The Ultimate "HARDCORE" Shoe Appreciation Thread (Bespoke only)

[j ingevaldsson]

I don't know what that is...at least not by that name. Just off the top of my head, however, a product formulated to remove cream and polish isn't likely to remove, much less bleach/lighten dyes or top coat finishes.

If I do a direct translate it would be chemically pure petrol/gasoline. It's not made to remove cream or polish, but used for that purpose, and no not to bleach, just that I thought I'd ask since it's a related topic.

 

[DWFII]



If I do a direct translate it would be chemically pure petrol/gasoline. It's not made to remove cream or polish, but used for that purpose, and no not to bleach, just that I thought I'd ask since it's a related topic.

Ah. Well, I can't say I have any experience with it. I would not purposefully put gasoline on my shoes. That said, on the rare occasions i have spilled gasoline on shoes, I never saw or noticed any bleaching effect.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Ah. Well, I can't say I have any experience with it. I would not purposefully put gasoline on my shoes. That said, on the rare occasions i have spilled gasoline on shoes, I never saw or noticed any bleaching effect.

Yeah I'm not fond of it either, and I've heard from a couple of professional patina painters that it's not to recommend.

 

[bengal-stripe]



If I do a direct translate it would be chemically pure petrol/gasoline.

I believe, you are talking about naphtha (lighter fluid).

As a cleaner it removes all kind of sticky residue without doing harm. Probably the best stuff to remove sticky labels without ripping off the surface underneath. As it evaporates very quickly, you might need several applications to remove a significant amount of gunk.

In shoemaking it is used by closers to remove traces of rubber cement from inaccessible spots.

 

[emptym]

I don't think I ever posted these in this thread:




Info here.

 

[PCK1]

Koji's in use this week and last week.

Im anxiously awaiting his return to NYC in the spring so I can get around to a third pair. Debating captoe oxford or loafer. Maybe i'll do both. All in due course.

 

[DWFII]



I don't think I ever posted these in this thread: Info here.

Those have broken in beautifully.

 

[emptym]

^Thanks to you. Getting a good amout of wear in the rain and should get more this El Nino year.

 

[bespoke lad]



I believe, you are talking about naphtha (lighter fluid).
As a cleaner it removes all kind of sticky residue without doing harm. Probably the best stuff to remove sticky labels without ripping off the surface underneath. As it evaporates very quickly, you might need several applications to remove a significant amount of gunk.

In shoemaking it is used by closers to remove traces of rubber cement from inaccessible spots.

Thanks for the tip! A friend of mine told me lighter fluid works wonders for cleaning the glue off the tape when you remove it off the upper etc. This is more detailed explanation though thank you.

 

[DWFII]



Thanks for the tip! A friend of mine told me lighter fluid works wonders for cleaning the glue off the tape when you remove it off the upper etc. This is more detailed explanation though thank you.

Thing is, I can't think of a situation where I would want to put tape on a shoe. And rubber cement can be rolled off leather with art gum or plantation crepe.

IMO, the use of naptha or lighter fluid has more downsides than up. I don't think it is particularly good to breathe; it's...all other things being equal...a poor solution for removing cement (although it is perhaps faster than actually rubbing it off); and it's an expedient that subtly excuses or encourages careless usage of cements, if not sloppy workmanship.

IMO...

 

[bespoke lad]



Thing is, I can't think of a situation where I would want to put tape on a shoe. And rubber cement can be rolled off leather with art gum or plantation crepe.

IMO, the use of naptha or lighter fluid has more downsides than up. I don't think it is particularly good to breathe; it's...all other things being equal...a poor solution for removing cement (although it is perhaps faster than actually rubbing it off); and it's an expedient that subtly excuses or encourages careless usage of cements, if not sloppy workmanship.

IMO...

Hi there DW, I think you know my father from a long time ago Roberto Herrera

Anyway yeah I see your point with the masking tape over the upper but, I adapted this technique because I think just about every West End London shoemaker uses it mainly because the wax of the thread plus the awl could make marks on the side even if it's very subtle. I usually will cut a strip of tape the length that I want and stick it to a glass or sheet metal and take the tack off so when I pull it off the leather won't come with it. Of course the other option is plastic shoe covers but I just can't be bothered with those, at least not yet until I get my own set up going soon. Another reason I like the tape is because a friend of mine who works at Lobb Saint James told me in order to sew a fiddleback waist or narrow beveled it's usually nessesary to stick on a tape then rubber solution on a thin piece of leather to serve as a bumper for the extremely curves waist awl. I actually had to make a waist awl yesterday because my old one broke speaking of that...

Anyway this is just my standpoint simply from my style of making of course if you're going to McKay or peg the shank area tape could probably be avoided

Good to meet you DW! I just started using Styleforum today, I usually been doing the Facebook thing on Marcel's shoemaking forum up until now.
Kind regards, Raphael

 

[DWFII]



Hi there DW, I think you know my father from a long time ago Roberto Herrera

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Anyway yeah I see your point with the masking tape over the upper but, I adapted this technique because I think just about every West End London shoemaker uses it mainly because the wax of the thread plus the awl could make marks on the side even if it's very subtle. I usually will cut a strip of tape the length that I want and stick it to a glass or sheet metal and take the tack off so when I pull it off the leather won't come with it. Of course the other option is plastic shoe covers but I just can't be bothered with those, at least not yet until I get my own set up going soon. Another reason I like the tape is because a friend of mine who works at Lobb Saint James told me in order to sew a fiddleback waist or narrow beveled it's usually nessesary to stick on a tape then rubber solution on a thin piece of leather to serve as a bumper for the extremely curves waist awl. I actually had to make a waist awl yesterday because my old one broke speaking of that...

Anyway this is just my standpoint simply from my style of making of course if you're going to McKay or peg the shank area tape could probably be avoided

Good to meet you DW! I just started using Styleforum today, I usually been doing the Facebook thing on Marcel's shoemaking forum up until now.
Kind regards, Raphael

Sure, I remember your father. That's a long time ago. Great to hear from you!

I do use shinkwrap, most of the time. And that's where I put the tape--on the shrink wrap. I can't tell you how many times I've used masking tape on...esp...high quality leather and had it pull the finish right off. Somewhere along the line, these lessons sink in--even into as thick a skull as mine. Maybe there's some brand or kind of tape that won't pull the finish but then it seems unlikely that it would leave any real residue to necessitate the naptha. I've done a number of fiddleback waists (might be one or two in this very thread) and never had a problem.

If I'm not using shrink wrap, such as on a black work or casual leather, I just use a piece of leather as a shield for the square awl and move it as I go. A little slower but I have never been in that much of a hurry. My hand wax is not so liquid or sticky (when cool) that I worry about it getting on top grain uppers.

I think I've seen some of your posting on FB (didn't you start a Bootmaking FB group?). I don't use Facebook, myself...or Twitter, or cell phones. I'm a dinosaur, I guess. Between the Crispin Colloquy and StyleForum...and making shoes and boots...it's enough for a near-as-nevermind 70 year old.

--

 

[bespoke lad]



[/SPOILER]

Sure, I remember your father. That's a long time ago. Great to hear from you!

I do use shinkwrap, most of the time. And that's where I put the tape--on the shrink wrap. I can't tell you how many times I've used masking tape on...esp...high quality leather and had it pull the finish right off. Somewhere along the line, these lessons sink in--even into as thick a skull as mine. Maybe there's some brand or kind of tape that won't pull the finish but then it seems unlikely that it would leave any real residue to necessitate the naptha. I've done a number of fiddleback waists (might be one or two in this very thread) and never had a problem.

If I'm not using shrink wrap, such as on a black work or casual leather, I just use a piece of leather as a shield for the square awl and move it as I go. A little slower but I have never been in that much of a hurry. My hand wax is not so liquid or sticky (when cool) that I worry about it getting on top grain uppers.

I think I've seen some of your posting on FB (didn't you start a Bootmaking FB group?). I don't use Facebook, myself...or Twitter, or cell phones. I'm a dinosaur, I guess. Between the Crispin Colloquy and StyleForum...and making shoes and boots...it's enough for a near-as-nevermind 70 year old.

--

I see, yeah actually you know my dad created Bootmaking forum. Sometimes I'll post a few things here and there on shoemaking forum but not much anymore. I think I recall pig brittles for fine sole sewing being in that box!

I've heard of people using shrink wrap for the cover I actually plan to do that myself when I start taking in orders. Like I say though when I mean take the tack off I mean really take the tack off the tape. I'll usually stick it on glass and take it off about 5-8 times then the tape hardly had glue on it just enough to cling on without leaving such a trace on the upper. At least this is the thing I been doing to complete orders for my dad the past few years, because I don't think he wanted to invest more time and money into covers, and no issues really. I plan to use them though. Shoemaker Andrew Gadd from Cleverlys is seen here with the nice see through covers clear taping the shoe.

 

[DWFII]



I see, yeah actually you know my dad created Bootmaking forum. Sometimes I'll post a few things here and there on shoemaking forum but not much anymore. I think I recall pig brittles for fine sole sewing being in that box!

I've heard of people using shrink wrap for the cover I actually plan to do that myself when I start taking in orders.

You can buy rolls of tubular commercial shrink wrap. It's not designed for shoemaking and is somewhat hard when it has shrunk. But it is relatively cheap and with a bit of experimentation and experience you can mount a cover pretty quick.

 

[bespoke lad]



You can buy rolls of tubular commercial shrink wrap. It's not designed for shoemaking and is somewhat hard when it has shrunk. But it is relatively cheap and with a bit of experimentation and experience you can mount a cover pretty quick.

Looks good! I might just give that a shot. James Ducker from the Bespoke shoes unlaced blog sells some covers but I think they are about 5£ a pair. Might be worth it with a whole orders of things including silvers pens that I'm running low on. Nice Ostrich leather is that the color they call tobbaco?

My dad made these American alligator cowboy boots recently.