Inspired by @sammy’s post about zero-drop lastmaking, here’s the start of a list of differences between last shapes and foot shapes. What am I missing?
- Lasts are often shaped with heel spring, while feet are usually measured or cast flat.
- Lasts with heel spring typically also have toe spring, while the toes of the foot naturally lay flat.
- Especially for low shoes, the backparts of lasts are narrowed and sharpened into a “clip” designed to hold the bulb of the heel under the topline.
- Lasts continue past the lengths of the toes, creating a shoe toe shape.
- Many lasts for handmade shoes and most lasts for mass-produced shoes have an elevated, sharpened “cone” slope down the center of the instep.
- Most lasts have sharp featherlines for where the bottom of the shoe will meet the upper, usually around the heel seat and forefoot, but also through the waist for lasts for shoes with lay-in footbeds. This also increases some girth measurements, especially short heel.
- Dress and fashion shoes may squeeze or clip the inside ball joint of the forefoot in order to create a longer, sleeker shape.
- Shoe lasts end at or below the ankle, without representing the ankle or lower leg.
- Lasts are often wider in the waist than especially resting feet, creating a broader insole there for the long arch to collapse onto while walking.
- All parts of lasts smooth out and simplify curves where the feet have bumps from protrusions, tendons, veins, and other irregularities.