Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1876 — BOYS, MEND YOUR OWN SHOES. [ARTICLE]

BOYS, MEND YOUR OWN SHOES.

I have a word to say to farmers; boys which may Or may not be of Any tWHelit to them. I wish to sbowyoo, in this anU-i cle, how you may pass some of your long 1 winter evenings in a manner whiclf 'tnAyj afford you some pleasure aud main be of some little profit*. >ly idea is U;at you| learn to repair your o'Wn bodts and fflioek., Perhaps to many this idea wouid not be agreeable. Well, all.L have to sty to| such is, read this article -through end-then a. If qf mw favorably of it, my object is ac-| complished These'ATeliard times. MoneVl is scarce and harcl jto. aa boya wear; out tlieir boots and shoes veiy fast, It is quite an item in the expet&e df the ■fanri- ) lj. -In msny.jnstadceff yoitgre qhUgffff Jp carry your boots five or six miles to a shofemakeir, add ituften ffe! cannot do them at queeu so JPP fire obUged to go p"ain. Besides, yoniiavfe to dali onl father for. money,, and as. money .is rlianlj with him you don’t lilse to do it. Now' then, if you think you Would liAe fo'leafh' to do such aijob youreelf, so as tp be, a little more independent of both father and' shdemaker, I trill' bffer some helpful gestions. ‘ !ir jr' ; ' , i*ni;. : Of coqree you have no tools apd will hpve to buy; but you will only want a 1 few to start with. I will give you a list of about what you will need.: ,A shoe-; hammer, a half doxen Awls of Various sizes, with an awl-handie, a few pegs of different sizes and lengths, a pap- of Na.,3 shoe pincers, a small bottle of edge blacking, a cake of heel ball, q pair of laffts tol fit your boots, and two sbpe-knives, quo for trimming and one with a loDger blade) called a “skiver!” for beveling the soles J No doubt you will fine}, an old pair ofl shoe lasts at almost any shoe-shop that will fit £ottr boots, Whiiuh you can Rurj chase cheap. It is a better way tolmy ola ones as your feet are growing. You Will need A strap to lioid .the-, boet ofi'ffoufl knee, a hook to pull the last out, and a peg-cutter. The strap Won will find at the barn, and/perhaps tbe lasUwo Bangs,ypq will find about the house. Now, when yon grind your trimming knife; the blade of which should toot be over three inches long, do not grind it dpwn to the handle; but only one and a halt inftlies' from the point. The trimming knife is ap .iml portant thing. Your sisters most not take it to pare apples, nor miist yon Use it to cut off pegs. It must be kept fer trimr ming alone. You will find that much depends on the condition your knife is in). If it is dp 1 it will make your work look rough, and is apt to glanqe out and go through the upper leather. • l! '! ■ But let; up go to work and fix yous ’loots. You will not need a shoe-bepch|; spread the''tools oh'the table before tkp kitchen fire;, If the! boots are. hard and dry, soak them awhile in water and tbe tap will peg on farucli easier. Now, then, lay each boot upon the leather, and mark around and cut it so that the tap will be ‘ quite large. Then put'' 1 the leather ihto water and soak it well. . You will find it a good plan, As you take the leather from, the water, to wnrk it in your hands, jand hammer it gently on a flat stone or ironi:' it makes the leather inure firm. Nbw look at the bottom of your boot. If one side is worn more than the otlifj - , yop must peg on a piece, trim it 6v4n with thp sole, and then take your, long knifo :aod bevel the insid.e edge and tfie eticG so as to make the surface'of the sole dveq. Bevel the heel of tbe.tap on the, inside of the leather, end make it fast to uie boot by three Or four pegs A'p and T dowti 1 thp middle. Now comes the sharp trimniingknifetofitthe tap, to your ixiot. Strap the edge often ?»o : as to keep it'keetf and. wm-kcarqfullv. . „ ' . Afteryou have fitted, you are ready tb peg it oft. Your shoj-pegs must air -to kept separate in little cloth bagß of boxes, and you will judge which kind, is mteaed by measnrine at the edge of the sole. Toil must seledt the! awl by the size of the/peg vou wish., to drive. And you need not* feel discourggea if you ‘find It'afwkWiigl work. To -drive a: shoe peg t smooth ,Tff : quiyes squm little practice,, .but you wi|r get if after a while. It is a gdod plafi' to , mark arouad thetedge of the tap, .sav ofaeeighth of an inch.from the edge, ana thep peg On tWlibfe, <kioepfi«g tti* broad i ffide of $ r, with pegs on the line so ass to keep tlui |a p in its place. If the awl stick*, punch it into a cake of heeswax. Yon must slant yoorawl well inward-or the pegß-WUI drive out so as |o show. Alter, yon have done, take your pocket knife and trim off the pegs yon hired' broken' dowq bp ( i*p ,to mfifeI y«¥ W9Fk,lodlk ‘ smooth. The edere will weed more trim-,, ming, WHStriTOtn, l, iike W bit-of glas* hod 84ru»e , ftbMmafcwd' have tools for all these- things, but you. mukf learn i 6 get' aloiig*i*4thouK putt on the edge blacking, aad After •iR >hs dried rub on the heel, troll and rub ligatf-v with a woolen cloth. afed you have k goftd polished edge. ... i.,.,,, 11 But the hdOls n*«a fixing; nd doubt they id-0 ran over ah the side. And: Jet 1 i.i w: vent boot and 'Shoe heels from “ landing' oyer,” {he great mass oftpwpte wai shore, er thanks on vonrbeftd. Tlie shuemajtfrs use wbatthey eall‘“*teel shigi;” If he? ayrts&'ss well tomakO the holes With a very large: ': ': ■- nid i-( ber itiia your first effort; you ,madp some mistakes, but will do better next time, and rehen you go to the Shoe-shop yon will learn many little things and go

home and out them into practice. If you done. ItwhtaM«iSMllToryedlo tty an S T.'v»od g “fc l »T«; for it requires Tnftch mare practice. ■ '« You need have no fears of injuring yrtif ShoetoffKeT; fatllW make new work thaaiUwdpairtoWv'j y<M need a new pair give him a job, for while Re "ill - worktng hit family'are consunilng w&unMirk ff# & If you have a mind to, cut this ankle ow.