A fully parametric cowboy boot shoe last template has been uploaded to the collection. It has several unique features made possible by new settings (found in the options form) that have been added in recent updates to 3DShoemaker, as follows:
Manual Wedge Angle: Typically, wedge angle is coupled to heel height so as to yield a posture that tends to be most comfortable. Certain types of footwear, however, require specific wedge angles. The cowboy boot, for instance, typically has near zero wedge angle even with moderate heel height.
Manual Waist Girth: In previous versions of 3DShoemaker, waist girth could be read, but not directly changed. Rather, waist girth could be indirectly adjusted by changing various other parameters, and was mostly an interpolation of instep and ball girth. This works for most shoe lasts. But for some lasts, like the new cowboy boot shoe last, the insole is particularly concave in the instep. This requires the waist girth to be set manually.
Manual Last Top Length: The classic shape of some cowboy boot shoe lasts requires strict control over the last top length. So there is a new setting to achieve this, as opposed to it being automatically determined based on other parameters.
Chopped Toe: Some cowboy boot styles have a sharp drop off at the end of the toe box. The shoe last toe shape required for this is essentially just a chopped off toe of a more standard toe. And there is now an option to do exactly this. When toggled on, the length and angle of the chopped region can be controlled when editing the profile curve.
Independent Medial/Lateral Last Bottom Profile Blending Control: Previously, the blending region on the last bottom profile curve could only be controlled centrally. In order to get a good cowboy boot last shape, it was necessary to add independent medial and lateral control. If needing this additional control, it is accessed by selecting the last bottom curve and pressing ‘Edit’ while viewing from the medial or lateral side.
Auto Hood Design: This added setting isn’t so much required specifically for cowboy boot shoe lasts, but rather is just a handy simplification in general. The surfacing technique used in 3DShoemaker creates a kind of hood over the top of the shoe last that gets cut away. Setting the parameters of the curves defining the hood used to be part of the design process. But this can now be automated in the latest version, hence why those curves are gone on the new cowboy boot shoe last template.
Despite the unique differences of the cowboy boot shoe last, 3DShoemaker is still able to define the shape parametrically. This demonstrates the robustness of the approach. If you have unique shoe lasts shapes you would like to have parameterized, please contact us.
