Shoemakers have been designing, making, repairing, and cleaning shoes for hundreds of years. To make a shoe, a shoemaker will usually use a last. A last is shaped like a human foot, and using this tool will ensure a properly sized shoe.
Using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses, a shoemaker will cut out parts following patterns or outlines. Sewing machines, needles and thread, glue and clamps or various hand tools and rivets are used to either repair, decorate or construct leather products according to people's needs and specifications. Certain desired effects are achieved by using dye, paint or stain. A Shoemaker may engrave or stamp leather to achieve a decorative look, or use stitching to create various shapes.
Part of a shoemaker's duties are the repair and maintenance of shoes. Repairing or applying heels and outsoles by using cement, nails or sewing holes and then shaping the shoe heels with a knife and buffing them for smoothness is all part of a day's work.
Shoemakers need to be business savvy as well, since a big part of a shoemaker's customer service is estimating the costs of making custom shoes or boots or estimating a repair.
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