Frequently Asked Questions
These are just some of the most frequently asked question our customers have about shoe and leather repair and our services in general. Please check back often as we will update this section on a regular basis. We will be adding questions over the next few weeks.
Thank you for your patronage.
Warmest Regards,
Your Shoe Doctor,
Farrell Clarke
March 17, 2018
Thank you for your patronage.
Warmest Regards,
Your Shoe Doctor,
Farrell Clarke
March 17, 2018
Shoe care is one of the most common questions a cobbler gets asked. There are many ways to keep your shoes looking fresh, clean, and resilient. Firstly, shoe trees are a fantastic way to keep shoes from cracking, sagging, wrinkling, and unevenly discoloring. Wearing your shoes all day makes them expand because they get moist with sweat and salt, then when you take them off at night they are softer and tend to sag. Then they dry back out and cause cracks, wrinkles and discolorations. Another couple things that are great for leather shoes and boots is saddle soap and leather conditioner. Saddle soap is a fantastic shampoo for cleaning leather, and leather conditioner is like lotion that keeps the leather nice and soft. Thirdly, a weather sealant can make a world of difference. Silicone spray sealants can reduce the risk of causing permanent damage to the material your shoes are made of. Sealants are especially good for suede, leather, canvas, and nubuck.
Yes, not all, but many boots can be altered to fit your calves if the boots are currently too large or small. These alterations must be measured in-store and usually take at least a couple weeks to complete.
We have saved many shoes from the treacherous jaws of puppies. With a little creativity anything is possible. Some shoes may need new straps, or even a whole new section that has been chewed out. So don’t throw your favorite shoes away along with your new puppy. Let us take a look at them first. And though we can’t repair them, your puppies and dog are also welcome to come in.
Yes. In fact, leather dyeing can make an old pair of shoes looks almost brand new again. Unfortunately it is very hard, and usually impossible, to dye a shoe to a lighter color. In fact, colors in general are quite hard to achieve. Unless your shoes are white, your best bet for dyeing would be brown or black.
Absolutely. Vibram® makes many high quality soles perfect for work boots. Some styles may require new “foxing tape” which is the rubber that wraps up along the side of the boot. Our repair shops also specialize in extraordinarily challenging work boot resoling as well as many other gear. Farrell takes great pride in bringing life back to a well loved pair of boots, bags, tents, and more.
popular questions
Shoe dyeing is one of our specialties. If you have a pair of satin wedding shoes you need dyed to match a specific color, we can help. You can choose from our wide variety of swatch colors or can have a custom color mixed for an additional minimal fee. WARNING Satin shoe dye is not waterproof. Though the shoes are sealed after dyeing rain, dew, and spills will cause the color to spot.
