Originally, a bodger was someone who had something to do with a certain process involved in shoe manufacture. Damned if I can remember what it was, but it was actually a skilled trade.... Similarly a skiver - he carefully sliced into the leather soles to arrange for stitching to be hidden. Peter Chadwick Swindon MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.