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In 1850 most shoes were made absolutely straight, there was no difference between the right and the left shoe. In 1850 all shoes were made with practically the same hand tools that were used in Egypt. Efforts had been made to develop machinery for shoe production but they all failed.
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In 1855 the first machine to find a permanent place in the shoe industry came into use. It was the Rolling Machine, which replaced the hammer previously used by hand shoemakers for pounding sole leather, a method of increasing wear by compacting the fibres.
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In 1860 Lyman R.Blake, a shoemaker, invented a machine for sewing the soles of shoes to the uppers. His patents were purchased by Gordon McKay, who improved upon Blake's invention.
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In 1865 a machine for making a different type of shoe was developed. Later known as the Goodyear Welt Sewing Machine, it was used for making both Welt and Turn shoes. These machines became successful under the management of Charles Goodyear, Jr., the son of the famous inventor of the process of vulcanizing rubber.
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In 1870 elastic sided boots were more popular though side-lace boots remain in fashion. Also the front lace was in fashion, but it was soon rivalled by the popular button boot.
