The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Your Luxury Leather Heels: Walk the Talk with Style
In this blog post, the Honest Crafters team shares their insight about all things shoe care.
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SPRING CLEANING
DEEP CLEANING
Dirty, scuffed, or stained leather shoes are disinfected, deep cleaned, conditioned. and waterproofed for protection.
This involves removing any marks or stains on the leather with extractive techniques before restoring the surface or nap with cleaning and conditioning agents.
SHOE SHINE / POLISH
We start with a deep cleaning to remove any existing products, followed by conditioning to rehydrate the leather. Finally, we apply a full edge and heel refinishing and shine. Wax polish will be used to bring the leather to a mirror shine.
PATINA SERVICE
A complete patina transformation of the uppers of the shoes. The original finish and colour of the shoes are stripped, before being transformed to your desired colour using leather dyes. The shoes are conditioned and finished using cream and wax polishes.
SUEDE CLEANING
The cleaning process starts with a Suede Shampoo for deep cleaning. After drying, a suede cleaning brush is used to re-fluff the surface and restore the natural, soft texture. Finally, we apply a waterproofing spray to protect your suede from the elements.
BRUSHING, WEAR AND TEAR
HALF RUBBER SOLE PROTECTORS
Vibram rubber protective soles are affixed to the front half of the soles. Their function is to provide slip resistance, water tightness, and to preserve the leather. Protective soles can also be applied as a cost-effective alternative to replacing the full soles.
HALF / FULL LEATHER RESOLING
We replace worn/damaged soles with half/full leather soles. New leather soles will first be handcrafted to match the profile of the original. Afterward, the soles are attached and smoothed, waxed, then finished with an edge dressing.
RUBBER SOLE REPAIR / RESOLING
Rubber soles are replaced with either flat rubber or pre-molded sole units.
A section of Vibram rubber is selected and crafted to match the profile of the original soles. The rubber is lightly sanded and adhesive is applied for attaching.
HEEL REPAIR / REPLACEMENT
When heels show signs of wear, the rubber needs to be replaced. A section of rubber is measured and cut to the dimensions of the original. An adhesive is applied and the rubber is attached to the heel blocks. The new heels are smoothed and professionally finished.
HEEL PIECE RECOVERING / WRAPPING
The leather covering the heel pieces is prone to scuffs, marks, and tears and may require replacement. Worn heel piece coverings can be recrafted from matching leather and used to 're-wrap' the heels. The new leather coverings can be redyed or recolored to match the original.
HEEL TIP REPLACEMENT
The rubber tips at the ends of the heel pieces. When the tips wear out, the rubber needs to be replaced. New rubber tips are selected to match the heel pieces. The tips are attached and smoothed, then professionally finished with a renovator to tidy up any scuffs, marks or imperfections.
ELASTICS REPAIR / REPLACEMENT
Types of elastics include - straps, leather-covered/slingback elastics, and elastics used for boot gussets.
Worn, stretched or damaged elastics can be recrafted from matching material before being refitted to the shoes or boots.
INSOLE REPLACEMENT / LINING REPAIR
Worn, damaged, or deteriorated linings are relined with matching leather or material. Worn or deteriorated insoles are recrafted from matching leather and redyed to replicate the originals. A layer of foam padding is added to the insoles for comfort and support.
PATCH / REINFORCE
A layer of supporting matching material or leather is used to reinforce any holes between the soles and uppers, or tears in the shoes. The new layer is used to reinforce and strengthen the area from an unexposed side.
HARDWARE REPAIR / REPLACEMENT
New hardware is selected to match the design of the shoes or boots. Examples include eyelets, buckles, and studs.
*Note that some hardware is proprietary to certain brands. In such cases, our Artisans can replace the hardware with an alternative of similar aesthetics and quality.
COLOUR RESTORATION / RECOLOURING / DYEING
For discolouration, deep stains, scratches, or to redye the colour of leather shoes. The dye is custom-matched and the finish is reapplied.
Finally, the leather is nourished and waterproofed to prevent colour migration. Our dyes are applied by hand for a detailed and refined finish.
WHITENING BOOST / BLACKOUT
Formulated specially to treat Boost midsoles (Ultraboost, NMDs) as well as selected rubber midsoles (Air Max, Jordans, etc.).
If you're tired of the plethora of white Boost iterations, consider blacking out Boost midsoles. A matte finish coating is added to seal the paint and lock in the colour.
SUSTAIN, PROTECT AND COMFORT
WATERPROOFING
Professional water protection and stain resistance for suede and leather. Nano coating offers water resistance and protection against wet stains. You may need subsequent coating treatment every six months as the resistance may not last. We only use high-quality silicon-free waterproofing agents that do not alter the colour or complexion of the leather, while strengthening the fibers and creating a water protective barrier.
CREATIVE CUSTOMISING
SOLE SWAP
We can change the entire bottom soles with new soles. For this service, you will need to provide the soles. We will replace the old midsole with a new sole taken from a shoe with the same midsole/size. New midsoles are ensured to line up correctly. In the process, we will remove all residue, adjust for a perfect fit, then repaint to match the shoe.
CASE STUDIES
