Made in Spain Footwear, including TLB Mallorca, Cobbler Union, Yanko, Norman Vilalta, etc

[lowland4me]

I feel ya on that "scratch the itch with some instant gratification" point! Don't know why I'm deliberating so much. Could be that I, like so many of us, I'm working from home with way more spare time in between work secession than normal. (Whatever the "new normal" will look like? Anyway, I've got things narrowed down to a couple of strong contenders, need to just go for it as you said Jmr928! Hell, I could just go for 2 pairs and really screw everything up!

 

[j ingevaldsson]

For what it’s worth and only one reference point but sizing seems pretty true to size for me taking the same size I do in CJ and carmina although on my foot the instep seems a little more generous on artista? I get a slight V gap in a 9.5 in the Simpson and Rain (I’m 10.5D in most US shoes) but my TLB close. I’m sure @j ingevaldsson and his team could give you sizing advice. Pull the trigger - you won’t regret it. Honestly the reason I first did is because I ordered some MTO from other brands and needed to scratch the itch with some instant gratification.

Weird. Rain is high instep while Simpson is low ...

One have to remember that how the shoe fits in other areas (the overall size, where the foot sits in the shoe, how arch is matched with the foot, etc.) also affect how the lacing will close at the instep, it’s a simplified way comparing lasts’ instep height just by looking at the gap.

Artista lasts (and TLB lasts in general) are considered having a relatively normal instep, going slightly towards high.

 

[lowland4me]

Thanks so much for the much for the details. The input is much appreciated.

 

[Patrick1053]

Has anyone ordered custom lately? How long did it take? I ordered a week ago and am trying to estimate how much longer to expect. It’s sooo hard waiting

Yeah I did a custom order like 2 weeks ago. I requested a special pattern that they did not even have. Toni made the pattern and completed the shoes in 7 days. They were delivered 10 days after ordering. My previous MTOs took longer (more like 3 weeks) which still I not bad at all. BTW here are the new shoes. More pics coming later when it is not cloudy outside.

 

[Dizzy8108]

Yeah I did a custom order like 2 weeks ago. I requested a special pattern that they did not even have. Toni made the pattern and completed the shoes in 7 days. They were delivered 10 days after ordering. My previous MTOs took longer (more like 3 weeks) which still I not bad at all. BTW here are the new shoes. More pics coming later.

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Those look awesome! Wonder if they will make that a regular option.

Everyday I am hoping to wake up to a shipping notification. The wait is killing me. I will say I was surprised that I get an email the next morning after ordering saying they had entered production already. With the time difference that meant that they pretty much started working on them immediately.

 

[Patrick1053]

Those look awesome! Wonder if they will make that a regular option.

Everyday I am hoping to wake up to a shipping notification. The wait is killing me. I will say I was surprised that I get an email the next morning after ordering saying they had entered production already. With the time difference that meant that they pretty much started working on them immediately.

Yup, I would imagine you can expect a shipment notification soon.

 

[lowland4me]

Yeah I did a custom order like 2 weeks ago. I requested a special pattern that they did not even have. Toni made the pattern and completed the shoes in 7 days. They were delivered 10 days after ordering. My previous MTOs took longer (more like 3 weeks) which still I not bad at all. BTW here are the new shoes. More pics coming later when it is not cloudy outside.

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They look GREAT!! They look like the fit was spot on. What last is that please? You added some burnishing, or lighting. In one photo it does not appear, on the other, it looks like it did.

 

[Patrick1053]

They look GREAT!! They look like the fit was spot on. What last is that please? You added some burnishing, or lighting. In one photo it does not appear, on the other, it looks like it did.

Yes, the fit is very good. The first picture is straight out of the box. I then polished them with Saphir tobacco brown and Black mirror gloss on the toe. They are at the cobbler now, to have a metal toe plate added which is essential for me. They are Goya last.

 

[lowland4me]

Patrick1053, that's some serious shoe Appreciation ya got there! Thanks for giving all the details on the last and the burnishing, including colors and all. I will want to do something similar, but never having done so, I may have to send them off to get them done. Bummer!

 

[Patrick1053]

Patrick1053, that's some serious shoe Appreciation ya got there! Thanks for giving all the details on the last and the burnishing, including colors and all. I will want to do something similar, but never having done so, I may have to send them off to get them done. Bummer!

As long as you stick with wax or cream polish, then you can always remove it if you do not like it.

 

[lowland4me]

As long as you stick with wax or cream polish, then you can always remove it if you do not like it.

Perhaps I should pick something up from Goodwill and give that a go first! I've watched many tutorials, and with the proper supplies, I could possibly give it a go. I'd hate to screw my TLB's up before I wear them. Lol!

 

[nevaeh]

Perhaps I should pick something up from Goodwill and give that a go first! I've watched many tutorials, and with the proper supplies, I could possibly give it a go. I'd hate to screw my TLB's up before I wear them. Lol!

That sounds like a great idea to practice on something less expensive. But I will echo what @Patrick1053 said: from my experience, cream and wax are fairly reversible when do apply them once or twice. Now, it's a different story when you apply those for a few years--that's when it starts to become more permanent.

 

[nevaeh]

Does anyone know the maker for TLB Artista's standard leather outsole? It's not JR or Baker, but seems quite hard-wearing nonetheless.

 

[lowland4me]

That sounds like a great idea to practice on something less expensive. But I will echo what @Patrick1053 said: from my experience, cream and wax are fairly reversible when do apply them once or twice. Now, it's a different story when you apply for a few years.

When you remove the potential screw up, do you go to acetone?

 

[JohnMRobie]

When you remove the potential screw up, do you go to acetone?

When I tried to do mine yesterday with cream and polish I had a spot I didn't like and neutral cream and polish seemed to take most of it right off. On other shoes that were so far gone I didn't care if I screwed them up more I've used renomat from Saphir or deglazer from Angelus in extreme circumstances.