When it comes to creasing shoes out of barstock, i'm not real good at making the crease. I have the basics down i guess, but what is the best way to crease a shoe? Is it BEFORE you bend the branch?
How do you hold the creaser on the shoe to get a straight crease? I'm also looking for some quikness to it, but that takes practice right?
Any helpful hints to making a good crease?

I had some trouble with creasing a shoe when I first started making shoes as well. The more shoes you do the more you will get it, obviously, but thats with almost anything. First find out what is more comfortable to you to have the creaser in-line with your body or perpendicular, I prefer in-line, but to each his own. Also I start at the toe and tip the creaser forward to get a nice square start to the crease then work down overlapping at least half the crease if not more to avoid the dreaded scallop shape. When I get to the end of the crease I life the creaser once again to get a trailing off look to the shoe (not necessary just think it looks nice and takes no time at all). Just take your time at first and once you get how far you can move your creaser without fudging it up then you can work on the speed (thats still probably the most time consuming part of making a fullered shoe for me lol). Time for bed and another long day tomorrow. Have a good one

HOSSBOSS wrote:
Do you have a curved creaser or a straight one? I would guess that most folks use a curved creaser and crease the formed shoe. As Clinker observed on another thread, he does the front shoes this way, but uses a straight creaser to do the back shoes before bending the branch. Since rear shoes have some straight sections, it makes sense if you're willing to buy both kinds of creaser.
May-June 2007 American Farriers Journal has a good article on punches and fullers.

I would say until you get the eye for it do it in the straight. Don't forget to hem the branch. Lay the stock on it's side on the face of the anvil. Start where your crease is going to be from beginning to end. Hemming more in the toe and lightening up as you get closer to the heel. The reason for this is the crease gradually gets a little deeper as you move toward the toe so the stock will distort more. Hemming is not smashing the whole thing down. You will want to make about a 30 Degree angle. In other words, the foot surface side is going to still be 3/4" and hemming the angle will narrow the top side where you run your creaser. After you hem, if done properly you will se a little lip that has formed down the branch. Lay your fuller in there. When marking the crease go slow to get your line straight{focusing on the inside web}. Stopping about 1 1/2" from center mark on a 12" shoe. Also hemming stretches the shoe so I take a 1/4" off for each branch I crease. So if I need a 12" shoe I cut 11 1/2".

I like to put a toe bend in my shoes and then run the fuller through. After that bend my branches and do a final run through with the fuller and then punch my nails hole. P.S. dont forget to hem your stock before you fuller.

Get a striker ,that means four eyes are better than one ,bend the toe ,and first branch ,start one creaser width from the middle ,then first only mark the crease first ,then go through slow ,start with the hand up so the top corner of the creaser digs in to start the crease ,then walk it through ,hand up ,hand down and at the end keep the hand up to finish or run the crease off ,turn in a bit at the end of the branch that look a little nicer,keep the hand straight its like walking backwards....
start slow then more than one heat at first gives you time to think about what you are doing .....also a machine finished shoe at hand is good to see what you want when you are finished
I onley have a one right hand creaser this means the other branch is done in revearse...


take care the tool does not get too hot and keep it sharp
all the best..
ray.

Quench to just before each toe nail dot and bump with the center dot away. On the last hit on each side bring the end of the stock closes to you towards you---it will help set up the toe bend. I'll bump, then crack the toe. On the next heat I'll forge the heel and hem/mark for fullering. next heat turn, hem a touch fuller and punch pritchel. Then just hammer finish the branch. When bumping the toe and the system above I'll cut exactly the same as I would for a plain stamp shoe ( foot measurement minus 2 inches for 3/4, minus 2 1/4 for 7/8 etc)
Jason