Part Eight -- The Kegutsu (The Fuzzy Shoes)
The one area where almost everyone looks lousy when they fight is their shoes. Once you've spent all the time and effort to make a full armor and you've sewn yourself a spiffy set of fighting clothes, why would you ruin everything with a pair of bright white Nike's or a big clompy set of engineer's boots?You don't have to spend years learning to make period shoes, but the least you can do is to make some attempt to cover them up. It only takes a few minutes and will make a world of difference in how you present yourself.One of the things samurai did to make themselves look fierce was to wear shoes covered with bear fur. Properly called kegutsu, they were basically low slippers with the fur brushed forward.Imitation kegutsu can be made fairly easily and quickly using fake fur with a 1 ½" to 2" pile. (If you have actual bear fur, try making actual kegutsu. Why waste it?)Materials:

  • ½ yard of brown/ black fake fur

  • 4' of self-adhesive Velcro

  • Tools:

  • Scissors

  • Chalk (better) or a Sharpie marker

  • Construction:

    1. Trace the outline of your fighting shoes on a paper bag.
    2. Add a line about 2" beyond the line, and roughly sketch out the pattern in DIAGRAM 8-1.
    3. Estimate where your shoe laces are and cut the fur from front to halfway down the shoe laces.
    4. Put the shoe on, and have someone hold the fur in place (or duct tape it) while marking with the chalk on the inside of the fur around the edges to show where the excess is that needs to be trimmed. (SEE DIAGRAM 8-2)Cut off the excess fur.
    5. Stitch the fur together in the back. The fur should fit fairly snugly.
    6. Cut your Velcro into 3-4" sections.
    7. Peel off the plastic and attach the loop side of the Velcro on the side of the sole around the heels, sides, and toes of the shoes.
    8. Attach the hook side of the Velcro on the inside of the fur so it will match up with the Velcro.
    9. Repeat this process around the top of the shoe as well. (SEE DIAGRAM 8-3)Press the fur down until the Velcro meets up.

    You're done. (SEE DIAGRAM 8-4)

    (NOTE: BY THE WAY, all you Swedes out there. You can do this with plain old lightweight leather, too!)

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