Even more trivial...

[Guest]

I am trying to replace the heels on the Dainite soles of a pair of Peal chukhas I bought last year. The heels wore very little, but my shoemaker put taps on them on the point of wear rather than on the tap outlines on the heels (anyone with Dainite soles would see what I am writing about). I want to put new heels on with taps right over the outlines. In any event, I ordered new heels from Alfred Sargent. They sent me the wrong size first and now sent me a second pair. This pair have the same number ("3 1/4") as the ones on my shoes and yet they do not match.

Okay, here is the question: is my shoemaker supposed to trim them down to size? Why, if the number embossed on the heel matches, do the heels not match?

[TVD]

Rubber heels always come somewhat larger than the leather heel on which they are placed and are then cut / ground into shape. This ensures an absolutely smooth fit between the leather and the rubber. The open edges on the sides are then dressed with wax and polished.

By the by, during the initial production of the shoe, the process of forming the heel would have been exactly the same. As this is hand crafted, I would assume that no two heels are exactly the same shape, there may be differences too small to notice without measuring. You may also find traces of the grinding process on the edge of the heel facing the sole, where the sole prevents proper access for the grinding and burnishing tools.

When the cobbler replaces the heel, he should be careful not to grind away too much of the sides of the leather heel underneath. Otherwise your country-last shoes will end up with one of those beautiful tapering heels a la Cleverley.

I am sure somebody like Tony Gaziano can be far more enlightening on the manufacturing process, my information originates simply from watching cobblers repair my shoes (and sometimes getting it wrong).