recover heels

[Guest shoegirl]

Do you guys ever have a problem when recovering a heel (odd colors/leather textures etc.)

 

I usually dont have a problem with this stuff but lately I've been getting ladies shoes that are really weird colors or textures. I try to please the customer but at the same time try to explain that an exact match can be nearly impossible. Do you guys have that problem and if so how do you handle it without the customer thinking your incompetent?

[Guest Marcell]

I don't think that a customer will think that you are incompetent - most of them don't. A few who thinks that, anyway will do.

A normal person will understand your explaination..

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

If I could not match near enough for the customer I would tell them they can have black as black heels go with any colour shoe or boot.

[ironplanet uk900]

I agree with Hugh, If you explain to the customer in a profesional matter they will understand, and to be honest shoegirl, you are probably one of the few willing to take this kind of work on anyway.

Most shy away, can't be bothered.

we do alot of this type of work.

By the way charles Birch do some nice leather covered heels now (stacked effect)

[Guest shoegirl]

I am the only one around (that I know of who will do this) Its not that the job is hard just some of the weird stuff is. I actually have had a person take their shoe with them when i told them the color would not be exact but would rather blend into the rest of the shoe...I was told they would take the shoe to omeone who could actually repair it.

 

By the way when she brought it back to me to be done...I told her at this time I was too busy to take on that shoe.

[kobblers]

mebbe hugh will know the answer to this one:

 

has anyone ever used the vacuum process to help in the recovering of heels?

 

it would work, i should imagine, by you only applying adhesive to the heel block and then immediately covering more or less in place with the material you're using to recover. you then place the covered heel block into a vacuum forming bag whereby the air is then totally drawn out pulling the new heel covering tight into place, with no creasing, against the shoe. it would be ideal for odd shaped heels or ladies high stiletto types where there is a steep curve to be reckoned with.

 

this was a process i looked at for veneering wood when i first started doing carpentry. the shapes you could form or veneer were unlimited.

 

this might give you a general idea of what i'm on about.

 

http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/ ... orming.htm

 

this link actually tells you how to make one.

 

http://members.aol.com/GCGassaway/vacuform.htm

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Vac bags are used intensily in the manufacturing proccess and also in the Surgical trade aminly for the forming of shaped insoles.

The cost of the equipment is rather high for the purpose of heel re-cover as you would need a good trade in this area to justify the cost.

It5 is just as quick to do the job by hand, no matter what shape.

I used to do the most complex forms you could possibly imagine in the 60s some acute flares that were wider at the top-piece than the hhel base, more like an Egg Timer. It just takes practice and a little knowledge in the suitability of the leather used and how to soften and manipulate it into the seemingly impossible places.

In the heyday of heel replacing I was doing 60 pairs a day, now try to get your head around that.

[kobblers]

knew you'd know the answer

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

knew you'd know the answer

One of the wholesalers in the South, could be Marsall Coppin has them in their catalogues, it is a wholesaler that does a lot of material for surgical work, cant be sure it was Coppins.