How to care for leather soles. Leather sole Shoes with leather sole

After the assassination of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov in Ankara - or more precisely, after the photograph of Burhan Ozbilici received the main prize of World Press Photo 2017 - my favorite photographer Sergei Maximishin wrote on his Facebook :

More about the photo of the year. Worn down shoes are the main thing there. The terrorist triumphs: he shot at the function and killed the function. But we see what the criminal does not see: a person has been killed. A man in worn-out shoes.

Here Sergei Yakovlevich repeats the mistake of any person who prefers to get acquainted with shoes with leather soles from photographs. What he calls "worn shoes" and what makes his heart ache is the normal condition of leather soles. If you buy a new pair of shoes with leather soles and walk around town in them three or four times, the soles will look exactly the same. And this will not at all prevent them from delighting you for the next few years and from time to time arousing the compassion of photographers to whom you will show your soles.

In Britain, boots with Goodyear welt construction have potentially several lives. Almost all manufacturers offer a refurbishment procedure: you send worn-out shoes to the factory where they were made; there the sole is completely replaced with a new one, the top of the shoe is also brought into some semblance of order, and you get practically new shoes that do not need to be broken in. This procedure usually costs from 80 to 150 British pounds excluding postage: accordingly, it makes sense if your pair cost 400 feet; if the boots cost £150, it would be cheaper to throw them away and buy a new pair. The sole is changed up to three times - so sometimes the shoes live quietly for 20 years.

Here, for example, is the cost of repairs at the Grenson factory:

The speed at which leather soles are worn depends not so much on the quality and finish of the leather, but on the gait characteristics of a particular person. If you live far from Northampton, where the production of normal English boots has historically been concentrated, the problem of a leather sole that wears out too quickly is solved in a simple and inexpensive way: in any shoe workshop they know how to glue an outsole to a leather sole (in Moscow this is called “prevention”, in St. Petersburg they say "roll") made of reinforced rubber. Whether or not to put soles on leather soles is mostly a religious question: opponents say that the feet stop breathing, and irreparable damage is caused to the structure of the shoe; proponents point out that it's better to breathe through your nose and mouth rather than your soles, and that spending $20 on an outsole is several times better than spending £200 on a complete overhaul of a pair.

After the shooting of former Russian Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov in Kyiv at the entrance to the Premier Palace, we again got photographs of a corpse wearing boots with leather soles.

What’s interesting: Voronenkov has expensive shoes on his feet (that is, costing somewhere from five hundred pounds sterling versus the usual 200-300) and, in a sense, “show-off” shoes. The leather sole tells us this. Pay attention to its design: usually on Goodyear welt boots, the upper of the shoe, welt and leather sole are stitched in such a way that on the bottom of the sole along its circumference a groove with stitching threads is clearly visible: this is called open channel sole stitching - “sole with open stitching” ", to put it quite roughly. On the feet of the late Voronenkov there is an example of “closed channel sole stitching”, when the sole along with the grooves is covered with an additional decorative layer of leather. This is done to kill two birds with one stone: firstly, it’s beautiful; secondly, boots from the upper price category must differ at least in some way from their cheaper counterparts. There is no functional sense in closed stitching: when you walk around the city in new shoes several times, the decorative layer of leather will wear out and the groove with threads will be exposed (which, again, is clearly visible in the picture).

What open and closed seams on the soles look like:

Finally, some companies (for example, Church's) fundamentally do not make (or tried to make, and then stopped) shoes with closed leather soles. One of the reasons voiced on the Northampton shoemakers forum sounds funny: “we stopped doing that because the number of stupid assholes among customers went off scale: they bought boots, and when a thin layer of leather rubbed and a groove with a seam was exposed, they took it for a defect and returned to the store to cause a scandal and replace the pair."

What conclusions can be drawn from this?

1. People who are shot for completely different reasons often prefer shoes with leather soles.

2. The late Voronenkov paid at least twice as much for his boots as the late Karlov.

3. If you are concerned about how you will look in the eyes of the builders after meeting with the killer, make sure to buy at least one pair of decent boots in advance.

Stylish leather shoes will decorate any feet, complement your wardrobe and will not create any inconvenience when worn. The footwear industry is in a hurry to delight its customers with a variety of assortments for each new season. The collections offer shoes that reflect both the most fashionable trends and classic traditions.

Typically, models are equipped with practical soles made of rubber, polyurethane or other synthetic materials characterized by increased wear resistance. But, despite all the advantages of modern achievements of chemists, leather soles are considered especially chic.

Why leather soles are attractive

The sole, made of genuine bovine leather, has a number of advantages. And this is always noted by loyal fans of leather shoes.

• Ease. Shoes with leather soles are lightweight compared to other materials. Feet in such shoes practically do not get tired, even if you wear them all day.
• Comfort. The leather sole is permeable to air. Feet practically do not sweat, moisture evaporates in a timely manner. Such shoes do not create conditions for the development of microorganisms, and, as a result, there is no unpleasant odor.
• Elegance. Shoes with leather soles look stylish, expensive, fashionable and elegant. It is always appropriate at social events and special events.
• Prestige. Elegant shoes with leather soles are another confirmation of the status and financial viability of their owner.

But, despite the above advantages, leather soles still have their own characteristics in wear and care and require special attention.

Disadvantages of leather soles

Despite the convenience and prestige, shoes with leather soles have their drawbacks. These include:

• high degree of wear. Leather soles wear out quickly even if they are worn only indoors. And contact with rough asphalt or concrete surfaces speeds up this process several times. Some manufacturers offer replacing worn out soles with new ones as part of the service;
• deformation and loss of quality in conditions of high humidity. Regularly monitoring the weather forecast is not a guarantee that you will not be caught in sudden heavy rain. The skin quickly absorbs moisture. This deforms the sole and leads to a decrease in its service life.

All these risks can be significantly reduced if you take preventive measures in time and follow the conditions for caring for leather shoes.

How to keep shoes with leather soles longer

1. A pair of shoes with genuine leather soles should not be worn every day. It requires rest, drying between socks.
2. To strengthen the sole, it is recommended to install prophylaxis (roll-ups) made of elastomeric materials. This is an inexpensive procedure and does not take much time. The overlay glued to the sole does not exceed 0.8 mm in thickness, is selected by color and does not spoil the appearance of the shoe.
3. The areas of the sole that are not covered by the sticker should be treated with a water-repellent shoe product.
4. If necessary, metal pads can be installed on the toe part of the sole.
5. Shoes should be dried on cedar pads at room temperature away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

Compliance with these conditions will prolong the joy of owning quality shoes.

In the 19th century, all shoes were made with leather soles, unlike modern products (with the exception of classic shoes with leather soles, produced by famous shoe factories). A leather sole looks more elegant than rubber or polyurethane, but it has serious drawbacks: it does not tolerate moisture and slush well and wears out quite quickly.

You can extend the life of products with leather soles by following basic care rules. It is advisable not to wear such shoes in wet weather. Although it will not immediately fall apart in the rain, a wet sole made of leather wears off on the asphalt twice as fast as a dry one. If you want to wear expensive shoes at any time of the year, you should get galoshes. Leather soles, like leather uppers, require special care.

Leather soles must be periodically treated with special fat, various protective agents and impregnation that has a water-repellent effect. It is important to perform this procedure in wet weather.

It is not recommended to wear such products for 2 days in a row, since the leather, which has absorbed sweat and water, must dry out naturally. The hot air from dryers can ruin your shoes. After a walk, it is advisable to insert shoes made of birch or cedar into shoes with leather soles. Wooden lasts, long known in the industry, absorb excess moisture and prevent shoes from drying out.

Additional ways to protect shoes with leather soles

To protect the leather sole from wear and moisture, a prophylactic is installed - a thin rubber pad glued to the outsole. It can be installed even when the sole is partially worn out. Prevention is recommended when absolutely necessary, for example, for people with a special gait in which the outsole wears unevenly.

Prevention is almost invisible, but some believe that it worsens the appearance of the product. The next complaint is that the product with prophylaxis breathes worse. What about sneakers with rubber soles?

Prevention can only be applied to the most worn-out area of ​​the shoe, for example, the heel. Even at the factory, rubber heels are installed on leather heels, protecting them from abrasion and softening the load on the feet when moving. Heels are replaced as they wear out (service life depends on the weight, gait of the owner and frequency of wear).

For some people, due to the peculiarities of their gait, the outsole in the toe area wears out faster, where you can also install special pads that will protect the sole from abrasion.

Products for protecting leather soles are professional products that prevent cracking and damage to leather shoes due to constant contact with moisture and various chemicals. You can purchase these products from well-known manufacturers on the “Magic Shoe Shoe” website.

What do we offer?

On sale are tonics based on special resins that impregnate the material and make it stronger, and also prevent the effect of moisture on the product. You can purchase compact stick pencils made from synthetic wax. Such products create a durable protective film on the sole, preventing deformation and damage to the material.

The store also has standard impregnations in cans (Ouraline SAPHIR), which are also suitable for sports and hiking shoes. This impregnation contains animal fats and vegetable oil, which soften the skin and reliably protect it from dampness.

Why us?

Why is it recommended to purchase products for protecting leather soles on shoes at the Magic Shoe Shoe store? Here are some reasons:

• We sell high-quality and certified products that are guaranteed to extend the life of leather shoes.
• You can purchase these products at an affordable price.
• We have products in various forms of release.
• Fast and inexpensive delivery is another advantage of our online store.