*_Amazing work._* How could any customer not be delighted? I'm addicted to these videos. Watching a true professional work like this restores my faith in human nature. .
Looks like he went to war with those shoes. I would doubt he’s ever used conditioner on those. I got a similar pair of AEs. Excellent work restoring those
The videos are amazing. Lovely to see beautiful shoes repaired and given new life. As apposed to throwing them away. Steve you are an amazing craftsman!
Nice work Steve. I am engaged in Shoe repair in Moscow. I learn a lot from your work. And by the way I like your machine for flashing soles. I've never met anyone like this.
Considering how they looked when you got them. They look outstanding. You do some great work. It's a pleasure to watch you work. And sharing your craftsmanship with us. Absolutely stunning workmanship.
Steve, what a terrific display of craftsmanship, your technic, and pride are apparent in your completed product. I hope your videos inspire more people to develop a skill and execute on a high level! We truly need to stop throwing most items out instead of restoring them! Louis S
Man those shoes look awesome now , I wouldn't have believe those were the same shoes if I hadn't see it for myself. Sir you do a great job on repairing shoes., I need you in my phone book
An awesome 53min of educational video Steve. Enjoy every bit of it, especially “let’s continue” got stuck in my head now. :-). I thought AE charged $125 to recraft was high but after watched your video i have a second thought and admiration for the workmanship. Salute.
With each video I watch from this library I fall more in love with your knowledge, techniques, craftsmanship, and pure love for what you do. Thank you for sharing this magic with us.
I am not a mouth breather, but I sat through this video with my mouth open in amazement. This one left me gobsmacked: I never saw anyone give a shoe a "bath". And of course after you said not to do that to our shoes, well, I'll probably listen. No one could put in a book the things you know how to do; only experience teaches what you do. Thanks for the upload.
Fantastic video and channel. One issue though: I can't stop saying 'let's continue' to my wife during the intimate moments. Would be really nice to have a before and after shot in future videos. I think it would highlight how truly spectacular the transformations are.
Steve: Someone will complain about me not wearing gloves. I don't care. Steve: Well, before weekends I care, I try to keep my hands clean Steve: By the way, here are the gloves I use Steve: Oh what the heck I'll put them on LOL love it
Very interesting and informative. Where did you learn your trade when I was a boy my dad used to take me to the shoe repairman. When I was in Sicily I bought myself a pair of Italian custom made shoes I had those things fixed four times before they were stolen. Most comfortable shoe I ever owned.
Great video and the craftsmanship is amazing. I know you probably have answered this at some point in time but what does a restoration like this cost? I am in Florida so I do not have the problem with salt stains but I do have several pairs that I would love to have restored.
Outstanding job on these shoes! You mentioned that you put a number of cleaners into the water in the sink; any chance that you could share the magic formula, or is it a trade secret?
Would love to see the reactions of the customers after they receive their refurbished products! Absolute joy in watching your craftsmanship, Mr. Steve!
Wow! I just learned more about shoes than I ever wanted to know. You mentioned using acetone to clean these shoes - does that destroy the leather? Also, it looks like you use a really sharp knife - how often do you cut yourself? Thanks for posting a very interesting video.
what was in the water? I sometimes do something close to this using Dawn in the water. However that means the shoes or boots will have to be generously oiled once dry, since Dawn tends to remove the natural oils as well as the gunk.
I have a question. Why wouldn't you want to rinse the shoes with clean water after the Swedish treatment before letting them dry in order to get all of the soap and cleaners and residual salt off of/out of the leather? It's ok to just let them dry with all of that cleaner saturated into the leather?
this is a specialty trade that survives on quality products built, maintained, AND restored (as seen here) by craftsmen who value longevity, tradition and pride. like many skill trades, it is becoming harder and harder to find replacement craftsmen, be it family, offspring or stranger to adopt and carry on a legacy that has been paved year after year, decade after decade. Our work force is in jeopardy. We are Inching closer to full automation and engineered obsolescence. Let's not deny the real trouble we will be in if we continue to raise children in a way that harbors laziness, lethargy and disrespect. If we want to continue to be blessed with all of these fabulous hand made products from around the world, we need to support the foundation of it all; hands on vocational tech ed. Young hands were nimble 50 years ago, now are old, fighting to turn out another days work. The aging tradesmen workforce is struggling to find young hands again. The generational wheel goes round ,never stopping, only loosing parts and pieces over the years, eventually enough go missing and sadly the trade dies. Let's be mindful and do what we can to provide our kids with opportunity like this. They many not even know they like it until they have a chance to try an introduced trade. :) Awesome video. Thanks for posting.
Thanks again for doing this sort of video. I understand that it probably slows you down quite a bit. And therefore arguably less profitable. So thanks, hope you at least get some extra money off ads and also get additional customers out of it.
I agree! He admitted that he didn't notice the damage to the inside of the heel when the customer dropped off the shoes (probably because of all of the other damage to the shoes), so he has to eat that cost. However, just because he can't see the broken heel base or shank before he takes it apart, I don't feel like he shouldn't charge for it. Does he always do that repair for free like in this case? He said the customer will sometimes offer to pay more, but I feel like he should always give the customer a call and charge for it.
I'd say you basically turned them back into a new pair of shoes. I can clean the uppers, and have even resorted to wood stain to fix them up... one uses what is at hand... no way I could do soles and heels tho.... I know years ago I tried it, not having the equipment and such, it was a complete failure. Of course back then there were quite a few repair places around, but I was a broke young man, trying to keep what I had going without a cash outlay, tho I did buy the new heels .. . the wrong ones as it turned out. I did make some moccasins once, but that wasn't the same as making good shoes.
Watched every minute of the restoration. Steve you do amazing work, and you are to be congratulated. Thank you for sharing your craft with us. Truly amazing how well those Allan Edmonds turned out form the begining to the end. Your work is like no other.
You should start an amazon shop for your channel with the stuff you use. That way we get the benefit of knowing what really works and you get compensated for it.
I would also be interessted in the stuff you are using. Especially the parts without brandnames on it. Like Rendenbach....e.g.: what leather do you use for inside ...or are the nails/tacks standard brass nails?
I am a senior sap consultant with 22 years of professional experience. But would prefer to work for you at minimum wage for my last 13 years.!! Thank you for the videos. Best regards from switzerland!
"Alright. Let's continue." The first pair of shoes I shined was my father's using Kiwi, horse hair brush, and a cotton rag. When I joined the Army, I learned how to mirror shine with Kiwi at bootcamp in Fort Benning, GA and even had fellow Soldiers trade their "fire guard" duties with mine just to shine their black boots. Recently, since watching your videos, I realized that I was shining dress shoes wrong. I never removed old wax, never used conditioner, and I would "cake" wax polish everywhere! To Steve and his staff: Thank you for teaching and explaining to the world how to properly treat our shoes and boots. I've sent you a pair of dress shoes recently. I can't wait to see how you and your staff will transform it. To all who reads this comment: Happy Veterans Day 2019!
We had a cobbler in my town of highland indiana he retired and closed down he tried to sell his business and teach some one the trade but no one of this generation would take him up on it I never knew how involved that trade was nothing but deep respect for you keep up the great work
It was nice to see you using the product you sell retail (dye) in your actual work. You make slicing off the sole look so easy (I would be missing several fingers, I'm sure). You often mention your material costs and the estimates you give your customers, so I would like to see more comparison of what a major restoration costs vs. just buying a new pair. Sometimes it seems impossible for you to be able to recover your implied labor cost. Thanks again for making these - they are fascinating!
You are so right about some people in the trades not having any pride. I work in the automotive industry and I see it everyday. Take an extra minute and do it right the first time. When I hear someone say ('know one will see it') I know right then the type of workmanship I'm going to get. Keep up the great work.
Awesome video, I started to take a quick peek at the video at 12:30am and the next thing you know I watched the complete video. You do amazing work and are a true craftsman, after seeing all you do I would not mind paying more to get something I know is being cared for and getting great workmanship. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Your videos were recommended to me on my home page. Heavens know why I clicked on them but I have been here for an hour and three quaters watching you fix shoes. GRRRRRRR. interesting to know how it's done though.
Every other RU-vid video has about a 10 minute limit or I won't watch except for Steve's. I saw "53 minutes" and felt this is my lucky day. I got dismissed from jury and watched a full length Bedo repair. Life's good!
I've seen your other restoration video of another Allen Edmon shoes and it's just a treat to see you give a new lease in life to worn out shoes. Thanks for sharing.
As a young inspiring business man (20 year old in college) I love watching your Alan Edmonds repairs and other dress shoes. Just got a pair of Cole Haan’s that a friend of mine was going to throw away. Sent them back to Haan’s for restoration and they came out pretty good. Kind of was expecting your level of expertise and quality but they didn’t come back that well done. I hope to be able to afford nice shoes like Alan Edmonds in the future and be able to send them to you for repair. That’s if you still plan on doing this in 10-15 years haha. Also, Do you know what ASMR is? You have a great voice for it. All you would need is a high sensitivity microphone and you got yourself a ASMR Shoe Repair channel. Just food for thought. Love, LOVE your work. Keep it up :)
Tremendous work Steve. I poured myself a glass of jack daniels and watched the whole thing. I would like to see a video on how to take proper care of a shoe from start to finish. Like cleaning the leather, conditioning it, applying cream or polish etc.
