Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/01/23/watch-this-cobbler-do-a-magica.html
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I appreciate the craftsmanship here…but as a person who wears dress loafers every day, isn’t it just easier to buy a new pair? I’ve used a local cobbler (they actually come into my work’s cafe and are there for us at a discount) to do minor repairs (new sock liner/inner cushion, or popped seam) but when some of my shoes have gotten to that state, I just thrown them out and get a new one.
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I’d like to see him tackle worn through uppers!
I enjoyed this much more than I expected to.
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I had not actually considered the price point. Thank you.
I tend to spend $200 on dress shoes, and I get at least 3 years out of them on average (and I do literally wear them daily)…so I consider it good value and usually have no qualms dropping another $200 for a new pair.
If I spent $1000 then yeah, I’d be apt to get them restored like this assuming its negligible in cost.
And @knoxblox agreed. It was one of those things that is fairly soothing. Similar to the TV show “How its made”
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Whatever tool he’s using to prise off the heel looks great for accidentally stabbing yourself with.
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I saw so many opportunities for a good stabbin’ there. But I only saw blood on his hands once, so he’s pretty skilled!
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I can only imagine how much it costs to repair this kind of shoe to this degree. I can afford neither the shoes, nor the service, but I do enjoy restoration videos, which are (mostly) free.
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The blood under the fingernail has a story I am sure.
I once ran my finger between a belt and a pulley. As the blood pooled under the nail the pressure was horrible, so I took an orfice drill bit and, by hand, drilled through the nail till I hit the pocket and blood squirted across the room. Wrapped it with a C-fold towel and electrical tape, and went back to work.
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Really good shoes are well made, with excellent materials, which makes restoration more feasible. When they cost a grand, “repair not replace” is a very useful idea. Repairs such as these are had for much more than a nominal fee, and like the shoes, are obviously well worth the price.
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You may already know and be doing this, but if you buy two pairs and alternate they will last longer than simple math would suggest. Heard from a wise old cobbler, something about giving the leather a chance to air out, seems to work!
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Glad to see there are still cobblers out there who take pride in a job well done instead of just outsourcing all the work to elves.
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Young machinist: Damn, this hurts like a mofo!
Old wise machinist: Take a number drill and make a tiny hole to relieve the pressure.
Young machinist: Damn, that’s a good idea! <grabs a battery-powered drill and chucks a bit>
Old wise machinist: 
wait, that’s not…
Young machinist: 
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And if this guy hadn’t let his shoes get so badly abused it would have been a much easier repair.
I felt good watching this video because I used that same Saphir conditioner on my boots this morning!
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The Elegant Oxford has some compelling videos of him polishing shoes. This one has had 1,651,077 views so far.
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