Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
When you start learning shoemaking, it is very easy to think that you need a lot of different tools.
You see professional shoemakers working with different knives, pincers, hammers and specialised tools, and you think:
“I need all of these.”
You don't.
Especially when you are a beginner, I believe it is much better to start with a minimum set of tools and learn how to use them properly. Once you develop your skills, you will understand which additional tools actually make sense for your work.
And shoemaker's pincers are a very good example.
Pincers are essential during lasting because this is the tool you use to pull the upper and lining around the shoe last and attach them to the insole.
But not all pincers work in the same way.
I have worked with several types, and the width and shape of the jaws make a real difference.
A wider jaw is excellent in the arch area because you can grab a larger section of the upper and pull it evenly. But when you come towards the toe or heel, where the folds become much smaller and the shape is more curved, that same wide jaw becomes difficult to control.
A very narrow jaw can do the opposite. It gives you much better control in the toe and heel area, where you need to grab small folds, but it isn't the tool I would choose for lasting the whole arch.
There are also very narrow pincers, around 5 mm, which are excellent for very small folds — but again, I wouldn't use them for the entire lasting process.
So what do I use?
For most of my work, I use the second type shown in my article, with approximately a 1 cm jaw.
For me, it gives the best balance.
It is wide enough to work comfortably in the arch area, but narrow enough that I can also work around the toe and heel. I can even use the corner of the jaws when I need more precision.
And this is the kind of thing you start understanding when you learn the whole shoemaking process.
You don't just learn which tool to buy.
You learn why you are using it, where you use it, and how the tool works together with the shape of the last, the upper, the lining and the construction of the shoe.
That is why I always recommend beginners start with the basic tools and concentrate on developing their hands and their technique first.
Once you have that foundation, choosing more specialised tools becomes much easier.
I explain the different pincers and show them in action during lasting in the article below.
Read the full article and watch the lasting tutorial →
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/best-shoemakers-pincers-for-your-craft
And if you want to learn the complete process of making shoes — from the shoe last and pattern making to cutting, sewing, lasting, sole construction and finishing — start here:
How To Make Shoes: Complete Guide →
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/how-to-make-shoes
If you want to learn the complete shoemaking process with the tools and materials you need to get started, you can also join my 2-Year ShoemakerPRO Program.
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro
When you start learning shoemaking, it is very easy to think that you need a lot of different tools.
You see professional shoemakers working with different knives, pincers, hammers and specialised tools, and you think:
“I need all of these.”
You don't.
Especially when you are a beginner, I believe it is much better to start with a minimum set of tools and learn how to use them properly. Once you develop your skills, you will understand which additional tools actually make sense for your work.
And shoemaker's pincers are a very good example.
Pincers are essential during lasting because this is the tool you use to pull the upper and lining around the shoe last and attach them to the insole.
But not all pincers work in the same way.
I have worked with several types, and the width and shape of the jaws make a real difference.
A wider jaw is excellent in the arch area because you can grab a larger section of the upper and pull it evenly. But when you come towards the toe or heel, where the folds become much smaller and the shape is more curved, that same wide jaw becomes difficult to control.
A very narrow jaw can do the opposite. It gives you much better control in the toe and heel area, where you need to grab small folds, but it isn't the tool I would choose for lasting the whole arch.
There are also very narrow pincers, around 5 mm, which are excellent for very small folds — but again, I wouldn't use them for the entire lasting process.
So what do I use?
For most of my work, I use the second type shown in my article, with approximately a 1 cm jaw.
For me, it gives the best balance.
It is wide enough to work comfortably in the arch area, but narrow enough that I can also work around the toe and heel. I can even use the corner of the jaws when I need more precision.
And this is the kind of thing you start understanding when you learn the whole shoemaking process.
You don't just learn which tool to buy.
You learn why you are using it, where you use it, and how the tool works together with the shape of the last, the upper, the lining and the construction of the shoe.
That is why I always recommend beginners start with the basic tools and concentrate on developing their hands and their technique first.
Once you have that foundation, choosing more specialised tools becomes much easier.
I explain the different pincers and show them in action during lasting in the article below.
Read the full article and watch the lasting tutorial →
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/best-shoemakers-pincers-for-your-craft
And if you want to learn the complete process of making shoes — from the shoe last and pattern making to cutting, sewing, lasting, sole construction and finishing — start here:
How To Make Shoes: Complete Guide →
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/how-to-make-shoes
If you want to learn the complete shoemaking process with the tools and materials you need to get started, you can also join my 2-Year ShoemakerPRO Program.
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro
