What would it cost for you to put new Vibran soles on a pair of Danner Fort Lewis duty boots? Just general price range and what's your turnaround time? Thank you.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy this channel. The manufacturer has swapped out some serious features for cheap alternatives while keeping a high price. That is outright thievery. I would skip this Brand. It is like a cheap knockoff but, at a higher retail price. Thanks for all your info. I am learning what makes a quality shoe.
Chuck Wilkins I will never buy a pair of Todd’s. Typical “corporate America” mindset. Screw the customer over for a few pennies each quarter on the earnings report. So frustrating to watch.
Go to eBay and find some that are vintage with little wear, and you can sometimes get them fairly cheaply and if they need a light refurb to repair color or polishing, do it yourself! I've bought several pairs of ladies Ferragamo shoes off eBay very reasonably and most just needed conditioning, polishing and a little leather dye and I got them for $25-$30 a pair.
I'm not a cobbler wanted to learn but couldn't get anyone to teach me, but I did resole a pair of army combat boots, grounded the sole and heels till they were level used a drill and a very small drill bit used a trench tool and nylon thread and rubber cement sewed the soles and glued then nailed the heels on, didn't look to bad after I cleaned them up, they lasted about 5yrs, the rubber came from a horse stall pad, worked with what I had, wasn't making much money then and needed work boots, most of the stuff I had but the trench tool and thread a friend gave me, enjoy watching these guys working on boots and shoes.
This video is a real eye opener. So much for getting what you think you're paying for. You guys are managing to establish trust with your viewers and likely don't even realize it. I'm thinking we need to consult with you guys before the next purchase of high end shoes.
I appreciate the honesty you guys bring to your reviews. You’re always respectful, but you tell it like it is. That helps viewers know that we can trust what you say. Thanks!
I'm a shoe guy . I love my upper end shoes . You guys do a bang up job on every pair of shoes I see you guys do .. they always look so awesome when your done . Better than new .
I'm not a man and I don't own a single pair of Goodyear welted shoes but this is like the 12th video on this channel I'm watching and I've ordered a bunch of Saphir products What's happening to me 🤣
I think a video of high end shoes compared to low end shoes would be great. Break them down and compare the leather and construction of each shoe. Love your guys work. Keep it up
Wow, you do respond to comment! I remember someone wrote that he hope you would do reviews on shoes instead of just repairing, and here we are with a repair/review video. Way to go!
张朔 Hi! Yes, we try to respond to as many comments as possible. We appreciate you watching. We have many more videos over shoe reviews, shoe repairs and shoe care to come.
A bit disappointing to see the construction of the Tod’s Loafers with the plastic heel blocks and the narrow Blake stitched welt. Your recrafting with JR leather outsoles and the leather heel blocks certainly adds value to these already expensive shoes. As always, a very informative, interesting video. Thanks for sharing. Ed
Shade: thrown. And rightly so. Love the expertise (at the price point the welt and heel stack were inferior) and honesty, combined with humility, you guys are great.
That was the most genuine request for a comment on a RUclips video I have ever seen. Everyone on RUclips will be in the middle of their video doing something random, and say "hey do you like/do/want/etc, leave a comment below", and it feels so forced and fake. This was an outstanding request for honest feedback.
Can you deconstruct a Gucci/Ferragamo loafer to see if the high price range is justified to the quality of the shoe construction, or if the price is mainly for the brand name.
Colbert Ta - The price of Gucci/Ferragamo is for the the Brand + Style + Upper Leather. The soles on them are pretty cheap, and sometimes just synthetic plastic soles.
Quality is a bit all over the place. Don't expect great quality if you don't buy the most expensive lines. And at that cost you might as well buy made to order shoes from a reputable house.
First, thank you for this! To your question at around 8:40, I have both To Boot NY and Magnanni shoes (both are 3-4 eyehole lace-ups, not loafers) that I bought about 10 years ago. I bought them well before I discovered your channel, so knew nothing about welts, heel blocks, leather types, and all the other intricacies I now know about because of your work). My answer: the quality seems pretty darn good, and they take pretty well to the Saphir conditioners and polishes I started applying this past year. The To Boot is a “bigger” shoe whereas the Magnanni is lower profile. I assume they’re Blake-stitched, but I’m not sure. I was actually about to send them to you guys for re-soling and heel block replacement if needed, because I trust your work; with a request (if you could accommodate) that you would advise me of their upper leather quality, welt type, if they’re stacked leather heel block, etc. and and other helpful info. I’ll get off my keister and do it sooner rather than later.
I've had my dress shoes custom made from the ground up by an older gentleman who is a retired shoe maker, but still makes the odd pair as a hobby. They are by far the best shoes i've ever had! Thick high quality leather, wood shank, stacked leather heel block, goodyear welted construction... And because he does this as a hobby he only charged me 50 bucks for the material used. I got him a nice case of wine anyway ;) I really would like him to make me another pair, but haven't spoken with him in couple of years... I wonder if he still make them...
First of all, thank you for your incredible craftsmanship. You are truly masters at what you do in an otherwise disposable society. It is a pleasure to watch your work and the fruits of your labor. Again thank you so much for what you do. You instruct by example.
Hey guys, I quite enjoyed a few of your videos this morning. Back in the mid 1980's I had a pair of loafers and a pair of Brogues by Bruno Magli. they both seemed top quality & I loved them I had the heals replaced but never had them rebuilt when the soles wore out. I bought a couple of pairs of Tods drivers at a factory outlet in UK last year at roughly half of what they'd cost at home. Probably paying a premium for the name but it's nice to have the "original" drivers and similar to your observations, the upper leather is very soft & supple. In the early 1990's I started buying Dack's, an old Toronto Canada company: toe caps, wingtips and loafers. I've had most of them rehealed and resoled and they are all still in great shape 20 - 30 years on. I just had my last pair of Dack's loafers redone and the Antelope uppers are still just like new, literally and when I say literally I mean it literally not figuratively. Regrettably around 10 or more years ago closed their Toronto factory after 175 years because they couldn't compete. They are now made in UK under the name Mathew Dack and sold on line but not sure how they compare to the original Dack's.
I am curious to learn what are some good Italian leather loafers/lace-ups brands for women? I find most of these type of quality shoes targeted towards men which is understandable but some ladies would also love some nice dressy shoes. :) Thanks!
Thanks for this video, I own over 100 pairs of shoes, mainly, Gucci, Ferragamo, Tods, Cole Haan, Florshiem, David Edens, Johnson Murphy, Trask, and Alden, Allen Edmonds. Really enjoy your work and videos. Excellent and very informative.
Bought a new pair of Tod‘s for 50€ on eBay and dyed them from tan to chocolate brown with a slight patina. Now after wearing them for one summer only the soles are falling apart because they were made of leather with rubber pebbles in it. As soon as the rubber was worn down, the leather between the pebbles was cracking, creating a whole that got bigger each time I wore them. Also the stitching in the toe area is failing, so my cobbler told me a proper repair with resoling and exchanging the the plastic heel block would be 190€. Now I’m fighting myself to get that done as I only paid 50€ and I’m a student on a budget myself, but also put some work in them and have to admit that they’re nice for some casual days.. Anyway, thanks for showing how a pair of Tod‘s should look like! That’s definitely something I would want to be done on my Tod‘s as well. Oh and a question on the side: is it possible to turn a Blake stitched shoe into a Goodyear welted? I guess that’s what my cobbler suggested if I got him right. Best regards from Berlin
HiSpeed_Gent Sorry to hear that. I know that’s frustrating. No, it’s not really possible to turn a blake stitched shoe into a Goodyear welted shoe. A person would need the exact last for the shoe, and on top of other things, it wouldn’t be worth it cost. Did your cobbler mention doing a half sole and/or putting on sole protectors? It’s not ideal to do a half sole on low profile shoes like Tods, but it’s possible and definitely cheaper. By the way, our family lived in Germany for 6 years. We were on the other side of the country near Aachen.
Magnanni has been blessing my life especially because they're the only designer that I have found to accommodate my size (14/15). My Mag loafers are surprisingly high profiled which I love. I'm very interested in getting some To Boot New Yorks in the near future.
I have becket simonin blake stitched shoes a d they are surprisingly comfortable; that taught me blake is not ‘inferior’ to good year, it has advantages. And, they cost leas than $200 and seem quite well made to me. I appreciate the take apart videos so we know for sure how they were originally manufactured. Thank you.
Great job on the Todd's. Now that I'm semi-retired I do not wear suits and good quality shoes anymore. But I had one pair of Italian loafers. It turned out, over time, the soles were too thin. Not so thin that they wore out. But I think it was not a good choice for business but rather a dress-casual shoe with slacks or khakis. The shoes were so light that I thought I was going to work in my house slippers. I think it's a good idea for guys to ask themselves where they'll be wearing them, and how often, before they make the purchase. Anyway, great job on the videos guys. I'm learning a lot. Thanks. SoCal
Ciao from Milan Italy, you did a great job. Todd's are a medium quality and is possible to buy under 200 dollars on sale. This Company has Della Valle and Montezemolo boss: they are not shoes maker but moneymaker only. In my country we have many Artisan Artist, high quality and good price. Thanks for your videos 🔝👍👏
I like this video. I have a pair of Gravati's brown low profile loafers that were destroyed by a shoe repair company. The sole is now twice the thickness of original. They screwed up the heel also. I wanted to try you guys but its such a chore. BTW, I purchased these Gravatis in 2005. The leather is still great. Saphir is miracle drug for shoes.Thanks, Leoonard
Hello from London (England) I have two pairs of Italian Fabi loafers they are 27 years old & still going strong! I also have two pairs of Tods loafers I haven’t worn them yet! Great videos! 👍
They say you get what you pay for, but sometimes, even when you pay a lot, you don't get the level of construction you should. After your resole, they are constructed like a $600 shoe should be.
Hi guys! I personally have a pair of Prada Loafers, which are kind of rare, because they have kind of glued on, rounded rubber soles on it. So they are not - of course - high end quality as Goodyear welted ones, but the upper leather is black cordovan leather and I LOVE them! I wear them since 2o years (!) and they still look pretty and the soles aren't worn-out!
I have several pairs of Paul Evans. Their retail price is overpriced in my opinion, but from time to time, you can get pairs for around $250 if you wait for sales and are willing to take the pre-order route (20% discount for pre-orders). My first pair was a pair of ankle Chelsea boots which I’ve had for just under 3 years now. They’re my most worn pair of shoes, especially during the fall. The upper quality is excellent. After 3 years of heavy (and I mean really heavy, borderline abusive) wear, they still look like new after a quick polishing session. It’s been resoled and reheeled once since I bought them. They’re personally my most comfortable pair. I have a couple pairs of Goodyear welted shoes from Loake with cork in the sole, and they’re great, but I still find my Paul Evans boots more comfortable. I love how flexible and light they are. I’d appreciate if you can get your hands on a pair and break down the quality of construction! Great respect and appreciation for your videos!
You guys do extraordinary work! The Italian shoes I use are Stefano Bermer . Tod’s are fashion shoes that are extremely overpriced they are glorified cole hanns. When a shoe stamps their logo on the uppers for all to see, that should be a clear warning sign that these shoes are mass produced and you’re paying for the name. Inthis throw away world we live in, Tod’s knows most people will probably throw them out when they do break or wear out. Thank you,
glad I found this! I found a pair of Tod's oxfords in decent shape for $40 (which is less than 10% of their original cost when new) and I'm SO glad I didn't pay more for them!!! I'll definitely want to get them fixed up properly with real stacked leather heels & a good sole when that time comes. the uppers on mine are really nice.
Question? When you’re resoling a shoe and you have the sole off, if that Blake stitch welt has such small teeth and isn’t going to really hold easily.....why not you change it? Or, is it a matter of could you change it?
I own a couple of pairs of M Gemi (Sacca) unconstructed loafers. They are super low profile and I really want to send them to you guys to add sole protectors to extend their usable lives. They are great for running errands or strolling through airports but I don't wear them when I have to walk for hours. I really enjoy the look of low profile shoes but I don't understand how Europeans walk through those cobblestones streets with them.
nodieusa We appreciate you sharing! Feel free to send them to us any time. Yes, I definitely agree. I love low profile loafers as well, but those cobblestone streets are definitely hard on the feet.
I own 4 pairs of Magnanni and one Mezlan. With regard to Magnanni the uppers are really good above the $475 mark. The uppers below $400 on the Magnanni break really bad. The thinness of the Magnanni uppers is also surprising. Seems just a little thicker than liner leather. The two pair at the $350 and lower crease like they used the fat rolls of the calfskin. Soles wear pretty well for thinner Blake stitched soles. My Mezlan appears to be a moccasin construction with a calfskin stitched to a lizard vamp. The sole is glued right to the upper and Blake stitched with no midsole at all. My Magnanni are all tube construction with a midsole and outsole. The Mezlan loafer has the thinnest sole that I have ever seen. But it out wears the Magnanni sole hands down. The only thing I dislike about the Mezlan is a 3/4 leather covered heel liner with a very thick rubber heel pad that is cup shaped. I had to have the rubber heel cup replaced with a leather layered heel cup. The Mezlan are quite a few years old but still look new. The Magnanni over $475 also aged very well. My daily wear shoes are AE Shell Cordavan, Independence double tanned, Heritage calfskin and cowhides.
I was close to buying a pair of Tods at 72% discount off RRP, they were brown suede chukkas. Didn't have them in hand and couldn't find any opinions on quality so pulled back, even though I really wanted them. I think this video tells its own story, you did a better job than factory...something that should never be the case on a $500 plus pair of shoes
This video was a real eye opener! I just sent out two pairs of Tod's Chukka and Derby to you guys for resoling to Dainites. I also got those Tod's resoled (poorly) so hoping you guys can breathe back some quality into those shoes.
Tods is my favorite brand. I have 3 pairs. I was very disappointed when I took a well worn in pair to get a new sole and my local cobbler ruined them☹️
1:40 It is my understanding that the Blake Stich provides the opportunity to make a sleeker shoe, which is what Italian Shoes are all about. The Goodyear welt on the other hand are easier as the stiching is from the outside but also make the shoes look more boot-tough looking with that extra wide sole that is wider than your footbed.
Dead on. Goodyear construction is more bulky, Blake is sleek. Lightweight dress shoes shouldn't be exposed to the hard work of a daily walker and are more pointed toward style. Honestly, Blake construction looks better, is lighter, and can be easily resoled by a cobbler with the right machine.
Ferragamo and Santoni are my favorite to wear. I own about 25 pairs of dress shoes and I would say my favorite based on quality is Santoni. My shoe collection includes the following brands. To boot New York, Magnanni, Tods, Mezlan, Gucci, Ferragamo, Santoni, and Paul Parkman.
I own two pair of Tod’s, but bought at half price. Not to compare with C&J or Cheaney or Moreschi but extremly comfortable. One other thing. Wouldnt it be possible to get the JR soles with your own logo? That would be cool. What a great job you did on these shoes.
I have a $3000 Artioli shoes that are handmade in Milan, and a few A.Testoni shoes. Great shoes that last! I do have a Bally Swiss Made shoes that I wore for 6 years, but unfortunately the sole were worn out - Need to repair someday.
Yeah companies that still manufacture in Northampton like Church's or Tricker's are very strong. If you're into that classic, solid English look it's a great buy.
My current daily's are Herring wingtips and a pair of Spanish Lottusse (which are absolutely amazing) and a pair of To Boot New York suede wingtip derby's that are holding up very well for the past 3-4 years, I'm wearing them 2-3 times a week I've had Ted Baker Guri 7 and Clark's.. great shoes, last for about a year, maybe just over. The latest purchase are AE McTavish.. can't wait for them to arrive :)
Santoni Blake Oxfords. Low heel, Fatte a Mano orange lining line. These were my first proper shoes and they have held incredibly well. The upper is the softest of all my pairs (SF Tramezzas, Testoni) and they fit like a glove. I do miss the arch support compared to my Santoni Goodyear or Tramezzas line, but they are really nice overall. Age beautifully, they polish up like little mirrors.
I just bought a pair of meermin's softcalf loafers. It took 3 shipments for me to figure out the right size, and you pay for return shipping each time, so that really sucked, but the shoes themselves are amazing. They have also started putting more finishing touches usually seen on much nicer shoes, like welt fudging, sole edge trimming, and blind stitching. The unlined ones are also an extremely soft chrome tanned leather. They offer lined veg tanned as well, but it's considerably stiffer
I certainly like the style of the Tod‘s. Had one pair of driving shoes but with a rubber sole which was fine to walk about - not those with the rubber knobs. I am very happy with the uppers and lining of the Tod’s - you may take the practicality of the rubber sole which has its benefits in rainy/wet conditions. Hogan make nice sneakers/lace ups (generally nice lining inside) although those come more with a memory-foam sole - which I am not sure how easy those are to repair later in life if at all possible. 🤨
I have ~15 pair of Tods driving Mocs. I buy them for the uppers-they fit like a glove and Tods is one of the very few brands that carry my size. The driving moc soles admittedly awful. Have a good cobbler lined up before you wear them. I have Tods loafers as well and they are superb. The older pairs are better made. Gucci loafers-same thing-my cobbler can tell the older pairs because the materials have gotten cheaper over the years. The pairs I really love I have him work in cork for city streets; stitching if it’s not there (!). With a good cobbler, I feel like soles and heels are negotiable. They don’t last forever and need eventual replacing anyway. Good uppers should be gorgeous; soft like butter; and really only need conditioning-which is a special, unique thing and makes the price point worth it for me.
If you are in the USA you are also paying a premium for an overseas import. That always adds additional costs and on some products, costs that can exceed the value of the goods
As always it's a pleasure to watch you guys work. I live in Italy and I have a suspicion that some Italian brands that send shoes to the States may not send their best. I've had fantastic luck with Fabi shoes, both Blake as well as Goodyear. Enzo Bonafè is another great name of the highest quality but in the upper tier price wise. The Fratelli Rossetti brand is another good company in the €400 range.
That’s what attracted me to Tod’s before - the upper leather quality. But with use, it became obvious that they are not really good - at least, they are not meant to last. For one of my Tod’s loafers, the top lifts actually just popped off, just after one year of inconsistent use. After that, I swore them off.
My husband and I went to Portugal in September and found a local shoe shop called Sapataria Do Carmo with very reasonably priced loafers and shoes. I bought a pair of woven oxfords for my husband and it's held up nicely. When I look a the shoe it really does look like a quality product and would love to know your thoughts of that brand if you ever get a chance. I paid about $280-300 USD for them and they look double the price!
What do you guys think the best quality show is for the price? I'm curious to know because its ashame that we saw that the heal block wasnt stacked leather.
I love my Tods. I have this same shoe but I do think mine has a different (leather) heel. Very very comfortable and they have lasted quite well. The overall style is classic loafer like Ferragamo, etc., so they work very well for me. In terms of wearability I couldn’t ask for anything more from a loafer.
I was selling shoes at Nordstrom in the late 90s when to boot New York really hit the floor. I still have the three pair that I bought back then in rotation. Their styles really helped push away from the blocky squared toed 90s Kenneth Cole look.
Zelli Italian distributed out of Houston. Really light excellent loafer. I have two pairs of their Chukka boots. Shoes maintain their form and have good wear.
This is probably late, but here goes anyway. Most of my "good' shoes are British (Barker Black, Peal, Church, Crockett & Jones). I do have a pair of Italian Tosi shoes. I am no expert, but the soles on the Tosi shoes are fairly thick (not low profile like the shoes in this video. I also have some older Florsheim Imperial/Royal Imperials, a couple of which have the triangular metal insert in the heel with dual rows of tacks/brads/nails (those are my oldest pair of "good" shoes). I think those were handed down to me from my dad, who seemed to hold then in high regard.
I would like to see a decomposition review on a pair of Italian Nauri shoes like the way you did for Todd in this video. Thank you for showing us the truth!
I live in Austria and we get a lot of Italian made shoes here and it seems the Italian shoes are generally blake stitched. I think it is about the slim profile as you mention. Also, it gets hot there, I don’t think it would be comfortable to have a shoe made with thick soles that have less flexibility . Disappointed with the heel but again, I tend to find the Italian shoes don’t seem to be concerned with what the heels are made of. My favourite Italian shoes are Moreschi, I don’t know if they are any better or worse than the others but they are old school and I always like the comfort and quality of The uppers. But I never buy Italian shoes for lots of walking, I just don’t find they stand up to it but for sitting at a cafe in downtown Vienna on a Saturday afternoon watching the world go by they are perfect!
ianmedium Thanks for sharing...and thanks for watching over in Austria! We used to live in Germany and have been to Austria several times. Such a beautiful country! Yes, I agree that most Italian shoes are blake stitched to give that sleeker profile. They do tend to wear out much faster, if worn for everyday walking, but they are very stylish shoes. I enjoy them as well.
I have 2 pairs of Ferragamos and 2 pairs of Ballys. Both pairs of pairs are young (Bally1 2009, Bally2 2014, Ferragamos 2017). Overall, I like the Bally experience better. I don't know how to tell if any of these shoes are goodyear welted or have quality heel blocks. The Ballys just 'feel' like they are better quality and still look great. The Ferragamos are making me wonder if they have the same issues that you found with the Tods (plastic heel, short welts). I can't explain it but just a hunch. All pairs were purchased before I started watching your channel or videos about shoe care.
Would love to see you guys work on some Ballys. For low profile they are great. I don’t know what stitching they use but my pair of penny loafers have stood the test of time. They like to use rubber bottoms on their loafer style shoes so would be interested to know if they just glue or stitch and glue. I assume the later. Great channel btw!
I use mink oil to condition my shoes, keeps them very soft, unsure if this is good or bad but works. I have been using Kiwi products, but these Saphir products look a million times better. I have a pair of boots I want to send in asap.
Can you resole shoes with glued construction? I just wondered because you had talked about it with the other loafers there at the end. If so, will you make a video showing that process? I would be very interested to see that.
Man, you just added value to these shoes by upgrading them to what they should’ve been when the customer bought them! Great job!
Thank you!
Exactly what I thought!
Hope someone from Todd's is watching this 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
@@marioamatucci4388È un piacere vedere artigiani che migliorano il prodotto originale!
I love how RUclips has stopped recommending trashy "TOP 10" videos and is pushing quality craftsmanship in my Recommendations.
What would it cost for you to put new Vibran soles on a pair of Danner Fort Lewis duty boots? Just general price range and what's your turnaround time? Thank you.
Yeah man, get so tired of shitty recommendations or literally videos I watched yesterday.
Bet this didn't age well.
@@MrDanielWP No issues yet!
This is one of the reasons I enjoy this channel. The manufacturer has swapped out some serious features for cheap alternatives while keeping a high price. That is outright thievery. I would skip this Brand. It is like a cheap knockoff but, at a higher retail price. Thanks for all your info. I am learning what makes a quality shoe.
Chuck Wilkins I will never buy a pair of Todd’s. Typical “corporate America” mindset. Screw the customer over for a few pennies each quarter on the earnings report. So frustrating to watch.
Go to eBay and find some that are vintage with little wear, and you can sometimes get them fairly cheaply and if they need a light refurb to repair color or polishing, do it yourself! I've bought several pairs of ladies Ferragamo shoes off eBay very reasonably and most just needed conditioning, polishing and a little leather dye and I got them for $25-$30 a pair.
I'm not a cobbler wanted to learn but couldn't get anyone to teach me, but I did resole a pair of army combat boots, grounded the sole and heels till they were level used a drill and a very small drill bit used a trench tool and nylon thread and rubber cement sewed the soles and glued then nailed the heels on, didn't look to bad after I cleaned them up, they lasted about 5yrs, the rubber came from a horse stall pad, worked with what I had, wasn't making much money then and needed work boots, most of the stuff I had but the trench tool and thread a friend gave me, enjoy watching these guys working on boots and shoes.
Your customer dropped off a good pair of shoes...but came back to pick up a great pair of shoes. Outstanding work! 👍
Thank you!
This video is a real eye opener. So much for getting what you think you're paying for. You guys are managing to establish trust with your viewers and likely don't even realize it. I'm thinking we need to consult with you guys before the next purchase of high end shoes.
We really appreciate it! That’s definitely been our goal. We hope to continue bringing as much insight as we can.
I appreciate the honesty you guys bring to your reviews. You’re always respectful, but you tell it like it is. That helps viewers know that we can trust what you say. Thanks!
Thanks, Anthony! We hope we’re helping out as much as possible. We really appreciate you watching!
I'm a shoe guy . I love my upper end shoes . You guys do a bang up job on every pair of shoes I see you guys do .. they always look so awesome when your done . Better than new .
I’m getting addicted to this channel and this is only the second vid I’ve watched. Great work and I love how transparent you guys are 💖👍
Thank you! Glad to have you following along!
I'm not a man and I don't own a single pair of Goodyear welted shoes but this is like the 12th video on this channel I'm watching and I've ordered a bunch of Saphir products
What's happening to me 🤣
I think a video of high end shoes compared to low end shoes would be great. Break them down and compare the leather and construction of each shoe. Love your guys work. Keep it up
Yes, please. One for ladies shoes too!
Wow, you do respond to comment! I remember someone wrote that he hope you would do reviews on shoes instead of just repairing, and here we are with a repair/review video. Way to go!
张朔 Hi! Yes, we try to respond to as many comments as possible. We appreciate you watching. We have many more videos over shoe reviews, shoe repairs and shoe care to come.
A bit disappointing to see the construction of the Tod’s Loafers with the plastic heel blocks and the narrow Blake stitched welt. Your recrafting with JR leather outsoles and the leather heel blocks certainly adds value to these already expensive shoes. As always, a very informative, interesting video. Thanks for sharing. Ed
Hi, Ed! We appreciate you watching and commenting! Hopefully the customer will enjoy these small upgrades.
Shade: thrown. And rightly so. Love the expertise (at the price point the welt and heel stack were inferior) and honesty, combined with humility, you guys are great.
Dr Zaius Thank you sir!
Another great video Trenton. I am glad that I didn't pay $500 + for them. I appreciate the passion you and Heath have for your restorations.
Thank you, Jeff! Glad you’re enjoying.
That was the most genuine request for a comment on a RUclips video I have ever seen. Everyone on RUclips will be in the middle of their video doing something random, and say "hey do you like/do/want/etc, leave a comment below", and it feels so forced and fake. This was an outstanding request for honest feedback.
Thank you so much! It really does mean a lot to us.
Can you deconstruct a Gucci/Ferragamo loafer to see if the high price range is justified to the quality of the shoe construction, or if the price is mainly for the brand name.
Colbert Ta Will do!
Colbert Ta - The price of Gucci/Ferragamo is for the the Brand + Style + Upper Leather. The soles on them are pretty cheap, and sometimes just synthetic plastic soles.
the gucci is worth 250 euro's instead of 500. like every italian shoes you pay extra 200-300 euro just for style
Quality is a bit all over the place. Don't expect great quality if you don't buy the most expensive lines. And at that cost you might as well buy made to order shoes from a reputable house.
Love my Gucci 1953 loafers. Not sure I’d mess with anything other than that classic one. Comfort and quality is top notch so far a year in.
First, thank you for this! To your question at around 8:40, I have both To Boot NY and Magnanni shoes (both are 3-4 eyehole lace-ups, not loafers) that I bought about 10 years ago. I bought them well before I discovered your channel, so knew nothing about welts, heel blocks, leather types, and all the other intricacies I now know about because of your work). My answer: the quality seems pretty darn good, and they take pretty well to the Saphir conditioners and polishes I started applying this past year. The To Boot is a “bigger” shoe whereas the Magnanni is lower profile. I assume they’re Blake-stitched, but I’m not sure. I was actually about to send them to you guys for re-soling and heel block replacement if needed, because I trust your work; with a request (if you could accommodate) that you would advise me of their upper leather quality, welt type, if they’re stacked leather heel block, etc. and and other helpful info. I’ll get off my keister and do it sooner rather than later.
RUclips: Hey buddy, you should watch a shoe restoration video.
Me: Do I like shoe restoration videos?
RUclips: You do now
Me: oh yes, indeed I do.
Jordan Levy that’s exactly what I said to myself..
Same here.
Same here and because of it, I now own a nice pair of shoes.
Yeah, just hit me with it.
Exactly how it happened to me. It's kind of relaxing.
I've had my dress shoes custom made from the ground up by an older gentleman who is a retired shoe maker, but still makes the odd pair as a hobby. They are by far the best shoes i've ever had! Thick high quality leather, wood shank, stacked leather heel block, goodyear welted construction... And because he does this as a hobby he only charged me 50 bucks for the material used. I got him a nice case of wine anyway ;)
I really would like him to make me another pair, but haven't spoken with him in couple of years... I wonder if he still make them...
First of all, thank you for your incredible craftsmanship. You are truly masters at what you do in an otherwise disposable society. It is a pleasure to watch your work and the fruits of your labor. Again thank you so much for what you do. You instruct by example.
Hey guys, I quite enjoyed a few of your videos this morning. Back in the mid 1980's I had a pair of loafers and a pair of Brogues by Bruno Magli. they both seemed top quality & I loved them I had the heals replaced but never had them rebuilt when the soles wore out. I bought a couple of pairs of Tods drivers at a factory outlet in UK last year at roughly half of what they'd cost at home. Probably paying a premium for the name but it's nice to have the "original" drivers and similar to your observations, the upper leather is very soft & supple. In the early 1990's I started buying Dack's, an old Toronto Canada company: toe caps, wingtips and loafers. I've had most of them rehealed and resoled and they are all still in great shape 20 - 30 years on. I just had my last pair of Dack's loafers redone and the Antelope uppers are still just like new, literally and when I say literally I mean it literally not figuratively. Regrettably around 10 or more years ago closed their Toronto factory after 175 years because they couldn't compete. They are now made in UK under the name Mathew Dack and sold on line but not sure how they compare to the original Dack's.
I am curious to learn what are some good Italian leather loafers/lace-ups brands for women? I find most of these type of quality shoes targeted towards men which is understandable but some ladies would also love some nice dressy shoes. :) Thanks!
Thanks for this video, I own over 100 pairs of shoes, mainly, Gucci, Ferragamo, Tods, Cole Haan, Florshiem, David Edens, Johnson Murphy, Trask, and Alden, Allen Edmonds. Really enjoy your work and videos. Excellent and very informative.
A Thumbs Up and Comment for each video so the RUclips algorithms give your channel as much exposure as possible. Great videos!
Thanks, Joseph! We really appreciate that and appreciate you watching!!
Bought a new pair of Tod‘s for 50€ on eBay and dyed them from tan to chocolate brown with a slight patina. Now after wearing them for one summer only the soles are falling apart because they were made of leather with rubber pebbles in it. As soon as the rubber was worn down, the leather between the pebbles was cracking, creating a whole that got bigger each time I wore them. Also the stitching in the toe area is failing, so my cobbler told me a proper repair with resoling and exchanging the the plastic heel block would be 190€. Now I’m fighting myself to get that done as I only paid 50€ and I’m a student on a budget myself, but also put some work in them and have to admit that they’re nice for some casual days..
Anyway, thanks for showing how a pair of Tod‘s should look like! That’s definitely something I would want to be done on my Tod‘s as well.
Oh and a question on the side: is it possible to turn a Blake stitched shoe into a Goodyear welted? I guess that’s what my cobbler suggested if I got him right.
Best regards from Berlin
HiSpeed_Gent Sorry to hear that. I know that’s frustrating.
No, it’s not really possible to turn a blake stitched shoe into a Goodyear welted shoe. A person would need the exact last for the shoe, and on top of other things, it wouldn’t be worth it cost.
Did your cobbler mention doing a half sole and/or putting on sole protectors? It’s not ideal to do a half sole on low profile shoes like Tods, but it’s possible and definitely cheaper.
By the way, our family lived in Germany for 6 years. We were on the other side of the country near Aachen.
Magnanni has been blessing my life especially because they're the only designer that I have found to accommodate my size (14/15). My Mag loafers are surprisingly high profiled which I love. I'm very interested in getting some To Boot New Yorks in the near future.
I have becket simonin blake stitched shoes a d they are surprisingly comfortable; that taught me blake is not ‘inferior’ to good year, it has advantages. And, they cost leas than $200 and seem quite well made to me. I appreciate the take apart videos so we know for sure how they were originally manufactured. Thank you.
I have been looking for the old design's shoe suede boots for men, please don't stop making them
Great job on the Todd's. Now that I'm semi-retired I do not wear suits and good quality shoes anymore. But I had one pair of Italian loafers. It turned out, over time, the soles were too thin. Not so thin that they wore out. But I think it was not a good choice for business but rather a dress-casual shoe with slacks or khakis. The shoes were so light that I thought I was going to work in my house slippers. I think it's a good idea for guys to ask themselves where they'll be wearing them, and how often, before they make the purchase. Anyway, great job on the videos guys. I'm learning a lot. Thanks. SoCal
Wonderful to see craftsmanship in such manner... guys you are professionals!
Ciao from Milan Italy, you did a great job. Todd's are a medium quality and is possible to buy under 200 dollars on sale. This Company has Della Valle and Montezemolo boss: they are not shoes maker but moneymaker only. In my country we have many Artisan Artist, high quality and good price. Thanks for your videos 🔝👍👏
Enjoying this channel. It’s satisfying to watch craftsman at work.
I'm absolutely going to send my higher end shoes and boots to you guys when they need resoles for an upgrade. Wow....just amazing craftsmanship!
I like this video. I have a pair of Gravati's brown low profile loafers that were destroyed by a shoe repair company. The sole is now twice the thickness of original. They screwed up the heel also. I wanted to try you guys but its such a chore. BTW, I purchased these Gravatis in 2005. The leather is still great. Saphir is miracle drug for shoes.Thanks, Leoonard
Hello from London (England) I have two pairs of Italian Fabi loafers they are 27 years old & still going strong! I also have two pairs of Tods loafers I haven’t worn them yet! Great videos! 👍
They say you get what you pay for, but sometimes, even when you pay a lot, you don't get the level of construction you should. After your resole, they are constructed like a $600 shoe should be.
With that flimsy welt?
Hi guys! I personally have a pair of Prada Loafers, which are kind of rare, because they have kind of glued on, rounded rubber soles on it. So they are not - of course - high end quality as Goodyear welted ones, but the upper leather is black cordovan leather and I LOVE them! I wear them since 2o years (!) and they still look pretty and the soles aren't worn-out!
Love how these guys work , they're true master cobblers .
I recommend you to give the shoes a construction and overall score. Like from 1 to 5, construction, leather quality, style, etc.
Good idea!
@@TrentonHeath Thanks
I have several pairs of Paul Evans. Their retail price is overpriced in my opinion, but from time to time, you can get pairs for around $250 if you wait for sales and are willing to take the pre-order route (20% discount for pre-orders). My first pair was a pair of ankle Chelsea boots which I’ve had for just under 3 years now. They’re my most worn pair of shoes, especially during the fall. The upper quality is excellent. After 3 years of heavy (and I mean really heavy, borderline abusive) wear, they still look like new after a quick polishing session. It’s been resoled and reheeled once since I bought them. They’re personally my most comfortable pair. I have a couple pairs of Goodyear welted shoes from Loake with cork in the sole, and they’re great, but I still find my Paul Evans boots more comfortable. I love how flexible and light they are. I’d appreciate if you can get your hands on a pair and break down the quality of construction! Great respect and appreciation for your videos!
Nhat Tran Thanks for the great info! We’ve heard good things about Paul Evans. We’ll try to get our hands on some to break down. Thanks for watching!
You guys do extraordinary work!
The Italian shoes I use are Stefano Bermer .
Tod’s are fashion shoes that are extremely overpriced they are glorified cole hanns.
When a shoe stamps their logo on the uppers for all to see, that should be a clear warning sign that these shoes are mass produced and you’re paying for the name. Inthis throw away world we live in, Tod’s knows most people will probably throw them out when they do break or wear out.
Thank you,
glad I found this! I found a pair of Tod's oxfords in decent shape for $40 (which is less than 10% of their original cost when new) and I'm SO glad I didn't pay more for them!!! I'll definitely want to get them fixed up properly with real stacked leather heels & a good sole when that time comes. the uppers on mine are really nice.
Question? When you’re resoling a shoe and you have the sole off, if that Blake stitch welt has such small teeth and isn’t going to really hold easily.....why not you change it? Or, is it a matter of could you change it?
I own a couple of pairs of M Gemi (Sacca) unconstructed loafers. They are super low profile and I really want to send them to you guys to add sole protectors to extend their usable lives. They are great for running errands or strolling through airports but I don't wear them when I have to walk for hours. I really enjoy the look of low profile shoes but I don't understand how Europeans walk through those cobblestones streets with them.
nodieusa We appreciate you sharing! Feel free to send them to us any time. Yes, I definitely agree. I love low profile loafers as well, but those cobblestone streets are definitely hard on the feet.
More beautiful craftsmanship from Potter and Sons!!
I own 4 pairs of Magnanni and one Mezlan. With regard to Magnanni the uppers are really good above the $475 mark. The uppers below $400 on the Magnanni break really bad. The thinness of the Magnanni uppers is also surprising. Seems just a little thicker than liner leather. The two pair at the $350 and lower crease like they used the fat rolls of the calfskin. Soles wear pretty well for thinner Blake stitched soles. My Mezlan appears to be a moccasin construction with a calfskin stitched to a lizard vamp. The sole is glued right to the upper and Blake stitched with no midsole at all. My Magnanni are all tube construction with a midsole and outsole. The Mezlan loafer has the thinnest sole that I have ever seen. But it out wears the Magnanni sole hands down. The only thing I dislike about the Mezlan is a 3/4 leather covered heel liner with a very thick rubber heel pad that is cup shaped. I had to have the rubber heel cup replaced with a leather layered heel cup. The Mezlan are quite a few years old but still look new. The Magnanni over $475 also aged very well. My daily wear shoes are AE Shell Cordavan, Independence double tanned, Heritage calfskin and cowhides.
I was close to buying a pair of Tods at 72% discount off RRP, they were brown suede chukkas. Didn't have them in hand and couldn't find any opinions on quality so pulled back, even though I really wanted them. I think this video tells its own story, you did a better job than factory...something that should never be the case on a $500 plus pair of shoes
This video was a real eye opener! I just sent out two pairs of Tod's Chukka and Derby to you guys for resoling to Dainites. I also got those Tod's resoled (poorly) so hoping you guys can breathe back some quality into those shoes.
Tods is my favorite brand. I have 3 pairs. I was very disappointed when I took a well worn in pair to get a new sole and my local cobbler ruined them☹️
First time seeing a Blake stitch resole. Fantastic job guys!!!!!
Would love to see a slow-mo how the blake stick machine works!
Thanks, Patrick!
1:40 It is my understanding that the Blake Stich provides the opportunity to make a sleeker shoe, which is what Italian Shoes are all about. The Goodyear welt on the other hand are easier as the stiching is from the outside but also make the shoes look more boot-tough looking with that extra wide sole that is wider than your footbed.
Dead on. Goodyear construction is more bulky, Blake is sleek. Lightweight dress shoes shouldn't be exposed to the hard work of a daily walker and are more pointed toward style. Honestly, Blake construction looks better, is lighter, and can be easily resoled by a cobbler with the right machine.
You’re channel is genuinely entertaining.
Those soles look amazing. Man, I recently discovered your channel and now I have to find myself a pair of really good shoes.
Ferragamo and Santoni are my favorite to wear. I own about 25 pairs of dress shoes and I would say my favorite based on quality is Santoni. My shoe collection includes the following brands. To boot New York, Magnanni, Tods, Mezlan, Gucci, Ferragamo, Santoni, and Paul Parkman.
@Trenton and Heath your work is bar none and I enjoy all of your videos. Those shoes are beautiful once you were done.
I own two pair of Tod’s, but bought at half price. Not to compare with C&J or Cheaney or Moreschi but extremly comfortable.
One other thing. Wouldnt it be possible to get the JR soles with your own logo? That would be cool.
What a great job you did on these shoes.
What a major upgrade to these shoes! Great video! Outstanding work as usual!
I wear Tod’s shoes only (mostly flat loafers), they keep for years and years and are the most comfortable shoes I ever experienced.
You did a very good job of repairing it in a very tremendous way.
Sending you guys a pair of Ferragamo’s to be re crafted as we speak. Curious to see if the construction quality is there.
I'm really looking forward to seeing your loafers done. Have many Ferragamos myself.
I'm very interested - all I wear is Ferragamo and Gucci loafers.
Are those the loafers with a quarter-size hole in the sole they repaired in the Dec. 14 vid? Terribly curious to know how one gets to that point.
I have a $3000 Artioli shoes that are handmade in Milan, and a few A.Testoni shoes. Great shoes that last! I do have a Bally Swiss Made shoes that I wore for 6 years, but unfortunately the sole were worn out - Need to repair someday.
I love Church's shoes. Last very long and I never have a problem with them.
Yeah companies that still manufacture in Northampton like Church's or Tricker's are very strong. If you're into that classic, solid English look it's a great buy.
My current daily's are Herring wingtips and a pair of Spanish Lottusse (which are absolutely amazing) and a pair of To Boot New York suede wingtip derby's that are holding up very well for the past 3-4 years, I'm wearing them 2-3 times a week
I've had Ted Baker Guri 7 and Clark's.. great shoes, last for about a year, maybe just over.
The latest purchase are AE McTavish.. can't wait for them to arrive :)
Santoni Blake Oxfords. Low heel, Fatte a Mano orange lining line. These were my first proper shoes and they have held incredibly well. The upper is the softest of all my pairs (SF Tramezzas, Testoni) and they fit like a glove. I do miss the arch support compared to my Santoni Goodyear or Tramezzas line, but they are really nice overall. Age beautifully, they polish up like little mirrors.
The fact that you never seem to get the edge dressing paint stuff on the upper is miraculous
I was just about to pull the trigger on a pair of Tod's loafers and now I'm back to trying to figure out what to get.
I just bought a pair of meermin's softcalf loafers. It took 3 shipments for me to figure out the right size, and you pay for return shipping each time, so that really sucked, but the shoes themselves are amazing. They have also started putting more finishing touches usually seen on much nicer shoes, like welt fudging, sole edge trimming, and blind stitching. The unlined ones are also an extremely soft chrome tanned leather. They offer lined veg tanned as well, but it's considerably stiffer
I certainly like the style of the Tod‘s. Had one pair of driving shoes but with a rubber sole which was fine to walk about - not those with the rubber knobs. I am very happy with the uppers and lining of the Tod’s - you may take the practicality of the rubber sole which has its benefits in rainy/wet conditions. Hogan make nice sneakers/lace ups (generally nice lining inside) although those come more with a memory-foam sole - which I am not sure how easy those are to repair later in life if at all possible. 🤨
I have ~15 pair of Tods driving Mocs. I buy them for the uppers-they fit like a glove and Tods is one of the very few brands that carry my size. The driving moc soles admittedly awful. Have a good cobbler lined up before you wear them. I have Tods loafers as well and they are superb. The older pairs are better made. Gucci loafers-same thing-my cobbler can tell the older pairs because the materials have gotten cheaper over the years. The pairs I really love I have him work in cork for city streets; stitching if it’s not there (!). With a good cobbler, I feel like soles and heels are negotiable. They don’t last forever and need eventual replacing anyway. Good uppers should be gorgeous; soft like butter; and really only need conditioning-which is a special, unique thing and makes the price point worth it for me.
If you are in the USA you are also paying a premium for an overseas import. That always adds additional costs and on some products, costs that can exceed the value of the goods
As always it's a pleasure to watch you guys work. I live in Italy and I have a suspicion that some Italian brands that send shoes to the States may not send their best. I've had fantastic luck with Fabi shoes, both Blake as well as Goodyear. Enzo Bonafè is another great name of the highest quality but in the upper tier price wise. The Fratelli Rossetti brand is another good company in the €400 range.
That’s what attracted me to Tod’s before - the upper leather quality. But with use, it became obvious that they are not really good - at least, they are not meant to last. For one of my Tod’s loafers, the top lifts actually just popped off, just after one year of inconsistent use. After that, I swore them off.
My husband and I went to Portugal in September and found a local shoe shop called Sapataria Do Carmo with very reasonably priced loafers and shoes. I bought a pair of woven oxfords for my husband and it's held up nicely. When I look a the shoe it really does look like a quality product and would love to know your thoughts of that brand if you ever get a chance. I paid about $280-300 USD for them and they look double the price!
Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli, Tod’s, Ermenegildo Zegna, Santoni, Hogan are my favourite Italian designers. Very clasic.
What do you guys think the best quality show is for the price? I'm curious to know because its ashame that we saw that the heal block wasnt stacked leather.
I have several pair of Tod’s and love the fit. I’ll be asking more questions of the shoe before buying
I love my Tods. I have this same shoe but I do think mine has a different (leather) heel. Very very comfortable and they have lasted quite well. The overall style is classic loafer like Ferragamo, etc., so they work very well for me. In terms of wearability I couldn’t ask for anything more from a loafer.
I was selling shoes at Nordstrom in the late 90s when to boot New York really hit the floor. I still have the three pair that I bought back then in rotation. Their styles really helped push away from the blocky squared toed 90s Kenneth Cole look.
Great video. Restoration videos are my favorites!
Thank you, Dutch!
This is the first time I’ve seen Tods and I love what you do I really feel like I’m learning a lot about shoes lol.
I have a pair of sakfifth avenue brand loafers and they great looking shoes and very cheap price for $100.00 . Still looks like new for 3 years now.
Like the shirt ! Mizzen & Main ?
I wear Magnanni, to boot new york, Gucci, Ferragamo, ect. My favorite so far is the Gucci 1953 horsebit loafers
I have a couple of pairs of Santoni loafers.
I like the low profile.
The soles are soft and dent quickly
Zelli Italian distributed out of Houston. Really light excellent loafer. I have two pairs of their Chukka boots. Shoes maintain their form and have good wear.
LARRY LANG Thanks for sharing!
I think you would enjoy watching The elegant oxford´s channel, I don´t know too much about shoe shining, but he seems legit.
We watch a lot of his videos. He does a great job with shoe shines and patina...and uses great products too. 😉
Good job. Which one Italian shoes and boots you recommend?
This is probably late, but here goes anyway. Most of my "good' shoes are British (Barker Black, Peal, Church, Crockett & Jones). I do have a pair of Italian Tosi shoes. I am no expert, but the soles on the Tosi shoes are fairly thick (not low profile like the shoes in this video. I also have some older Florsheim Imperial/Royal Imperials, a couple of which have the triangular metal insert in the heel with dual rows of tacks/brads/nails (those are my oldest pair of "good" shoes). I think those were handed down to me from my dad, who seemed to hold then in high regard.
I would like to see a decomposition review on a pair of Italian Nauri shoes like the way you did for Todd in this video. Thank you for showing us the truth!
So the boys at Potter & Sons left them better than when they were new. Bravo! Those heel blocks were really disappointing though.
Wow the soles and heels are stunning. Great job
Seems like black thread or other contrasting color on sole is the call. White looks odd.
I live in Austria and we get a lot of Italian made shoes here and it seems the Italian shoes are generally blake stitched. I think it is about the slim profile as you mention. Also, it gets hot there, I don’t think it would be comfortable to have a shoe made with thick soles that have less flexibility . Disappointed with the heel but again, I tend to find the Italian shoes don’t seem to be concerned with what the heels are made of.
My favourite Italian shoes are Moreschi, I don’t know if they are any better or worse than the others but they are old school and I always like the comfort and quality of The uppers.
But I never buy Italian shoes for lots of walking, I just don’t find they stand up to it but for sitting at a cafe in downtown Vienna on a Saturday afternoon watching the world go by they are perfect!
ianmedium Thanks for sharing...and thanks for watching over in Austria! We used to live in Germany and have been to Austria several times. Such a beautiful country!
Yes, I agree that most Italian shoes are blake stitched to give that sleeker profile. They do tend to wear out much faster, if worn for everyday walking, but they are very stylish shoes. I enjoy them as well.
Trenton & Heath whenever you are both over again let me know, how does coffee at Cafe Central sound? On me of course! :)
I have 2 pairs of Ferragamos and 2 pairs of Ballys. Both pairs of pairs are young (Bally1 2009, Bally2 2014, Ferragamos 2017). Overall, I like the Bally experience better. I don't know how to tell if any of these shoes are goodyear welted or have quality heel blocks. The Ballys just 'feel' like they are better quality and still look great. The Ferragamos are making me wonder if they have the same issues that you found with the Tods (plastic heel, short welts). I can't explain it but just a hunch. All pairs were purchased before I started watching your channel or videos about shoe care.
I love the old Bally of Switzerland's 'Albano' style... Simple, understated elegance. Feels like I'm wearing slippers.
Would love to see you guys work on some Ballys. For low profile they are great. I don’t know what stitching they use but my pair of penny loafers have stood the test of time. They like to use rubber bottoms on their loafer style shoes so would be interested to know if they just glue or stitch and glue. I assume the later. Great channel btw!
What was the name of the device you used for shinning the Farrengono shoe. Where would buy that device. Nice job on the shoes.
I use mink oil to condition my shoes, keeps them very soft, unsure if this is good or bad but works. I have been using Kiwi products, but these Saphir products look a million times better. I have a pair of boots I want to send in asap.
Can you resole shoes with glued construction? I just wondered because you had talked about it with the other loafers there at the end. If so, will you make a video showing that process? I would be very interested to see that.
Wow, incredible restoration! They look almost new. Great job - you are a true very, very highly skilled craftsmen! Great video!
Love the craftsmanship. Excellent