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Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.

Rick Klompmaker works on a wooden shoe at the Touch of Dutch Festival.

Rick Klompmaker works on a wooden shoe at the Touch of Dutch Festival.

DeMOTTE — A highlight of the annual Touch of Dutch this year was the presence of Rick Klompmaker who creates the famous wooden shoes by hand using methods that have been in place since the 1600’s. Klompmaker, from Holland, Michigan, first came to the festival in 2019.

Klompmaker, whose name literally means wooden shoe maker, uses tools that he inherited from his uncle who started making shoes in the 1920’s. The tools themselves are actually over 150 years old. His uncle, Fred Oldemulder, had been demonstrating wooden shoe making around Michigan at various festivals, including the annual Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan. Klompmaker learned the craft after about a year and a half of tutelage. In 1981, he turned out his first shoe and Oldemulder proclaimed that he had it down and that he was ready. He has demonstrated the art at various festivals and workshops ever since.

Taking a block of pre-cut, rough aspen wood, Klompmaker uses a block knife which is attached to a wooden horse to begin the process of turning a wooden rectangle into a curved shoe. Much like any sculptor, he removes what shouldn’t be there, starting with the outside and works towards the finished project.

Each time, Klompmaker began work on the shoes, a crowd of people would gather and watch appreciatively at the progress. A young Cub Scout from a nearby booth was especially enraptured with the process, abandoning selling corn to come and watch each time Klompmaker picked up the tools.

Klompmaker said that very few people worldwide are still making wooden shoes in this manner, including those in the olden countries.

“Everything is now done in factories using machinery that duplicates a form using a special lathe,” said Klompmaker. “I like to demonstrate the original method and every shoe is a little different.”

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