General Chat

Your Timpson employees must be better than the ones around here, Liz.
They said they couldn't mend my boots, and managed to cut a key wrong - twice! :-(

I still have my Dad's old shoe last, as a doorstop. he could turn his hand to a lot of things, could my Dad, how I miss the many little things he could sort out.

He too would put stick on soles on shoes when new and those blakeys on the heels, I am always hard on my heels lol

Our local Timpsons are good - if I need something stitching like a bag or strap they will do it and just ask for something in the charity box which is great. We also have a chap who has a cobbler shop out of the city centre, he did lots of repairs for me at reasonable prices. He first worked in one of our many (at the time) shoe factories (all gone now) and when his job went, started the shop. He sells a few shoes but mainly does repairs. Only thing is, the shop is total chaos and I never know if he will find my shoes again lol

Lizx

Snap Maggie - ours also acts as a door stop - the flat iron comes in handy also.

As others have said a cordwainer is a master of his craft.

Ah well, as a wee bit of a hoarder - and yes I CAN enter every room in the house without getting on all fours - I am still using my dads drill.
Dad died 20 years ago, but I got it when mum & dad split up - about 40 years ago :-D

I'm sure they would Maggie but how many of us have one now haha...Like every thing else that belonged to our parents they probably got dumped when they came into our possession and no doubt they would be worth a fortune now. I know I got offered my g/fathers 2 curling stones and his bowls...What would I do with them and turned my nose up at the thought I now know that the curling stones are worth at least £1000 and they are no different from the present day ones ...bah humbug! :-(

Lasts make interesting door stops :-D

As a kid my Mum was forever in the cobblers strap broken off school bag so got new ones fitted then ice skating took over but you needed a shield for the skate so off she went to cobbs and he made me his own version (I wasn't actually impressed as friends had nice bought ones but mine cost coppers) then the odd handbags, a new strap for the luggage and anything made of leather the first stop was there. Yes it did save a lot of money for my Mum. :-) Oh we did have a Last as well but don't think Dad ever used it

As a kid my Mum was forever in the cobblers strap broken off school bag so got new ones fitted then ice skating took over but you needed a shield for the skate so off she went to cobbs and he made me his own version (I wasn't actually impressed as friends had nice bought ones but mine cost coppers) then the odd handbags, a new strap for the luggage and anything made of leather the first stop was there. Yes it did save a lot of money for my Mum. :-)

My Dad had a shoe last with three different sizes on it. Being a butcher he had access to leather or would it have been cow hide. Anyway he made my summer sandals with it.

whenever my Dad bought a new pair of shoes he always stuck stick on rubber soles on them and then put segs all round the heels so that actual original bottom of the shoe never ever had contact with the ground :-D

cant beat a lump of cardboard in ya shoe,,,,,,,especailly when it started to fall out the hole.

my grandad had a shoe thing and mended all our shoes,no rubber soles then all leather,and he had you try them on to see if the tacks pricked your feet,,,,,,,))) ........,,,,,, he used to put metal stegs on the toes and heels my brothers so they lasted longer,,,,when he walked he sounded like an army of men,,,,, :-D :-D :-D

Was just about to paste that :-)


For more fascinating information

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer

A cordwainer is a shoemaker who makes fine soft leather shoes and other luxury footwear articles. The word is derived from "cordwain", or "cordovan", the leather produced in Córdoba, Spain. The term cordwainer (also "Corviser") was used as early as 1100 in England.[1] Historically, there was a distinction between a cordwainer, who made luxury shoes and boots out of the finest leathers, and a cobbler, who repaired them. This distinction gradually weakened, particularly during the twentieth century, when there was a predominance of shoe retailers who neither made nor repaired shoes.

Yes...I am not sure whether I should now be...... SusanWikiforbrains or stick to Susangoogleforbrains :-D :-D

well I never knew that susan wiv :-D :-D

That makes sense Joy.....but Wiki he say


A cordwainer is a shoemaker who makes fine soft leather shoes and other luxury footwear articles. The word is derived from "cordwain", or "cordovan", the leather produced in Córdoba, Spain. The term cordwainer was used as early as 1100 in England. Wikipedia


I should have looked before :-D

cordwainers I think made the laces

I wonder why they used to be called cordwainers......how does one wain a cord?

My dad used to repair our shoes too, I still have the last.
Great granddad, on mum's side (a ship's steward) used to make granny's boots. His father in law was a journeyman cobbler, and insisted he learnt the trade :-D

I think cobblers are much underrated, and 'real' ones can do a lot.
I'd taken the boots to a high street key cutter and 'cobbler', and they said there was nothing they could do, as the heel & sole were in one.

So did my dad....with a piece of cardboard :-D.....very versatile was my dad......if we had no coal.....on the fire would go the shoes.....failing that.....my homework books......ah!.....those were the days :-D


Didn't think about taking a bag to a cobbler to be repaired. * rummages through cupboard*