 when are taken generally near the joints. These pulls
are taken from the direction of the toe to take the surplus material away from the waist.

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The above eight strains are the main drafting pulls on which depends the look of ultimate
shoe. Besides this, a few clearance pulls are taken in between the above strains to ensure
better results.
Ninth and tenth draft pull

These strains are taken between pull No.2,3 and 7 and 8 to ensure that the vamp
bends down to the wood of the last to give a better look and fit on the length.
Eleventh and Twelfth draft pull
These two final strains are taken below the waist, to ensure that the upper here bends
down at the bellow portion of the last, but care should be taken to see that while doing this
the quarter top line is not disturbed.
It is advisable at this stage to check the upper weather the cap line, the
back strap etc. are all central and straight, if not, they can be readjusted.
Amount of strain for different upper material
The amount of strain to which an upper should be subjected while giving lasting pulls
depends upon the materials as well as the design of the upper. There are many different
type of leather used for making upper, each differ from the other either in nature, quality,
substance or characteristics. This implies that in lasting each material should be given
Particular attention so that under-straining or over-straining does not result And also that
the peculiarity or the characteristics of particular leather is not lost.
Leather is composed of fibers closely interlocked together. The closer and dense these
fibers are the more strain they will generally stand. If insufficient strain is applied in lasting
the fibers of the leather remain uninfluenced and will very quickly lose its shape and if over-
strained the fibers will be less durable besides distorting the design of the upper. It is
actually the removal of surplus stretch that imparts a life or elasticity into the material.
The following considerations should, therefore, be made for the following types of leathers
Patent Leather or Faced Leathers:-

These types of leathers are dressed or coated with animal or linseed oil finish and
therefore, have a hard shiny surface. This surface would tend to crack if the leather is
stretched unduly obviously because the coated surface is less stretchy than the leather.
Glace Kid:-

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It stands a fair amount of strain but if strained too severely it becomes distorted and
the pores get opened.
Printed or Embossed Leather:-

Printed or embossed leathers which are made in imitation of a natural grained leather
should not be severely or over-strained as under severe strain these materials are likely to
lose the pattern of grain given to it. Materials like Buck (Male Deer) skin are very soft and
stretchy. Such material itself stands a great amount of pulling and is strong in wear owing
to their elastic nature.
Though, this material stands a great amount of pulling yet it needs a careful handling in
lasting as any undue strain will cause distortion both to the material as well as to the design
of the upper. As a general rule, a stout unyielding material requires more strain and the
lighter material comparatively less.
Shape retention & strain pattern in lasting
Lasting involves forming the upper by stretching it over the last. For foot comfort the upper
must conform to the shape of the last and retain much of it. Also the shoe upper after a
period of wear must also conform to the shape of the foot
To last the upper well we should use the minimum strain necessary to make the upper
conform to the last. By stretching too tight we may cause upper crack and inadequate
shape retention of the shoe. For quality and productivity it is important to skillfully design
and maintain the whole production process from material selection to pattern engineering,
cutting and lasting.
Traditionally, for adequate shape retention the upper was left on the last for two to three
days, or even longer. Today we use techniques, which will give us better shape retention of
the upper in a much shorter time. These methods are known as combination of Mulling and
Heat Setting and there are a number of variations to these two basic processes. Research
has shown that if the leather upper is mulled before lasting in which moisture is imparted
into the leather fibers, and lasting and subsequent heat setting done immediately after, the
result is better shape retention properties in the final upper.
Mulling can be done in a variety of ways but each method if done correctly will give the
required results. The great advantage of mulling is that it allows the leather upper to be

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stretched more easily and it is less likely to crack. Perhaps the most common method in
use today is to subject the vamp area to steam vapors immediately before forepart lasting,
the required and the temperatures used will vary according to the type of upper leather
being used but is only a matter of 1/4 th a minute or a so, this method also has advantage of
softening the toe-puff at the same time (thermo-plastic toe-puffs).
Another method is to use a Rapid Conditioning Cabinet for mulling; in this machine a rapid
stream of humid air is blown over the leather uppers. The Temperature of the air approx
50’C and the cycle time is 15-30 seconds. Every upper is subjected to identical treatment,
and very consistent moisture gains are obtained.
In modular (‘rink’) production configurations the upper is passed through steam in tunnel
prior forepart lasting. The shoe is lasted immediately after. Leather uppers conditioned this
way get mulled but the extra moisture does not remain in the material more than about 20
seconds, so the lasting must be done immediately.
Heat setting is usually carried out after the upper has been completely lasted before any of
the bottoming operations (roughing etc.) are done. Great advances have been made in this
field in recent decades allowing progress from the old style of cabinet which usually
consists of two or three chambers, the first imparting steam or moisture into the upper and
other’s rapidly drying it out (a process which can take 4 minutes to the modern HVA (High
velocity air) heat setters which force the moisture in to the upper and immediately out again
to complete the heat setting process in around 100 seconds (slight variations according to
the type of material).
Heat setting will ensure about 70-80% shape retention of most types of upper material,
including PU and PVC coated fabrics but there is usually no advantage in using moisture
on manmade upper materials, only dry air is used and the temperature related to time will
vary according to the material.
Strain pattern in lasting
The areas of the last which presents the greatest difficulties in lasting are mostly in those
where the major shape changes occur, to facilitate shape retention it is essential to apply
correct strains at certain major points called strain patterns in lasting or strain lasting

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Fig: Shape retention and their measurement
Traditionally, all the performance properties of toe puffs and stiffeners have been related to
hardness (dome strength) values. Hardness is still regarded as the main property since it
will always be closely related to the footwear application. Most of the other properties need
not be related to hardness. All of the following tests listed that are applicable to toe puffs
and stiffeners are SATRA test methods.
Dome forming
Preparation of dome-shaped test pieces from toe puff and stiffener materials for the
measurement of area shape retention; and dome strength. With this method the material is
brought into a mouldable condition in the same manner as used in practice. It is then
shaped over a spherical dome under pressure using SATRA Ref: STD 153/D and STD
153/P.
The sample is allowed to cool under tension. The strength of the material is its ability to
withstand collapse when formed into a three dimensional shape or dome. Thermoplastic
materials are usually heated in a fan assisted oven at 95°C for eight minutes raising their
temperature to 80°C. Solvent-activated materials are dipped in their appropriate solvent
usually for one to two seconds. Fibre board materials are held in a jet of steam at
approximately 50°C for six minutes. A minimum of 6 dome formers (STD 153D) are
recommended to allow the testing of 6 samples at the same time.
Area shape retention
Measurement of the area shape retention of formed toe puff and stiffener materials. When
a toe puff or stiffener material is moulded to shape it increases in size. As soon as it is
released from the mould some of the area increase is lost and the area loss continues in
wear due to mechanical deformations and wetting. The greater the area loss, the poorer

26
the shape and appearance. With stiffeners, the higher the shape retention the better and,
after ten collapses, 80-90% is not uncommon.
The area shape retention is determined by measuring the height of the dome at various
stages using SATRA Ref: STD 153/H and STD 153/HD.
The area of the dome is directly proportional to the height and since the dome is initially
formed to a standard height the area shape retention can be found. This test method is
performed in tandem with SATRA TM83 (collapsing load).
As a result, initial shape retention and long term shape retention (ten collapses) can be
assessed. The shape retention and collapsing load, are repeated on samples immersed in
water to simulate the effect of moisture in wear.
------------------------

27

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B.

Lasting methods and its types

Till 50’s before the introduction of poly-chloroprene adhesive manufacturers were

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

The methods of attachment can be divided into two groups:-

Group one includes Cemented (Stuck-on) Constructions, Direct Moulded Constructions,

The lasting department is divided into three sections:

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

 Ensure that the upper conforms to the shape of the last.

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Flat lasting/Cement lasting

Rib lasting/Goodyear welted lasting

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Pre-welted lasting/Moulded Methods/(DIP/DVP)

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Shoe with direct injected outsole

 Last the upper

Fig: Double density direct sole Injection

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

The discovery of vulcanization by Charles Goodyear in 1839 opened up new production

Shoe with direct vulcanised outsole

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

 Last the shoe

Fully vulcanized shoe

 Pull a textile sock over the aluminium mould

 Direct vulcanised method:

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

 Sole edge partially matt and irregular

Fully vulcanised shoe:

 Heat insulation and air circulation are often inadequate

Direct vulcanised method:

 Dividing lines on the outsole are visible

Fully vulcanised shoe:

 Textile and leather slippers

Moccasin lasting up:-

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

McKay stitch (Machine sewn) construction:

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Fig:- Force lasting california or slip lasted construction

Fig:- Force lasting moccasin(the moccasin plug stitched before lasting)

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Fig:- Allbook & Hashfield “success” Over lock Stitching Machine

Stitch down /Veldt or veldschoen Construction

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Tools for hand lasting

Chisel head hammer

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Fig2: chisel head hammer

Fig 3: hand iron

 Stitching out soles with mid sole

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Fig 4: The Awl.

The cobbler’s Anvil

Fig 5: The Cobbler’s Anvil.

Handout-Introduction to Lasting & Lasting Construction

Fig 6: The Hammer

The nail lifter/tack puller