Glossary of Terms-T, U, V & W

Glossary of Terms T

Thermoplastic Sheet

Thermoplastic material- material that will repeatedly soften when heated and harden when cooled. Typical of the thermo plastics are styrenes, acrylics, cellulosics, polyethylenes, vinyls, nylon and various fluorocabon materials.

Trermosetting material- material that will undergo or has undergone a chemical reaction by the action of heat, catalysts, ultra-violet light, etc., leading to readily infusible state. Typical of the thermosetting family are aminos (melamine and urea), most polysters, alkyds, epoxies and phenolics. They are normally compression molded and tend to be hard and rigid.

Throat- the central part of a shoe vamp opening where it is seamed to the front of the quarter.

Top lift- the top or outer layer or wearing surface of leather, rubber, plastic or composition on heel of

Top Lift

a shoe.

Glossary of Terms U
Upper- all of the upper parts of a shoe stitched together and ready for lasting and bottoming . It includes both the outside and lining of the shoe.


  Glossary of Terms U

Vamp/ Plug

Vamp- the lower part of a shoe upper which attached to the sole or welting.

Glossary of Terms W

Waist- the smallest part of the foot between the instep and the ball. Also the corresponding part of a shoe last.

Wedge heel- a heel ordinarily under 15/8 extending from the back of the shoe to the ball of the shoe to the ball of the shoe. The sole of the shoe follows the contour of the wedge heel, making a flat

Wages Heel

treading surface from the tip of the shoe to the back of the heel.

Welt-  the strip of leather between the upper and the sole to which each part is in turn attached.

Welt beating-  operation of lightly beating the welt into a smooth position around the edge of a shoe.

Width-  the width measurement is a straight line running across the bottom of the last at the ball or the widest part of the foot.


That's all Glossary of Terms. 

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Glossary of Terms S

Glossary of Terms S

Safety box toe- a box toe made of special high grade steel inserted in a work shoe for protective purpose.

Sample- a shoe made for the use of salesmen to show the style construction and quality of the footwear being offered for sale. The common trade practices is to make sample shoes in particular sizes.

Shank- that part of the sole of the shoe between the heel and the ball or tread. Also the steel or wood piece inserted in the arch of a shoe for reinforcement.

Sheepskin- leather from the skin of sheep used for linings and slippers.

Side Leather- cattle hide cut along backbone into two sides for convenient handling; leather made from these after trimming is side leather. A large percentage of leather shoes are made from this.

Silicone- on of the family of polymeric materials. The various forms obtainable are characterized by their resistance to heat. Silicones are used in the following applications:
a. High frequency molds
b. Greases for lubrication and mold release
c. Rubber- like sheeting for gaskets etc

Split Leather

d. Heat-stable fluids and compounds for waterproofing, insulating, etc
e. Thermo setting insulating varnishes and resins for booth coating and laminating.

Sock lining- a piece of material placed over the entire insole on the inside of a shoe to protect the foot from stitches on the inside in certain types of constructions.

Split leather- any leather from portions of hides or skins that are split into two or more thicknesses other than the grain or hair side. Uses: upholstery, gloves, luggage. innersole, shoe uppers.

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Glossary of Terms-Q & R

Glossary of Terms-Q

Part Of shoe

Quarter- the complete upper part of a shoe upper above the vamp line. The quarter may be referred to as the "top" in case of high boots. It may also be split into several components parts such as foxing, plug, saddle. The pattern of the quarter is frequently the most important part of the design of the shoe.

Glossary of Terms-R

Roughing- the exposure and erection of the fibers of the material on the lasted-over margin of the upper and the corresponding edges of the outsole in order to provide a more grippable surface to be cemented for the purpose of sole attaching.

Rough rounded- the outsole of a shoe after trimming or rounding off to the shape of the last. The crude outline made by the rough rounding machine is later perfected by edge trimming.

Rubber- an elastomer capable of rapid elastic recovery after being stretched, specifically natural rubber which is the standard of comparison for elastomers. The term rubber may apply to any on of a large number of natural and synthetic elastomeric compounds which can be made in varying degrees of hardness and may also be expanded into cellular form of sponge or cushion. Rubber is commonly used for cemented or molded shoe bottoms as well as for separate soles and heels. Protective footwear is also made of rubber either slush molded or fabricated from sheeting or rubberized cloth.

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Glossary of Terms P

Glossary of Terms P

Pattern- metal. fiberboard, wood or paper forms from the outlines of which are cut the various pieces of the shoe. Quality of patterns determine fit, style and economy of material used. Also refers to the model or style of a shoe.

Piece work- method of paying wages on a basis of the number of pairs or pieces worked on. An agreed price is set per unit for each operation and the worker records the tag numbers of the lots on which he has worked. Employees are remunerated on the number of units completed.

Pigskin- leather made from the skin of pigs or hogs.

Plasticizer- chemical agent added to plastic compositions to make them softer and more flexible.

Piastisols- mixtures of resins and plasticizers which can be molded, cast or converted to continous films by the application of heat. If the mixtures contain volatile thinners also, they are known as Organosols.

Platen- the mounting plate of a press to which the mold assembly is bolted.

Plug/Vamp

Plug- a separate piece of leather inserted in the upper. It is not only an ornamental piece but is also a separate part of the upper pattern.

Polyethylene- a thermoplastic material composed of polymers of ethylene. It is normally a translucent, tough, waxy solid which is unaffected by water and a large range of chemicals. It is used for extrusion-cast plastic lasts, injection molded parts such as counters and shanks, and extrusion-blown film for packaging.

Polyurethane resins- a family of resins produced by reacting di-isocyanate with organic compounds containing two or more active hydrogens to form polymers having free isocyanate groups. These groups under the influence of heat or certain catalysts will react to form thermosetting materials. Polyurethanes are widely used as the finish for patent leathers, for the outer, breathable layer of manmade poromeric shoe upper materials, for adhesives, for heel lifts and for outsoles.

Polyvinyl chloride(PVC)- a thermoplastic material composed of polymers of vinyl chloride; a colorless solid with outstanding resistance to water, alcohols and concentrated acids and alkalies. It is obtainable in the form of granules, solutions, latices and pastes. Compounded with plasticizer it yields a flexible material superior to rubber in aging properties. It is widely used plastic for footwear applications, particularly for unit soles or direct molded outsoles. Also widely used for PVC coated fabric uppers, extruded welting, in cellular form for insoles.

Poromeric material- term coined by dupont, originally defined as a microporous and permeable coriaceous sheet material comprising a urethane polymer material reinforced with polyester. Used generically to describe manmade shoe upper materials which are generally similar in nature and appearance to leather and, in particular have a comparable permeability to water vapor.

Pulling over- Operation in which upper of a shoe is pulled over the last.

[Note: Please forgive me if the chemical names spelling are wrong.]

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Glossary of Terms N & O

Glossary of Terms N

Nap- the wooly or fuzzy surface finish of some fabrics and some leathers such as suede and antelope, reversed calf and side leather.

Neoprene- an elastomer, polychloroprene formed by adding hydrogen chloride to monovinylacetylene. First made by dupont in 1931, neoprene is widely used in footwear for outsole, heels and welting, to impregnate cellulose fibers for insoles and counters , and as an adhesive.
Nitrile rubber- copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Used for outsoles which may be cemented or sewn to uppers. This material has excellent oil and grease resistance. May be compounded with pvc to make a soling material.

Glossary of Terms O

Orthopedic devices- any device of leather, metal or other material included in the construction of a shoe or inserted in a shoe to prevent or correct foot defects and deformities.

Outsoles

Outsole- the bottom sole thickness the surface of which is exposed to wear.

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Glossary of terms M

Glossary of terms M

Manmades- materials made by chemical processes such as synthetic textile fibers and most plastics, or regenerated natural polymers such as cellulose and collagen to form paper, rayon or reconstituted leather. Most so-called natural rubber, also undergo extensive chemical processing in order to bring out or impart desirable properties.

Making- One of the major operations in shoe making. Outsole edges are finished, and a number of related operation completing the construction of a shoe are performed.
Marking- marking or stamping the size, case number, stock number, and similar information on the lining of a shoe. The stamping of trade names and numbers on socks linings, heel pads and soles is called branding or embossing because it is done with a heated brand or die.

Midsole- a sole of leather or other material placed between the outsole and the insole.

Model- frequently used to describe (1) and individual style in a line of footwear; (2) the paper patterns from which shoe cutting patterns are made; (3) the last from which a complete set of lasts is graded

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Glossary of I K L

Glossary of I:
Inseam- the hidden seam of a welted shoe holding together the welt, upper, lining and insole.

Instep- top part of the arch of a foot over the metatarsal bones from back of the toes to the ankle. Also the corresponding part of a shoe last.

Iron- term used for measuring the thickness of sole leather. One iron equals 1/48 in. (0.0283 in.). Three iron thickness is 1/16 in. and 12 iron is 1/4 in.

Isocyante resins- Most application for this resin are based on its combination with polyols (e.g. polyesters, polythers, etc). During this reaction, the reactants are joined through the formation of the urethane linkage.

Glossary of K:

Kid- originally referred to leathers made from the skins of immature goats, term is now used rather loosely to apply to glove and shoe leathers made from goat skins.


Glossary of L:

 Lap seam- the simplest form of seam used in sewing. Made by lapping one part slightly over the other and sewing through both. One or both of the parts so joined is usually skived along the edge to reduce the thickness.

Shoe Last

Last- form over which the shoe is made and which determines its shape. Although there are numerous types of lasts in common use, the basic differences are guided by the type of shoe construction. Lasts may be made of wood but are usually plastic.

Lasting- one of the most important operations of shoe making. Requires the shaping of the upper tightly o\to each contour of the last, the pulling and stretching of the upper so that there will be no wrinkled outer or lining parts and no crooked seams.

Lockstitch- a double thread stitch that locks the thread together within the material. It is distinguished in service by the fact that breaking one stitch does not permit the seam to be ravelled out.

Louis heel- high heels with a gracefully curved back, with a lip extending part way under shank resulting in a curved breast. Usually 16/18 to 24/8 in height, sometimes called French heel.

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Glossary of Terms-G & H

Glossary of Terms-G

Girth- distance around the last or foot measured at the toe joint(Technically, ball girth).

Grain- outer side of hide or skin including hair follicles which gives leather its surface character. Also surface of leather produced by special finishing processes such as embossing etc.

Glossary of Terms-H

Heat sealing- a method of joining plastics by simultaneous application of heat and pressure to areas in contact.

Heat setting- application of heat to lasted shoes, usually for a few minutes causing release of stress in the fibers of the upper material caused by the stretch of lasting. Heat setting can result in finished shoes with good fit and shape retention.

Heel breast- the part of the sole or shoe upper to which the heel is attached often shaped to form a rounded top which fits into the concave heel base.

Hide- pelt of a large animal such as cow, horse, etc.. as differentiated from calf, goat, pig, sheep and small animals which are designated as skins.

Hot melts- blends of a petroleum or paraffin wax with a thermoplastic resin such a EVA copolymers, nylons or polyesters. Hot melts are used as adhesives to provide tough, smooth coatings or to supply a stiffening or reinforcement which lends itself to shaping or lasting with the application of heat and pressure.

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Glossary of Terms- F

Glossary of terms-F

Fiberboard- A firm, somewhat flexible composition material in sheet form made from new long vegetable fibers. Uses: counters, insole, midsole and heel lifts. Leather board is a type of fiberboard in which the fiber content is at least 75% leather.

Fitting Room- department where various parts of shoe uppers are prepared for fastening together by scarfing, skiving, folding, marking, etc. The term includes the fastening or sewing operations carried out in the stitching room.

Flange- made with a flare toward the bottom or top lift of the heel, folding-turning over the edge of a shoe part to form a finished edge. Performed by hand or machine.

Foxing- shoe upper material forming or covering the lower part of the quarter of a shoe. With rubber-soled canvas upper shoes, foxing is usually a strip of rubber covering and securing the joint between sole and upper.

French- cording-finishes top edge of shoe upper, usually made by folding and stitching in place a narrow strip of fabric over top edge of upper after lining is stitched in. Full face of binding or cording is visible inside and outside of upper edge.

That's all of Glossary of Terms-F.

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Glossary of Terms-E

Glossary of Terms-E

Edge finish- after the edge of the shoe is trimmed, it is stained with the desired color ink or a natural dressing is applied. Over this a film of hard wax is applied under the pressure of a heated iron.

Edge setting- finishing the edge of the soles with polish or wax applied under heavy pressure with a hot vibrating iron or by rubbing.

Edge trimming- the first operation in finishing the sole edge is that of trimming. The edge trimmer finishes the outline of the sole and shapes the edge. This is done by machine using rotary cutting wheels.

Edging- beveling a narrow scarf from leather or fabric, particularly where upper parts are joined by other than lap seams or where upper edges are finished by burnishing. The work is done on a skiving machine.

Elastomer- a material which stretches at room temperature under low stress to at least twice its length and snaps back to the original length upon release of stress.

Epoxy resins- can be formulated into excellent adhesives, some of which are used in footwear for heavy duty applications such as the cementing of outsoles for use in adverse environments.

Ethylene- vinyl acetate (EVA)-copolymers from these two monomers from a class of  plastic materials. They retain many of the properties of polyethyelene but have considerably increased flexibility for their density. Elongation and impact resistance are also increased. Has been used for outsoles. Blended with petroleum wax. EVA is used extensively for hot melt cement.

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Golssary of Terms-D

Hi Everyone
Glossary of Terms-D

Die Cutting- cutting shapes from sheet stock by striking it sharply with a shaped knife edge known as a "Die." Clicking and dinking are other names for die cutting of this kind.

Dinking- term used to describe the machine cutting of heavy leathers and other materials. A beam dinking machine has a long movable beam operated between two fixed sides. The beam is released by a trigger device operated by the cutter and descends to strike a sharp blow on the cutting die in much the same manner as the clicking machine arm. Beam dinkers are used for heavy work such as cutting layers of fabric for linings and soles. The dies used for dinking are heavier and thicker than those used on the clicker.

Doeskin- commercial term for white leather from sheep or lamb tanned with alum or formaldehyde.

Doubler- an interlining between the toe lining and vamp of the shoe, to aid in preserving the shape during wear. It is usually made of cotton twill or drill.

Dutchman- a thin wedge of leather or fiberboard inserted between the insole and outsole of a shoe, or between the lifts of a built-up heel, to throw the foot inward or outward and to correct foot posture.

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Golssary of Terms-C

C
Calf leather- Leather made from the skins of young cattle from a few days up to a few months old; the skin weigh up to 15 lb. It is finer grained, lighter in weight, and more supple than cowhide or kip leathers.

California process- This process requires the accurate drafting of patterns, cutting, and stitching of the upper, sock lining and platform cover. The upper and sock lining are stitched together. The platform cover is stitched to the other two parts in a separate operation. The last is then inserted into the upper. After the last is inserted the platform is accurately pressed into place, the platform cover lasted and the sole and heel fastened. Same as slip-lasted.

Cellular plastics- Resins is sponge form. The sponge may be flexible or rigid, the cells closed or interconnected, the density anything from that of the solid parent resin down to 2 lb/cu. ft., or less. Compressive strength of rigid foams is fair, making them useful as core materials for sandwich structures. Both types are good heat barries. Foamed, expanded or cellular plastic are commonly used for shoe uppers have a cellular pvc or polyurethane(PU) layer between the fabric and the tough outer skin to provide added flexibility and comfort.

Cement- A term broadly applied to a number of adhesives used commonly in shoemaking.

Chainstitch- A single thread stitch, characterized by the fact that the entire thread may be pulled out when one stitch is cut or broken.

Channel- A slanting cut made around the edge of an outsole or insole to provide a groove for the stitching and to keep the line of thread below the surface of the leather. Soles so stitched are called "Channel Stitched."

Clicker- A term used to describe a machine that cuts shoe upper parts. See "Drinking."

Closing- Sometimes used ti include the stitching together of any two parts of a shoe upper, but more generally applied only to the operation of stitching the upper together at the back part with a closed or closing seam.

Coated fabrics- Any fabrics impregnated or coated with lacquer or similar finishing material. Used for shoe linings in some grades of footwear and are more commonly included under the classification artificial leather.

Combination last(Or shoe) - Designed to provide a proper fit for the individual with a thinner than normal instep or heel. Length and width will be of standard measurements but narrower fitting qualities will prevail through instep, waist and heel.

Composition- Materials composed of granulated fillers, such as cork, leather, fiber, minerals, in a resinous matrix, usually an elastomer. Compressed and molded into sheet materials, compositions are used for insoles, midsoles, outsoles, heel bases, etc.

Cookie- A small padding of felt or other cushion material inserted into the shoe to support  the arch of the foot along the shank area. Name derived from resemblance to a pastry cookie.

Cordovan- Leather made from the tight firm portion of horse butts. It has very fine pores, a characteristic waxy finish and is very durable.

Crepe rubber- Originally unvulcanized natural rubber with light color and knobbly surface for soles and heels. Most crepe rubber for shoes is now of synthetic elastomers.

Cuban Heel- A broad low-to-meduim high heel, with curved back line and straight breast. Usually 11/8 to 17/8 high.

Curing- The treatment of raw hides and skins after flaying to retard bacterial action and putrefaction. When thoroughly cured the hides and skins are stored until they are taken be the tanner. They are then soaked to soften them and made ready for further preparatory treatment before they can be tanned into leather.

Cut stock- Bottom stock for shoes such as soles, taps, linfts, block and strips of sole leather.

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Glossary of Terms-B

Backing-laminating- A piece of fabric to leather or other fabric used for shoe uppers by the use of adhesives. Purpose is to make leather or shoe fabric stronger and firmer. Backing cloth may be an thin tough fabric. Also called combining.

Backpart molding- A preparatory shaping operation to heel seat prior to lasting. Usually performed on thermoplastic counters where backpart components are heated on a metal heel form and molded into the backpart heel shape combining counter, upper and lining before the actual lasting operation is performed in the backpart of the shoe.

Ball- The fleshy part of the foot just back of the toes. It also refers to the corresponding part of the last and is one of the most important points of last measurement and design. The style and comfort of a she to a great extent is determined by the shape of the last at the ball. It is at this point that laxity in shoe fitting is found to be the most prevalent.

Ball measurement- The line running completely around the last intersecting the joints of large and small toes.

Bottom filler- The material used for filling the cavity between the inner and outer soles of the shoe. It is a reinforcement ti the shoe. Granulated cork, latex, cork sponge, slab cork, cushion cork, spun fiberglass, felt and mixtures of leather scraps and other materials are used as a bottom filler.

Box toe- A stiffener used to maintain the shape of a shoe toe, preserve the toe room within the shoe, and give reasonable protection to the wearer's  foot. There are three types of box toes:

• Rigid
• Flexible and
• Soft.

Rigid toes include all types made from materials which provide maximum firmness with rigid domes. Flexible toes include the types which can be flexed by the thumb pressure yet have semi-regid walls. Soft toes include those which are intended to merely preserve the toe form and give maximum comfort to the wearer. These toes are widely used in perforated shoes.

Buckskin- Leather from deer and elk shins, used for shoes, gloves and clothing. Only the outer cut of the skin from which the surface grain has been removed may be correctly defined as "Genuine buckskin." 

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Glossary of Terms-A

Acrylonitrile-butabiene Styrene (ABS)- Acrylonitrile and styrene liquids and butadiene gas are polymerized together in a variety of ratios to produce the family of ABS resins. ABS is used extensively for injection molded women's heels by reason of its high impact strength and ease with which it can be decorated and finished.
Adhesive: A substance which, applied as an intermediate is capable of holding materials together by surface attachment. This term is used interchangeably with cement.
Applique-decoration laid on and applied to another surface, as band or separate design of petals, leaves, figures. Vamps of shes are sometimes appliqued in various designs.

Arch- The bony framework of the foot extending from the heel forward to the toes and sustained by the muscles and ligaments in the form of an arch. Also the bottom curve of a shoe last from heel to ball.

Arch Support- A device of leather, metal or other material shaped to the contour of the foot arch and inserted in a shoe to prevent or correct weakened arches. Similar devices built into a shoe are designed for the same purpose.

Awl- A pointed tool for piercing small holes in leather, upper or soles.

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