How do I clean hand made shoes?
So, how do you go about cleaning and polishing your hand made shoes? The first thing you need to do is to clean off any dirt of marks.
Using a light shoe brush, remove any mud or dirt on the leather, taking care not to brush too hard. Don’t use a hairbrush for this as they are often too stiff and can damage the leather. It’s worth investing in a proper shoe brush, as this will prevent and harm to your handmade shoes.
If there are any stains from salt on the shoes, which is very common in the winter, take a cup of hot water and mix in a tablespoon of white vinegar or pure alcohol. Use a soft rag to clean your shoes with this mixture, and you should find that the salt stains will come out quite easily.
For other types of marks, use a specialised leather cleaner, and make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t be tempted to cheat and buy a cheap cleaner, or something not designed for fine leather, as this will ruin your shoes. Remember, one of the beauties of real hand made shoes is that they will last much longer than mass-produced ones. This is only true if you look after them.
Now you’re ready for polishing your shoes. I’ll give you a basic overview of the technique that used to be used in the British Army, where the soldiers were famous for the mirror-like shine on their shoes, although the process is a lot older than that, probably dating back to Napolean’s army.
As before, make sure to use a good quality polish. Apply the polish all over the leather and allow it to dry. Take a soft duster, wet a small area of it and apply a small amount of polish to the wet area. Start working on the shoe in small circles, rubbing the dry polish in as you go. Keep going until the polish has all been absorbed. Don’t use too much polish though, just a little is enough.
If you look after your hand made shoes carefully, you’ll have many years of use out of them, and they’ll look every bit as good as the day you bought them.
Fino alla volta prossima (until next time),
Armand
Topics: Hand made shoe care, Hand made shoes
How do I care for hand made shoes?
Choosing your hand made shoes is only part of the story. Once you’ve bought them, you need to know how to look after them. After all, if you’ve just spent a fair sum on a good quality pair of handmade shoes, you want to make sure they’re going to last. Thankfully, caring for your new shoes isn’t too hard, although it does take a bit of discipline.
The first thing to say is that prevention is better than cure. If you have a good pair of handmade shoes (or even a cheap pair of factory produced ones for that matter), you should make sure to look after them properly. Try not to get them too wet, as this can stain the leather, and make it stiff when it dries. If you aren’t careful, shoes that have been exposed to too much water can crack and split – not something you want with your beautiful new pair of hand-made shoes!
If your shoes do get wet, don’t under any circumstances leave them by a radiator to dry! This can cause them to go brittle and dry, and crack the leather. You should leave them somewhere away from a heat source, at normal room temperature. It may take several days for a really wet pair of hand made shoes to dry, so be patient, and always keep a spare pair handy.
A common problem with shoes is that the toes can easily become scuffed and scratched. One of the biggest causes of this with everyday shoes is found with people who sit on office chairs. These usually have four or five legs that come out of a central shaft on which the chair sits. If, like me, you often sit with your feet tucked under your chair, you might find that the tops of your shoes will become damaged from the legs of the chair. If this affects you, you either need to learn to sit differently (very hard to change your habits), or slip your shoes off when sitting at your desk. Just make sure not to kick them too far out of reach in case you need to jump up when the boss walks in!
Another thing to remember is that your shoes will last much longer if you keep them on a shoe horn or shoe tree when you’re not wearing them. This will help preserve the shape of the shoe, and will also help the shoes dry out if they are damp from being worn outside. Wooden shoe trees are much better than plastic ones, as they will absorb the odours and moisture from your shoes, leaving the shoes themselves in better condition.
Obviously, the more your shoes are worn, the more they’ll need cleaning and polishing. What many people don’t realise is that shoes need time to relax back to their original shape after you’ve worn them. If you wear the same pair of shoes day in, day out, you won’t give them chance to recover, and they’ll lose their shape more quickly. It’s worth buying two pairs of shoes, and wearing them alternately, as this will keep them both in much better condition in the long term.
So, assuming you’re looking after your shoes, you need to give them a regular polish to preserve the leather. Not only will this make the shoes look good, it will give the leather some oil to replace the natural oils that dry out with wear.
It goes without saying that if you have a pair of good quality hand made shoes, you would be foolish to buy cheap shoe polish. It’s worth spending a little extra on a really good quality make to give your shoes that extra bit of care and attention.
If you follow this advice carefully, your hand made shoes will last a very long time. You need to make sure to clean them properly though, which I’ll be discussing in my next article.
Riguardi (regards),
Armand
Topics: Hand made shoe care, Hand made shoes
How are hand made shoes made?
Although most hand made shoes are made of leather, they can also be made of synthetic, canvas or other materials. Whilst these are often cheaper than leather, most people who want the quality that comes with well-made hand-crafted shoes know that there’s nothing like the feel and durability of real leather for your shoes. Whilst canvas is a good alternative for casual shoes in the house, leather wins out every time for everyday and special shoes.
In good quality shoes, both the uppers and soles of the shoes will be made of leather. Many cheaper shoes nowadays may have rubber soles, as these are cheap and durable, but apart from the fact that they can make your feet sweat, you are losing out on the beauty and comfort of leather if you choose this option. Good quality handmade shoes will have a leather upper and sole, so look out for this when choosing your shoes.
Even amongst leather shoes, there are a variety of materials and qualities available, ranging from cow and sheep leather, up to the more expensive and exclusive alligator leather. There’s nothing wrong with the more common forms of leather, as long as good quality hides are used. Traditional craftsmen will only use high quality leather in their handmade shoes, so whatever the animal, the shoes will be sturdy and elegant.
Hand-made shoes are built around a “last,” which is a kind of mould that shapes the shoe. Traditionally made of wood – often beech, but nowadays usually made of plastic, these lasts are used over and over again.
The first stage in making the shoe is to attach the insole to the last. Then the sections of the upper part of the shoe are attached, and sewn together.
When the upper parts of the shoe have been fixed to the insole, the sole itself is then attached to the bottom of the incomplete shoe.
Finally, the shoe is checked over to make sure that everything is secure and accurately finished. If appropriate, the laces are threaded, and the shoes are complete.
It is possible to make your own shoes, but this should really only be considered out of interest, as it takes years to become a skilled shoemaker, and most of us would never have the time to hone our talents to the level of some of the masters. Thankfully, there is a good range of hand made shoes available for purchase, so we can all enjoy them without having to learn how to make them ourselves.
Watch out for more articles on hand made shoes that I’ll be adding to this site very soon.
Arrivederci (goodbye),
Armand
Topics: Hand made shoes, Manufacture of hand made shoes
Should I buy Italian hand made shoes?
As soon as you think of Italian hand made shoes, you think of style and quality. Italy has long been known for its fine shoes and clothing, and it still ranks above most of the world in fashion.
Having said that, many other countries have a fine reputation for craftsmanship, so it’s worth finding out if Italian handmade shoes are actually better than anyone else’s.
One of the reasons why Italy is so famous for its shoemaking is because most Italian shoemakers still use the traditional methods, something that a lot of big commercial shoe manufacturers have long since dropped. Although modern factory mass-production is cheaper, the old methods involve much more care and precision, and so produce finer shoes.
Couple this with the fact that the Italians are well-known for their care in choosing high-quality leather, and it’s easy to see why their shoes have an enviable reputation for quality. Compared to shoes mass-produced in the Far East, Italian handmade shoes are way out in front.
The last, and probably most obvious reason why Italy has such a reputation for high quality handmade shoes is the standard and innovation of the Italian designers. Always leaders in fashion, they apply their skills to shoemaking, which results in some first-class designs.
OK, so I’ve given you some reasons why the Italians are best, but in fairness, there are other countries that do excel in shoemaking, and I wouldn’t be telling the whole truth if I didn’t mention them too.
Although not as famous for shoemaking, Britain has some very fine shoemakers. Built on an age-old reputation of fine craftsmanship (which has sadly been lost in most areas of production), there are still some truly expert shoemakers in Britain, and their hand made shoes are every bit as good as their Italian counterparts. You won’t find these shoes in the high street chains, but if you know where to look, you can find excellent quality hand-made shoes here.
Although not as much at the cutting edge of fashion as their Italian counterparts, the British shoemakers produce more traditional, yet superb quality shoes, and are definitely worth checking out.
I must come clean and say that I rarely worry about the country of origin when I’m looking at hand made shoes, as I usually look at the individual pairs on offer, and evaluate each on on its own.
Having said that, I recently found a source of the most wonderful Italian hand made shoes which I can strongly recommend. Click here to visit their site.
I hope you found this useful. Feel free to read some of my other articles about hand made shoes.
Parli voi presto (speak to you soon),
Armand
Topics: Hand made shoes, Italian hand made shoes
Why should I buy hand made shoes? Part 2, the advantages
OK, so in my last article, I gave you some reasons why you might not want to buy buy hand made shoes. In this article, I’m going to tell you why I think you should. As you’ll see, I think the advantages are far more convincing than the disadvantages.
So, here are my main reasons why you should seriously consider handmade shoes.
- Let’s face it, everyone loves luxury items, and there’s simply no comparison between a good pair of shoes made by a craftsman, and something off the shelf in a chain store. For comfort, style and beauty, hand-made beats factory hands down!
- As I mentioned above, hand-made shoes will last much longer than other types. Not only does this mean you don’t have to fork out for new shoes so often, it means that you’ll look the business for much longer. When I see people walking down the street in grubby looking shoes, it really makes me wonder if they have any pride in their appearance. I feel great walking out in a smart pair of shoes that I know will look good for a long time to come.
- A well-crafted pair of shoes will be a lot more comfortable than the chain store ones. Part of the reason why they cost more is that hand made shoes generally use much higher quality materials, resulting in a more comfortable experience for you. Apart from the enjoyment this gives you, it also avoids the very common problems of aching feet, blisters and other foot ailments that result from buying cheap shoes.
- If a pair of shoes – or anything else for that matter – has been made individually, it will not be exactly the same as any other pair in the world. Sure, the differences might be slight, but there’s a certain pride in wearing something that you just know is unique. OK, call me silly on this one, but if you’ve ever owned anything genuinely individual, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Well, that’s about all I have to say on why I think it’s worth buying handmade shoes. Please read the other articles here, as I’ll be giving you loads of great information about hand made shoes, as well as some tips about where to buy them.
Bye for now,
Armand
Topics: Choosing hand made shoes, Hand made shoes