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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Checked quickly and shoes similar to the ones in the video are $950 + tax. I’d guess you could have someone pick up the shoes from your doorstep, take them to the cobbler, wait around while they’re repaired, and bring them back, all for less than buying a new pair.
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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!
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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