So I decided to paint my shoes!

Very impressive, something for me to keep in mind as I do a bit of leather work but the dyeing and finishing on those is a a good step above mine. Thanks for sharing.
 


Don't talk to me about cobblers.

A client of mine came in the other day and said "please don't look at my shoes"

He had taken his Hugo Boss shoes for a half sole and re-heel. The heel was ok but the sole they put on was awful.

Not to mention the way they dressed the sole edge. Literally looked like they had slapped some black Hammerite round it. Blotches of it were peeling off. It had only been done two days before.

Not to mention the shoes were chestnut brown so why they put a piano gloss black on the sole edge is a wonder.
 
You do have to wonder at what some so called professionals put out and charge good money for.
 
The shoes are Blake stitched so half sole really isn't possible (although I may stand corrected). What they should have done was remove the whole sole and stitched on a new one. Instead they they just glued half a leather sole over it adding about 8mm to the profile of the shoe. They didn't even bevel the edges to try and maintain the profile which is even what I do when I put a rubber sole on my shoes.

The thick paint job on the edges just topped it off
 
SWMBO's grandad and Uncle were both old school cobblers. Grandad started off as an apprentice and ended up buying the business. This was in what was the deemed as the old slums of Southampton, he grew the business and moved out. The business expanded into a leather merchants supplying quite an area. Back in the day of old football boots, that covered the ankle and were made of thick leather he repaired the boots of the Saints players.

He sold Loake and Grenson show in the shop as well as the cobblers side of things. I use to take my show there and uncle did a great job in them, being married to his niece I got a top job for free. Sad though the cheaper shoe repairers and cheap shoe shops slowly pushed it to where the business closed and he was just dealing in leather supplies and her uncle retired. Wonderful shop to go in, very old school, smelt of leather and glue.
 
The next pair started life in a charity shop.

I am not one to buy shoes from charity shops but a few things I liked about these that stood out.

Firstly they were Charles Tyrwhitt who I believe have their shoes made by Loake and Barker. Think these ones are Barkers.

Secondly the price, a tenner.

Thirdly they needed re-heeling and soling. I fancied the challenge.


So got these home. Gave them a good disinfecting and got to work.

I have practiced repairing shoes and aint too bad. I can only really do rubber soles (I don't have the ability to welt leather, lol). Don't ask why but years ago I bought some soles and heels in different shapes and sizes from old cobbler at a car boot sale. I am a bit of a hoarder so have kept these in the shed.

As there were loads of pictures I made a video on my phone.
 
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Just dug out an old pair of my favourite shoes from the depths of the cupboard that were badly water damaged, what brand name of dye are you using?

I'm very impressed with what you are achieving and would be extreamly happy if I could restore my Cheaney brogues.
 


I only really use saphir products but fieblings are very good dyes too
 
PLANofMAN said:
Excellent movie and good editing, but there were so many color distortion effects going on throughout, it was hard to tell what color the shoes actually are, which detracts from the overall effect.
Click to expand...


Here are some pics with no effects.

They are before, after reheeling and new sole, stripped of colour, dyed and then polished












 
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