As I mentioned before, I plan to make a high-top shoe, similar to a water boot. To achieve this, I've decided to make it in two parts.
Right now, I've only completed about half of what I have. Next, I'll work on the upper cylindrical part.
I've already decided on the materials for this project. When I was cutting bamboo in the bamboo forest before, I found some old bamboo that were as big as bowls.
I hadn't planned to cut them down before, because it would be more difficult to cut them down when they got old.
However, the old bamboo that is sturdier than Hsinchu is exactly what I want.
That very day, I cut down a decent old bamboo stalk, which was as thick as my rice bowl.
I cut the longer section in the middle into two pieces with a saw, each piece about 30 centimeters long, which is exactly the height of a typical water shoe.
Next, I started using a round chisel to carefully chip away at the inner layer of the bamboo, and then I used a digging tool to refine it, scraping the inner wall of the bamboo thinner little by little.
This process continues until the bamboo is just slightly translucent, similar to the shoe-making process. However, it cannot be too thin, as bamboo fibers grow in one direction, and if it is too thin, it will easily break with the slightest touch.
After my modifications, the two cylindrical bamboo tubes became much lighter than before. I tried to put my foot inside and found that it was just right to pass through the bamboo tube.
Next, I threaded the bamboo tube through my leg and put it on my calf, and then put on the shoes on the ground.
I stood up, aligned the bamboo tube with the shoe shaft where my foot would go, and then drew a circle on the shoe surface along the arc of the bamboo tube.
After taking off the shoes and bamboo tube, I started using a round chisel to carve a cone-shaped notch that was narrower at the top and slightly wider at the bottom on the marked shoe surface.
Because I hadn't trimmed the wood in this area beforehand, it's still quite thick.
The remaining two bamboo tubes were carved out in the same way, creating a structure that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, echoing the clasp on the shoe.
Then came the long process of adjusting the clips. The wooden shoes had convex clips, so I used a knife to scrape and adjust them little by little.
The bamboo tube has a recessed opening, so I used a scraper to scrape and adjust it little by little inside the bamboo tube.
After some effort, I managed to put on these bizarre combination water shoes. The bamboo tube on top and the conical buckle on the bottom of the shoe were connected together perfectly.
I walked a few steps to get a feel for it and found that apart from being a bit stiff, the shoes were pretty good in other aspects.
Actually, my insistence on making these high-top shoes is entirely due to the extreme need for practicality. Besides warmth and waterproofing, there is another major reason.
You probably remember when I was bitten by a bamboo viper while hiking. Ever since that day, I've been thinking about making a pair of shoes that can protect against venomous snakes.
I was lucky that time; I encountered a bamboo viper, which is less venomous. If I had encountered a cobra or other venomous snake, I would have been dead long ago.
Therefore, compared to waterproofing and keeping warm, staying alive is the most important thing.
The shoes in front of me are made of wood on the outside and smooth, hard bamboo on the upper. Now, not even a cobra, let alone a five-step snake, could bite through my shoes.
Although my shoes don't look very nice, they are much stronger than the plastic water shoes sold on the street.
If I had these shoes back then, I wouldn't have been bitten by that bamboo viper.
Now there's only one last step left: I need to treat these shoes to make them more durable.
Since the shoes are made of natural materials like wood and bamboo, I plan to have them treated for rot and insect prevention.
I stumbled upon some aconite while hunting in the woods. It's a highly toxic traditional Chinese medicine. I know it shouldn't be eaten directly, but it's very effective when used externally.
Especially when used to prepare medicinal wine, it has a medicinal effect that surpasses Yunnan Baiyao for treating bruises and sprains. This prescription was passed down from my grandfather, and I learned about it after going to collect herbs with my father a few times.
I dried it and put it in a basket before, but it never came in handy. Now I can use it to make a medicine to treat shoes.
I took out some aconite root, soaked it in water until it swelled, and then boiled it in an earthenware pot to extract the medicinal juice.
After boiling the aconite root several times with different water, discard the dregs and combine the liquids from each boiling to concentrate the decoction.
Then I put my shoes into the medicinal liquid and boiled them for one or two hours, then took them out and let them dry. The boiled bamboo and wooden shoes will be soaked in the medicinal liquid, which will help repel insects.
After drying, I boiled some pine resin and applied it to the inside and outside of the wooden shoes. I did the same with the bamboo tubes.
With the resin penetrating into the wood, the shoes' moisture resistance is greatly improved, and they will not become damp or moldy even during the rainy season.
I felt very satisfied looking at the shoes that reflected an amber luster.
I still have some wolf pelts in my warehouse. I'll sew a pair of socks for them later, and it looks like my feet won't get cold this winter.
With my accommodation and transportation issues resolved, the past month has been incredibly fulfilling. Therefore, I've decided not to work tomorrow and to give myself a day off to rest properly.
I was in a good mood today, and Top and I went to see the little wild chickens I raised.
To be precise, these chicks were raised by Top. I had been busy with housing issues, and I entrusted all these chicks to Top.
Top didn't disappoint me; it found feeding the chickens very interesting, sometimes spending more than half an hour feeding them.
I saw Top feed the chickens by holding the food in his hand and letting the chicks peck at it. Only after they finished eating would he take out some more. Top seemed to really enjoy interacting with the chicks.
Top feeds the chickens so frequently it's beyond diligent; I can see it almost every day, perched on the chicken coop, feeding the chickens.
Thanks to Top's frequent feeding, I've almost never seen these chicks with empty stomachs; they're always plump and round.
The chicks grew very quickly under Top's careful care and are now half-grown pheasants. These chicks are happier to see Top than they are to see me.
"Top, I didn't realize you were such an excellent zookeeper."
I smiled at Top and patted it on the shoulder like an old friend.
Upon hearing this, Top grinned at me as usual. A handful of grasshoppers had appeared in his hand, and he began releasing them one by one into the chicken coop, waiting for the chicks to come and snatch them up.
Watching the chicks scrambling for grasshoppers, Top would squeak excitedly, just like a child.
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