I've been a print production artist/graphic designer-ish person for 20 years (most of it spent in NYC) and for some reason, I got it into my head that cobbling would be fun. I guess I got tired of sitting in front of a computer and twitching for a living. I love working with my hands and figured, what the hell, why not?
I didn't expect I'd enjoy it so much. Nor did I expect to feel like an idiot so often. I mean, when I sit down in front of a computer and do my thing, I pretty much know almost everything I need to know to get a job done. (Yes, I'm a little smug about it.) And after 20 years, I know some pretty esoteric stuff about printing and prepping files that makes most of the jobs I get pretty easy to do. When someone asks me to design a postcard or brochure, I may struggle with the design a bit, but once I get it, WHAM! it's done. Cobbling however has SO MANY unknowns for me. All the different types of leathers and bindings. All the little gizmos and grinders to get this or that job done. Not to mention that I'm not very handy with tools which I blame on being a female in this society. (blah blah yes, I know. Plenty of women can handle tools. I was just raised a little more traditionally in that aspect. I'm a helluva cook though.) So of course I'm starting with the simplest aspect of shoe repair and I hope to work my way up. So, shining:
What have I learned about shining? Well, I now understand why saddle shoes are not in style any longer. Setting them up to be cleaned and polished is a huge pain in the ass.
Also, since I'm in Wisconsin, we get more shoes than you might expect that look like this:
This naughty, cow-poo covered fella was at the bottom of a bag of about 3 pairs a guy dropped off to be polished (he failed to mention the mess when he dropped them off). I polished the other two and cleaned the poo off this pair. Dan, the owner of the shop, finished them off.
I actually had to run them under hot water and scrub them with soap. I did not know you could do that with leather shoes. Apparently, you can give some shoes what's called a Swedish bath. If your leather shoes are badly salt stained and stiff, you can scrub the hell out of them with soapy water (use Woolite), get them super wet and soaked. Soak some paper towels and wrap them around the shoes, then stick the shoes in individual plastic bags, push out as much air as possible and tape it up. Then put them in another plastic bag and do the same thing. And one more plastic bag for good measure. Let them soak overnight and by morning, take them out, let them dry and polish as usual. It's shocking really how well it works. It's like a little spa day for the shoe.
The point of starting this account on Steemit is I feel the need to document this little adventure I'm on with this cobbling thing. The owner of the shop is a goodhearted, if a bit kooky, guy and the cast of characters that are in and out of the shop are the most interesting the Driftless has to offer. (Shameless plug for my cousin's book inserted.)
Maybe I'll be barking into the wind here (or clapping with one hand) but at least I'll get it out of my head. The cobbling world is so weird. And the cobbling world in a super small town in the middle of flyover country is even weirder.