How to Make a Pair of Geta (Wooden Sandals)

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Last Updated: March 17, 2023

Basic Construction: In the world of woodworking projects, geta are about as simple as you can get. They are just three pieces of wood. Japanese-made geta are cut out of a single piece of wood. If you don't mind sacrificing authenticity for simplicity stick with the three piece project shown here. A more advanced way to make the traditional single-piece sandal is also provided for the more daring craftsmen.

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If you pare it down to the absolute basics, all you need is a saw and a drill, but to do the job right you really need:
- Hand saw with a fairly fine cross-cut blade. A tenon saw of back saw is perfect for this. Use this saw to cut out the major parts.
- Coping saw or electric jig or sabre saw. Use one of these to round the corners of the sole, or if you're short on cash and patient use a wood rasp (a kind of file) or sandpaper. If you're not very skilled at sawing, you might want to get the rasp, too. It's great for cleaning up those rough coping saw edges.
- A hand or electric drill. If you buy one, get an electric with a 3/8" chuck. It probably costs less than a good hand drill and has more uses. If you go the hand route, be sure to get the right type of bit. If it's an egg-beater style drill then buy a 1/4" drill or a 3/8" with a 1/4" shank. If it's a bit brace (big crank style), then buy a 3/8" auger bit. A twist drill bit has a fairly flat end, while an auger bit has what looks like a wood screw on the end.
- Sandpaper and a sanding block or electric sander. Get a good assortment of grits so that you can have a nice finish. A good grit to finish with is 220.
- A chisel and a hammer (for the single-piece version)
Wood and something for the thongs. A good hardwood like Red Oak will last longer and should be available at your local Lowes or Home Depot. Alternatively, try a lumberyard.

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The soles for the typical adult geta are about 4 or 5 inches (10.2 or 12.7 cm) wide, 9 to 11 inches (22.9 to 27.9 cm) long, and ¹⁄₂ to ³⁄₄ inch (1.3 to 1.9 cm) thick. The ha are the same width, about 1 to 1 ¹⁄₂ inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) thick and 2 to 4 inches (5.1 to 10.2 cm) high. The total wood requirements are about 2 feet (0.6 m) of 4 or 5 inch (10.2 or 12.7 cm) wide by ¹⁄₂ to ³⁄₄ inch (1.3 to 1.9 cm) thick wood. And about a foot of wood 4 or 5 inches (10.2 or 12.7 cm) wide by 1 to 1 ¹⁄₂ inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) thick.
You can make geta for all your friends with the left over wood. Some places (Home Depot) will cut the wood to your dimensions, or will let you cut them yourself. There might be a charge for this -- an advantage of finding a place that does this is even if you do your own cutting, they will have scraps that are for sale so you may not have to buy 8 feet (2.4 m) after all. You can make the soles of geta out of plywood. A big disadvantage of plywood is it's usually only sold in 4 by 8 foot pieces. Once again ask about scraps. Before buying any type of wood, however, make sure it isn't pressure treated. This type of wood has been treated with potentially harmful chemicals to keep termites at bay, and is usually used for housing/outdoor projects. Pressure treated wood is usually darker in color, and, unfortunately, most wood sold at Home Depot and Lowe's has been pressure treated. Try a local lumberyard for wood that hasn't been pressure treated.
You can try using nylon rope from the hardware store for the thongs, but it's not very comfortable. The thongs in Japanese made geta are made of several layers. Innermost is some sort of natural fiber rope around ¹⁄₈ inch (0.3 cm) in diameter. Perhaps jute or hemp. Walmart does sell a 100% cotton cord which is a good thickness and is extremely comfortable.
Add the next layer which brings the total diameter to nearly ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) is some sort of fuzzy stuff that's like the gray padding you see in some shipping envelopes -- it looks like lint. This is wrapped with brown paper, then inserted into a tube of black cloth. The cloth is very thin but has a fuzzy surface like felt. Try decorative piping that you can buy at a fabric store. It's available in several diameters, very soft, and unfortunately only seems to come in white. Try dying some black, but it may shrink and lose a lot of its softness. More experimentation is needed here such as finding a way to "paint" it without soaking it, or using a non-water based dye, or maybe starting with thicker piping. Perhaps a larger store may have it in other colors. The best diameter is ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) which is very comfortable, and can be pulled (barely) through a 1/4 hole. Try buying stuff actually marked 16/32".
¹⁄₈ inch (0.3 cm) nylon cord or rope for the small loop that holds the main thong between the toes. This doesn't really have to be soft, but should be the same color as the main thong. You'll only need about a foot to make a pair of geta.
This is packaged like Elmer's and other white glues, but is yellow. Titebond is a good brand. It's stronger and more suited for wood. You can use hot glue to attach the ha. It's harder to work with because you don't really have time to fix mistakes. With a slow drying glue you can always slide the pieces into better position even after several minutes.
A good option is genuine glue clamps. You can buy them at Walmart for a few dollars each. They're like a giant pair of plastic pliers with a spring that holds them closed. You might want to get black plastic with red jaws and open to 4 inches (10.2 cm). If you really don't care about cost then buy some metal C-clamps. These ensure a tight bond, but don't tighten too hard, or all the glue will squeeze out and leave a dry, loose fitting joint.
Put a couple large rubber bands around the pieces, tightly wrap masking tape around it, or to pile books or bricks on the joint. Around 10 pounds pressure is plenty
For the single piece Geta, it's going to take considerably more effort, but the result is a more authentic (and more durable) alternative to the fake geta. Cut two rectangular blocks each matching the combined dimensions above that will encompass the whole of the sandals. These will become both the soles and ha. Make a template and draw out the measurements on the blocks of wood until you have a basic idea of how you're going to cut things. You're going to have two lines that represent the inside edges of the ha, that stop at where the sole will be. Cut these edges and stop at the sole, and then slowly chisel out the rectangular space between the two ha. After that, cut the outer edges of the ha and cut the bottom edges of the sole. repeat this with the second piece, sand, and you're done. You'll most likely have to touch up the bottom of the sole between the two ha.
Finishing- To protect your wood from water/sweat damage, I suggest using polyurethane or another kind of wood finish to protect the wood. This also brings out the Red Oak's natural color and darkens it a bit. Oil based polyurethane works the best.

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Tips

At least go to your local library and look at some books on basic woodworking.

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If you've never done woodworking before, then the single piece version is not for you. If you really want to be authentic, practice making a three-piece version, then move on to the one piece.

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If you're deciding whether to make a single-piece geta or a multi-piece geta, think about what you're going to use it for, and how often. If you're going to use it only once for something like Halloween, then a three piece made completely out of plywood will most likely suit your needs. If you're planning on wearing them often, though, the single-piece version made out of a good, hard wood like red oak is best.

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Warnings

Attempting to run in geta is an extremely risky task. Not saying it can't be done, but the chances of injury are higher than in a pair of running shoes. Geta were not made for running, despite what you've seen in anime.

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Do not kick anyone while wearing the geta unless they really deserve it. Seriously, these are blocks of wood, they can do some damage.

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You will be using tools to make these shoes, so it should go without saying you may hurt yourself if you use your tools or geta improperly.

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Geta can be noisy as far as footwear goes. This can be annoying to some. However, many old folks in Japan say that the sound they miss most is the recognizable clack of the geta sandals, which have fallen out of use. Still, if you find this noise to be fairly annoying yourself, walk around in them on concrete. This should soften the noise a little. Putting rubber on the bottom of the ha won't help, for the tip of the sandal hitting the ground when you start to raise your foot produces an equally loud clack.

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Geta are not your Reeboks. It's entirely possible to fall and get hurt, and maybe break an ankle or hit your head. This applies especially to takai or tengu geta. However, geta are designed to follow the foot's general movement, though in a much more ridged fashion. They're by no means uncomfortable or tricky to walk in, and adapting is rather easy.

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