Show us your new shoes (Vol 2)

Show us your new shoes (Vol 2)

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Discussion

Big Al.

Original Poster:

69,098 posts

265 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all

FreeLitres

6,102 posts

184 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
First!

ETA some £300 Dolce & Gabbana TK Maxx specials to get things kicked off



Edited by FreeLitres on Thursday 9th November 10:46

LordGrover

33,689 posts

219 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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Aw. No tan?

VEA

4,785 posts

208 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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.

FreeLitres

6,102 posts

184 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
Remember these badboys that i managed to get in the summer?


Well, it turns out that none of my shoe trees fit. I had hoped that my standard medium Charles Tyrwhitt ones would fit but they just wont fit passed the more structured instep. I even bought the small version of the trees which fits in, but doesnt fill the width or volume of the vamp leading to wrinkles. The leather seems very soft and supple and I think they will wrinkle pretty bad without a decent fit on the trees.

i have an option to get some propper bespoke trees made up but it will cost me a few £000s. Can anyone think of an alternative for getting shoe trees with a decent fit?

LordGrover

33,689 posts

219 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
Get the next size up and get filing/sanding.

FreeLitres

6,102 posts

184 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
I might try that. I have previously tried sanding trees with an electrical hand sander to get them to fit in some Barkers, but it wasn't successful as it was taking ages to remove a small amout of material.

What kind of woodworking tool/file would be best to get the initial shape? I think a plane would be too aggresive and wouldn't handle the curves.

LordGrover

33,689 posts

219 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
Rasp?

InductionRoar

2,025 posts

139 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
FreeLitres said:
Remember these badboys that i managed to get in the summer?


Well, it turns out that none of my shoe trees fit. I had hoped that my standard medium Charles Tyrwhitt ones would fit but they just wont fit passed the more structured instep. I even bought the small version of the trees which fits in, but doesnt fill the width or volume of the vamp leading to wrinkles. The leather seems very soft and supple and I think they will wrinkle pretty bad without a decent fit on the trees.

i have an option to get some propper bespoke trees made up but it will cost me a few £000s. Can anyone think of an alternative for getting shoe trees with a decent fit?
I wouldn't even think about skimping on shoe trees with those, it will end in tears. Will G&G allow you to purchase trees made from the last of the customer that commissioned the shoes? I would be surprised if they did, but you must have been quoted?

Bespoke shoe trees are a silly price and are, I believe, all made by the same company, which given the differing prices for the English makers, represent a not so subtle way of reclaiming some of their costs.

Shoe trees for bespoke shoes are really only important to keep the vamp taught and prevent the toes from curling upwards. The toecap, heel cap and instep are already reinforced, so as long as the length and forefoot measurements are correct you should be ok. The issue is that nobody's feet are identical, so even if you manage to buy a perfectly fitting shoe tree for the right foot, it is doubtful that the left will fit properly.

I am aware of one maker who does not supply shoe trees with his shoes, as he believes that the uppers do not need to fit over the trees like a second skin. Heavily waisted shoes are always difficult to put the trees in (three piece trees are the money no object solution here) and whilst it does feel rather unsympathetic initially, as long as you slide them in sideways and are not leaving them half-in for prolonged periods they should not pose a problem.

Edited by InductionRoar on Thursday 9th November 11:44

InductionRoar

2,025 posts

139 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
Rasp?
http://www.saintcrispins.com/video-5/

A video illustrating the skill and equipment required to make a pair of lasted shoe trees. Granted the modification of an existing tree would be less arduous, however, I would strongly recommend leaving it to the professionals.

wolfracesonic

7,490 posts

134 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
Has anyone ever made an inflatable shoe tree? Roughly the right size/shape but when inflated conforms to the inside of a given shoe; wouldn't absorb moisture but that could dissipate outwards. Less seriously, shove a (Waitrose) carrier bag in there and squirt in some expanding foam, voila!

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

246 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
FreeLitres said:
First!

ETA some £300 Dolce & Gabbana TK Maxx specials to get things kicked off



Edited by FreeLitres on Thursday 9th November 10:46
I'd hoped we could consign that sort of thing to Vol 1 tongue out

PositronicRay

27,508 posts

190 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
wolfracesonic said:
Has anyone ever made an inflatable shoe tree? Roughly the right size/shape but when inflated conforms to the inside of a given shoe; wouldn't absorb moisture but that could dissipate outwards. Less seriously, shove a (Waitrose) carrier bag in there and squirt in some expanding foam, voila!
Scrunched up newspaper, absorbs moisture if they have a right dowsing too.

Potatoes

3,572 posts

177 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
FreeLitres said:
Remember these badboys that i managed to get in the summer?


Well, it turns out that none of my shoe trees fit. I had hoped that my standard medium Charles Tyrwhitt ones would fit but they just wont fit passed the more structured instep. I even bought the small version of the trees which fits in, but doesnt fill the width or volume of the vamp leading to wrinkles. The leather seems very soft and supple and I think they will wrinkle pretty bad without a decent fit on the trees.

i have an option to get some propper bespoke trees made up but it will cost me a few £000s. Can anyone think of an alternative for getting shoe trees with a decent fit?
Omygosh! I love them!!

joshcowin

6,947 posts

183 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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Would this type work?

PositronicRay

27,508 posts

190 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
joshcowin said:
Would this type work?
Maybe.

Thankyou4calling

10,703 posts

180 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
FreeLitres said:
First!

ETA some £300 Dolce & Gabbana TK Maxx specials to get things kicked off



Edited by FreeLitres on Thursday 9th November 10:46
Words fail me.

Uppercut

118 posts

85 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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For winter




popeyewhite

21,302 posts

127 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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Uppercut said:
For winter
Lucky you living in the Alps.

Blown2CV

29,531 posts

210 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
FreeLitres said:
Remember these badboys that i managed to get in the summer?


Well, it turns out that none of my shoe trees fit. I had hoped that my standard medium Charles Tyrwhitt ones would fit but they just wont fit passed the more structured instep. I even bought the small version of the trees which fits in, but doesnt fill the width or volume of the vamp leading to wrinkles. The leather seems very soft and supple and I think they will wrinkle pretty bad without a decent fit on the trees.

i have an option to get some propper bespoke trees made up but it will cost me a few £000s. Can anyone think of an alternative for getting shoe trees with a decent fit?
i would have thought a nice touch by a bespoke shoemaker would be to give you a set of trees to fit your shoes as part of the deal, especially if part of the point of having bespoke is that they fit your feet perfectly rather than are made to a standard last.