With the help of my lovely wife (and her fabric collection and sewing machine), the geta got finished:
The wood is "steigerhout" from a local DIY, which seems to be a low grade of pine. It's light, but not very sturdy, and hard to get really smooth and neat. I finished it with boiled linseed oil, in the hopes of protecting them from wet and dirt at least a little bit. The straps are terry cloth wound around sisal rope, held togehter inside a black cotton tube.
These are just a quick test of concept and construction, to see how they would be to walk on. If they work well, and I actually manage to wear these out, maybe I'll make a pair of decent wood. Maybe, someday.
They're a bloody hazard to walk around with on wooden flooring, but on carpet I can manage a (careful and nervous) run. Hopefully I'll get to try them outdoors sometime, the type of terrain they are intended for. We've got some inland dunes nearby so I might get to test them out on both woodland soil, some light mud and loose sand. Plus I get to confuse the locals...
See you next time!
As far as I'm aware the Japanese never wore shoes indoor. So that shouldn't be a problem.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHave fun confusing the neighbourhood 😊! It probably takes quite a bit of practice to walk on them.
Your neighbors could possibly remember their ancestors running around in wooden shoes...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenSome still wear them regularly, not the cityfolk though...
VerwijderenHad a little test walk in them 2 evenings ago. They make a very entertaining "clip-clop" sound on solid paving. And the traction on grass and loose dirt is amazing.
Still have to learn how to walk on them without cramping up my feet, though.