x minit uk Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 Any skilled repairer should be able to hand sew leather soles onto a welted pair of shoes, takes about 3/4 of an hour per shoe. And make sure you tell the customer they are hand sewn they will be very impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x minit uk Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 Now read my post again and tell me where I say this is WHAT I do. If I did not have an outsole stitcher then I would. (well the wife would anyway) xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 I do repairs for a guy locally who owns a Castle and always runs mock battles and banquets and the repairs he needs are on period shoes so it is all stitched by hand. Takes for ever but boy does he pay for it. Now I take mr minits point about who can do repairs like these personally, as I can, and presume he/she can as well, so to knock it is to belittle it I have an outsoler which would take 2 mins but I can hand stitch welted shoes. dont see toooo many nowadays who can do that or for that matter many who can hand groove soles. All gone out with the arc. thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x minit uk Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 oh yes I remember the hand grooving or chanelling (sp). many a sore finger from the knife, and once dislocated my lil finger rubbing the channel down with the butt of my hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 BRAVO sorry for the caps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Has it not occured to you all that Outsole stitchers are available!! I know they arn't cheap, but in my opinion, anyone who blakes on a pair of welted shoes is ruining them. If you haven't got the volume for an outsole, why not consider doing something with a friend. For example, one of you buys a blake and the other buys a goodyear and you share the use. Or buy one between you? You get a much better job doing it with the right tools! Just a thought, he says, slipping on his suit of armour!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 tut tut tut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x minit uk Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Has it not occured to you all that Outsole stitchers are available!! I know they arn't cheap, but in my opinion, anyone who blakes on a pair of welted shoes is ruining them. If you haven't got the volume for an outsole, why not consider doing something with a friend. For example, one of you buys a blake and the other buys a goodyear and you share the use. Or buy one between you? You get a much better job doing it with the right tools! Just a thought, he says, slipping on his suit of armour!! Are sales permited on here. anyway with some of your prices I am not suprised ppl have not got outsole stitchers. Why dont you use your engineering skills and design a new one that is afordable,reliable,and not so darn heavy. Seems to be a lot of machine just to make a stitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 tut tut tut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Interesting comment Phil. I have to agree I don't particularly like to see a welted shoe blake stitched either. But on the otherhand the person with the blake machine maynot have access to an outsole stitcher or a mate 15 miles down the road. So what does he do? tTurn away the work, or perhaps make the best job he can with the tools and equiptment avaialble to him? I agree it's not a pretty repair but you have to admit it is still generally a successful repair. It would be nice to think we all aspie to making the perfect repair eveytime. But i hold nothing against someone who uses their enginunity to overcome a problem by some other means. I wonder how others look at this situation ... Regards Andy Those sort of comments make my blood boil "IT'S STILL GENERALLY A SUCESSFULL REPAIR" It bloodywell isn't, It usually means the last repair that shoe will ever see again. Unless someone is willing to rewelt and new insole them. To me it's a disgusting way to carry out your trade, and the sooner these people go out of business the better for all the genuine tradesmen out there. Would you tell the customer, We havn't got the proper tools so we'll just do the best we can........NO I bet you wouldn't not very "onest andy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Nearly every week someone brings me in a nice pair of welted leather shoes that have been repaired using a blake stitcher. I don't have a sole stitcher so I get my mate 15 miles away to do mine.... and the customer is always prepared to pay the extra to have them done properly. Yeah, Nice one Phil. Good to see someone with a bit of integrity & pride in himself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Nearly every week someone brings me in a nice pair of welted leather shoes that have been repaired using a blake stitcher. I don't have a sole stitcher so I get my mate 15 miles away to do mine.... and the customer is always prepared to pay the extra to have them done properly. Yeah, Nice one Phil. Good to see someone with a bit of integrity & pride in himself NO excuse NO excuse for blaking on welted shoes........aaaaaaarrrgggh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 It had to get personal, throwing wobblies on an open forum is not the way ahead gents and I use the term very loosly after those comments.To answer on 2 counts in defence of Timpson, who I'm sure are capable of turning out work as bad as the rest, the work turned out by their Central workshops is unbeatable, it is a better standard than the best of competition entries from anywhere!! Secondly, who wins all the top prizes in National competitions, the winning entries are of a standard that 90% of repairers will never be able to emulate even if they had the time, so please do us all a favour and take those sour grapes back to the shop for a refund before this site gets dragged down any further. Why would I wanna unite with MRT, bit like inviting a cat to a mouse's 21st Snakes in the grass!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 [Why would I wanna unite with MRT,bit like inviting a cat to a mouse's 21st Snakes in the grass!!! Are you doing watch repairs, is700? and no -one is asking for you to unite just be aware that waht little you see may not be the true overall picture. I am no lover of the standards currently being produced by multiples and some so-called managers need to be Hung Drawn and Quartered along with the Area Managers and above, but what I can appreciate is the standard that can be achieved by their top 20 or so technicians. I tried to beat these guys for years in competitions and found life very difficult. I see their output as I travell quite a lot and call on Multiples and Independants to get a balanced view. Those that are stuck in the gutter with biased views will never get out of that gutter until they realise that the view that they have is limited to a very small area of the overall picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Yeah, they have a good central works with some good guys. But I'm not in awe of em. All the services we offer we do inshop, We don't have to farm work out, I wouldn't say we were stuck in the gutter My son is 20 years old, I've worked in dozens of Mr T's Mr minits Sketchleys as a relief manager. And I've got to say hand on my heart.. He would skin and heel the lot of em. He's worked with me since he was 12, He is an absolutely fantastic asset to my company And yes we offer all the services of Mr T and a lot more. As I say I totally respect them (enjoyed my time there) but they could also learn some skill's from us independants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Your Watch skills were directly or indirectly gleaned from the original concept of the timpson organisation and I did not say you had to be in awe, just recognise that they-as other multiples have some highly skilled personell on their books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 I love the T's debate, but lets not forget its the T's at the top! does that not just make them a slightly larger FAMILY business So you start of with one shop, then 2, then half a dozen. At what point would people start to see you as a multiple not worthy of independent status????????? I nod & wave to all the employees in our towns branch of mr T's I just see them as any other cobblers shop! Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 When I started on my own mr T didn't do watch repairs I don't think, I got into it through a guy I met on my travels who just did watch repairs, I probably started before them, and not because of them. It was a natural progression. Don't get me wrong here, I think Timpsons have set the pace and the price for us to follow if we so desire, But it is impossible to staff 700 shops with quality staff. I think JT would agree with that. Its not his fault, It's the human being's fault, Most, not all are capable of a descent job but fail to because they can't be bothered And that goe's for a lot of independants. Thats what really makes my blood boil. I tell my staff to do every job as if it were there own. Nothing else is good enough Sorry if I sound a bit to point at times, but thats just me, "Say what you believe in" I don't talk all round the houses to sound politically correct. Some people respect you for it, some people hate you, But hey what the hell !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Timpsons have 700 shops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Dunno, Ain't counted em For some reason I thought they had 700. How many then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 To the best of my knowledge it's a few more than 500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 I thought it was 600 but 7oo may be nearer the point as there are 100 minit shops they aint found yet Qupte from uk900. Most, not all are capable of a descent job but fail to because they can't be bothered. I would not be so generous as to say most. They do have the top half dozen or so but 60%/70% are probably struggling to make a decent job of a through sole. Very good with customers though and if trained to their capabilities would make 1st class Independants. It aint due to not being bothered, it is down to pressure to serve as many as possible in the shortest space of time for the maximum profit. When I worked for them 28ish years ago, the work was checked and checked again, I was only a kid then. I picked the trade up really quickly because I enjoyed it. I soon realised my mentor's repairs were crap, and he was in his late fifties then. He'd been in the trade all his life. I learnt all the "odd" bits for myself I.E. welting, shanks,etc. I was in dire straits a few months ago, I was short staffed, and I've got a mate who work's for mr T, He was due some holiday and said he would give me a hand It was the worst experience I've had for a long time..Jesus... He couldn't even trim a pair of stilettos properly.. I think he was tryin to sharpen em like darts. How do you tell someone when they are doing you a favour.. But I had to. The guy couldn't do a bloody thing properly.. Never been so stressed in all my life......Jesus I'm sweating now thinking of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobblers Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 summat was said recently about hand sticthing welts and leather soles on, can't remember who it was anyway, never too old to learn or to embarrassed to ask and further my skill, can anyone explain how to perform both these aspects properly as i've never had the opportunity to perform either and i've never been shown!!!! (i've to hand stitch welts that have come away in the past and generally done what i thought was probably a successful but not technically correct job). yours beseechingly and with no pride whatsoever, rick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Watch this space, I got a pair of western boots to re-welt over the next two weeks, I'll take some pix to post up with a talk-through if I have time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 There is a self tuition book covering welted work sold by Trevor Griffiths and cost about a fiver. If you dont want to buy it and tel cant get the finer points over to you I'll copy some of the relevant pages for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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