Shoe bone

[bengal-stripe]

I have mentioned recently a shoe bone and had a query from a member about its use and a supply source. I thought I might post it here, so all of you can start boning your shoes, unless you have a butler to do it. Apparently old manuals for butler skills had long chapters on the proper boning of riding boots. Taken from the John Lobb web site: that's how a deer bone looks like. http://www.johnlobbltd.co.uk/catalog....umb.htm I wouldn't recommend ordering it from this source; they will charge an arm and a leg. You might want to contact either Alden or Horween in Chicago for an American supplier. Old books on shoes say this bone has to be the front or the hind legs (can't remember which one) of a female deer to have the desired effect and nothing else will do. I don't know about that, in the factory this "boning" is certainly done with steel rollers. Before I had the bone, I have used a soupspoon to good effect to remove scratches in the surface of shell cordovan. Put shoes on a shoetree; Put a dollop of shoe cream on the scratch; Hold spoon short by the handle, put thumb inside the spoon for pressure and rub with the back over the scratch, lubricated by the cream. After a minute or two remove excessive shoe cream with a cloth and the scratch, if not gone completely, will at least be diminished. Note: this can only be done on shell cordovan or wax calf (which is considered the superior material for riding boots. Here the flesh side of calf leather, not the hair side, gets packed with wax and is boned under pressure to form the top). It does not remove scratches in "corrected grain", I've tried that.

 

[AlanC]

I wonder if one of these might work in a pinch: http://www.artsuppliesonline.com/cat...m?cata_id=2479 Just search for "bone folder". They're used in bookbinding and dealing with fine papers. I've got one, and they're pretty handy for various things (especially folding paper). Speaking of the deer bone, I'll have to talk to my Dad. Deer season is on the horizon. I could probably turn up several of the bones if all goes well.