Cobblers, shoe care, DIY

[modalsaliency]

If memory serves, a couple of you guys are either living in or were briefly waylaid by Seoul. Has anyone actually discovered a cobbler you'd trust to do repair work on something like Carpe Diem?

I spent part of the weekend scouring for someone who wasn't wearing a shady trenchcoat and smelling of stale cigars and came up empty. I'm starting to suspect there isn't one in the entire bloody city.

[neodym]

Just give them to one of the many ajusshis in those cobbler-booths on the sidewalk. I'm sure they will take care of them well

On a serious note, i saw some discussion here: http://www.styleforum.net/t/71248/ta...seoul-korea/30

[ImaPro]

Can cobblers thin out leather soles?

[ErnstLudwig]

Can cobblers thin out leather soles?

Depends on the construction of the shoe how thin. If the upper leather is glued on the sole, should be really easy. In fact a certain amount of beveling has to be done on every leather sole before applying a rubber sole.
Of cause if the leather is of inferior quality it has a higher probability of breaking, if the thickness is reduced to much.

[nictan]

would it be possible to repair the worn out heels on these Guidis? the front part is easy i guess, just stick on a piece of vibram. its the worn out heel I'm worried about.

will a cobbler be able to remove the nails and slap on some new heel tabs?

[cowsareforeating]

^ dont know for sure, but my cobbler did that on some poell derbies so i assume so. pretty cheap too.

[croatoan]

If memory serves, a couple of you guys are either living in or were briefly waylaid by Seoul. Has anyone actually discovered a cobbler you'd trust to do repair work on something like Carpe Diem?

I spent part of the weekend scouring for someone who wasn't wearing a shady trenchcoat and smelling of stale cigars and came up empty. I'm starting to suspect there isn't one in the entire bloody city.

Nothing wrong with shady trenchcoats and I think you won't have much luck finding a cobbler shack that doesn't smell like stale cigars. Whenever I am Seoul I bring my shoes to the guy across from Hongik University, alongside the children's park. I had used a couple prior to him and found him to to the best work out of them. I am sure there are plenty others out there, though.

[magic]

Nic- a crobbler were able to attach a piece a leather onto the worn out area after putting a rubber heel, it will looks evenly after some machine grinding.

[nictan]

cows & Magic: Thanks!!!

[pseudonym]

^ Looks like a great job! I had a pair of Guidis done a while back, and found they faded into the most amazing color with lots of wear. Prefered them to the typical washed/dyed/distressed off-black of most new boots. I'd love to see those after a full year of good wear.

[zamb]

looks good T,

One of the thing that always baffles me is when great pieces like these are for sale but people are afraid to buy them because they are not black............

black isn't the only color in the world and its pretty easy to do these things

I remember before i could afford to buy anything, my first pair of boots was a red boots to which I added Zippers myself and dyed them black. the color ended up being really amazing,because hints of the red was showing through the black.

I promised myself I would keep them forever, but in a fit of madness enabled by david.s I gave them to a model on a photo shoot
I will forever hold it against him!

[KM80]

On the plus side you probably won't have to replace the heel as often as you would have with a thinner piece, which I'm assuming is why he may have done it that way?

[mike]

my sister took some of her shoes to the cobbler recently and a similar situation arose. unfortunately , i dont think anything can really be accomplished by confronting the cobbler. but no doubt it is a shitty feeling when something new is "marred" during the process of trying to protect it. i am always fearful of this as i know it would bug the hell out of me.

[Raw]

I recently took my staple ankle boots to my usual cobbler to get vibramed. He is the best in town, very old gentleman with decades of experience. Everytime I go there I get vibrams added, however this time when I went there he recommended to get rivers soles added instead. But I was hesitant and he didn't have samples to show me at the time so I showed him the soles on my back zips and asked for those instead, which are vibram aerial.

Anyways when I went to pick them up, best job done out of all the times I've been there, he showed me the rivers soles and they felt pretty nice. A bit more rubbery feel to them and slightly softer with a bit more grip. Anyone tried the different brands to compared how they hold up? Or if there's a difference in feel when walking?

[cowsareforeating]

* crepe feels best but doesnt have any life at all.. but thast not a sole u can add on as far as i know