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Michael James is known as “Northampton’s Last Man”—and after nearly 40 years in the game, the director of Springline lastmakers most certainly lives up to the cheeky moniker.
In a rangy chat with Michael, we cover how Springline creates some of the world’s finest production and bespoke lasts (plus shoe trees), the inherent talents required to be a top lastmaker, the fundamentals inherent in any great shoe last (it’s all about the heel!), why all the Northampton lasts are right-footed, and that time he designed a last based on a drawing on a pub bathroom wall.
Watch the YouTube version of this interview
____________________________________________________
This episode was sponsored by Nicks Boots
Theme Music: The Road by Punk Rock Opera
Support the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membership
https://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/
A website. We have one.
https://www.stitchdown.com/
2026 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 4—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.
https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/
By Stitchdown4.8
9898 ratings
Michael James is known as “Northampton’s Last Man”—and after nearly 40 years in the game, the director of Springline lastmakers most certainly lives up to the cheeky moniker.
In a rangy chat with Michael, we cover how Springline creates some of the world’s finest production and bespoke lasts (plus shoe trees), the inherent talents required to be a top lastmaker, the fundamentals inherent in any great shoe last (it’s all about the heel!), why all the Northampton lasts are right-footed, and that time he designed a last based on a drawing on a pub bathroom wall.
Watch the YouTube version of this interview
____________________________________________________
This episode was sponsored by Nicks Boots
Theme Music: The Road by Punk Rock Opera
Support the Shoecast, get full bonus episode access, and join the most interesting shoe-and-boot-loving community on the internet with a Stitchdown Premium membership
https://www.stitchdown.com/join-stitchdown-premium/
A website. We have one.
https://www.stitchdown.com/
2026 dates and location for Stitchdown's Boot Camp 4—the world's fair of shoes and boots and leather and more—coming soon.
https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.com/

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