While I am pondering...
For the beginners, a shank is between the insole and outersole from under the heel to roughly just in front of the ball of the foot. The purpose is to keep the sole from breaking down after the heel breast and letting the shoe bend were the foot naturally bends.
That said, every repro shoe I have broken down in the last two years, from multiple makers, has a standard modern metal shank. I have no research to dismiss this practice, but I know leather shanks were still being used in late 19th/early 20th C. The use of metal shanks tends to create a repair issue that I have never seen on original period footwear. The sole prematurely wears out at the end of the shank or the sole literally breaks in half, since metal has no flex like leather does.
Has anyone seen original or written practice of steel shanks being used in mid 19th C. footwear?
Pat Cunningham
For the beginners, a shank is between the insole and outersole from under the heel to roughly just in front of the ball of the foot. The purpose is to keep the sole from breaking down after the heel breast and letting the shoe bend were the foot naturally bends.
That said, every repro shoe I have broken down in the last two years, from multiple makers, has a standard modern metal shank. I have no research to dismiss this practice, but I know leather shanks were still being used in late 19th/early 20th C. The use of metal shanks tends to create a repair issue that I have never seen on original period footwear. The sole prematurely wears out at the end of the shank or the sole literally breaks in half, since metal has no flex like leather does.
Has anyone seen original or written practice of steel shanks being used in mid 19th C. footwear?
Pat Cunningham
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