Leather shoes, which are called masterpieces, do not use much glue.
Did you always like "Red Wing"?
Ota:I have been wearing work boots since I bought them at a thrift store when I was in high school. When I wear them and when I repair them, I think that Red Wing boots are very durable, and the act of repairing them is very effortless.
Do you mean that they are made to be worn repeatedly for a long time?
Ota:It is so easy to repair that it seems so. One factor that can be mentioned is the low use of glue. In my opinion, that is also a requirement for good shoes. Most of the leather shoes and boots that are called masterpieces do not use much glue.
You said that the parts are attached to each other by sewing.
Ota:Yes, it is. So if you unravel the threads, you can remove the parts. If the adhesive is not removed properly, unnecessary force may be applied and the parts may be damaged. But in the case of Red Wing, most of the parts are made by sewing, with the exception of a few processes. That's why they are very easy to repair. Oddly enough, even craftsmen with only a certain level of skill can finish them beautifully. To go into detail, the pitch of the stitching is just right.
By pitch, do you mean spacing?
Ota:Yes, it is. Too fine spacing is not good, and conversely, too wide spacing is not good. Both of these can easily cause threads and leather to break. Red Wing's boots are sewn in the right way in the right places.
For example, the calf has relatively fine stitching. This is an area that is often rubbed, so the threads tend to fray. However, if the threads are spaced too far apart, the exposed area of the threads increases, which causes more friction. That is why the stitches are finer than in other areas.
Why is too much detail bad?
Ota:When repairing, we follow the original sewing machine holes with our eyes and sew them back on while operating the machine by hand to match the holes. If this is too fine, it has to be done really carefully, and if it gets misaligned, a new sewing hole will be created and the fabric will become brittle.
So fabric tearing is more likely to occur.
Ota:Yes, it is. So, if it is too fine, it is difficult to process, and requires a skilled craftsman. But with Red Wing, the spacing is just right, even in the smallest details, and it is easy to follow the perforation holes. So any skilled repairer can fix them. I think that's a great thing. It means that quality can be guaranteed.
Are the sewing machines used for sewing special?
Ota:This "HAPPO sewing machine" is commonly used for shoe repair. As the name suggests, this machine can sew in all directions. The attachment part with a needle rotates 360 degrees, so it is easy to sew even in areas that are difficult to sew with a normal sewing machine.
The open space between stitches you were talking about earlier, is that where the vamp joins the shaft?
Ota:Right. It is relatively well spaced and has a large surface area. But they are triple stitched and strongly reinforced. And they are sturdily sewn with threads impregnated with a wax-like solvent called latex. So, in all my years of repairing shoes, I have rarely had a shoe frayed at this point.
