Everything You Need To Know About Handmade Leather Shoes

A pair of shoes can be a man’s best friend or his worst nightmare!

Footwear is something that you just can’t pick with your eyes closed or without adding any extra effort. You might be able to take the other accessories like hats, watches, wallets, etc, lightly, but when it comes to shoes, they are undoubtedly one of the most important necessities in a man’s life.

Men usually have quite a personal relationship with their shoes. They always look for a pair that goes well with all of their looks and personalities. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that for men, picking the right shoe is no less than choosing a best friend. After all, you can always count on them to have your back!

Speaking of choosing the right pair of shoes, nothing beats comfortable yet stylish custom handmade leather shoes. They’re super comfortable and elegant while being so simple and stylish. Also because they are handcrafted, they showcase the attention to detail and care from the craftsmen who spend hours to create them.

In this article, we will cover all the important information that you need to know about handmade leather shoes. From basic features to their pros and cons, you’ll get to know about every single detail regarding these classy shoes here. So, stay tuned till the end. 

What are Handmade Leather Shoes and how are they made?

According to renowned shoe expert, Daniela Ghezzo, to make a good pair of shoes all you need is “leather, nails, pliers, knife, some thread, a piece of glass for scraping, a hammer, and of course, electricity.” But the truth is that not all shoes are created in the same way, even though most are marketed through decorative words like “traditional” and “skilled.”

Typically, handmade shoes involve the handiwork of a skilled craftsman who spends hours working on them while also taking the help of a machine. In most cases, a “made-to-measure handmade shoe” is commissioned from scratch according to measurements taken by a person, not a machine (which is generally the case with custom-made shoes). After the measurements are taken, such shoes are hand-welted, hand-sewn at the sole, and hand-built at the heel. These shoes are created entirely by hand, following a form and pattern called a “last” which implies something that’s created from and for a particular wearer’s foot.

Among the most favorite leather varieties used to make handmade shoes are Cordovan, Kangaroo, Suede, Patent Leather, Lamb, and also Kid.

To give you an overview of the process of making handmade shoes in a high-quality shop:

1. First, every line and curve of the wearer’s foot is measured. Though machines may be used here, the simpler the tools, the better the accuracy
2. Next, the “last” is made.
3. After this, it’s time to create a pattern for the style of shoe that’s ordered.
4. Finally, the craftsman begins the long process of cutting and sewing the leather to match the pattern and last.

Handmade and Regular Leather Shoes – Are they the same?

Though we’ve touched upon the concept above, we’d like to reiterate it here. It’s important to realize the difference between conventional leather shoes that you’d buy off a shelf and custom handmade shoes. To make the distinction clear, we’ve highlighted a few areas of difference here:

Upper material

Regular leather shoes are mostly made using machines which is in contrast to handmade shoes which involve expert work by experienced hands. Since sometimes it becomes rather difficult to cut some high-quality mens leathers dress shoes using machines, often, shoe factories resort to using lower quality processed or synthetic leather which can crack easily. In stark contrast to this, stores that make handmade shoes use the highest quality full-grain leather for the shoe uppers and a lot of attention is paid to the cut which is done by hand using traditional tools like knives.

Soles

Most off the shelf leather shoes come with rubber soles since they can be attached to shoes the quickest. While there’s nothing wrong with a shoe that has a rubber sole, in matters of comfort and durability, a leather sole works best. Such a sole begins to soften with your weight and molds according to the unique shape of your foot. But of course, since the walking grip of a rubber sole is way better than leather, the best solution is to have shoes that come with a leather sole fixed with a rubber patch on it for better grip.

Quality control

Conventional leather shoes are usually mass produced in factories. Despite the highest level of quality checks, the attention to detail can’t be matched as that of the eyes of an experienced craftsman who has been working dedicatedly on the pair. In terms of the “lasting” too, off the shelf shoes are stretched and shaped using machines, and when so many shoes need to be lasted, the job is often rushed. Handmade shoes are lasted using hands and thus get the attention and time they deserve.

Customization

Needless to say, in the case of regular wingtip brogue oxford, you get what is served on the shelf. But in the case of handmade shoes, you get to have control! You can have a design that matches your style, a color that goes with your personality, and any other kind of customization that you can think of.

Considering all of the above, isn’t it obvious that handmade leather shoes are much better than conventional pairs?

Things you should know before investing in Handmade Leather Shoes

Finding the best-handcrafted leather shoes is no piece of cake. You should have proper knowledge about each and every aspect that’s important while picking the right pair. Here are some tips that might help you in finding your perfect shoe:

• Always check the material

The market is filled with choices and options when it comes to leather shoes, but there’s often a high level of competition between machine-made and handmade leather shoes. A large number of people prefer the former, but the ones who really take their leather shoe game seriously prefer buying premium quality handmade leather mens oxford shoes. No matter whatever style you’re going with, the first and foremost thing is to consider the quality of leather with which the shoe is crafted. Buying a high-quality leather shoe will ensure that your pair lasts for a long time and is very durable. Typically, full-grain leather is considered to be the best quality for handmade shoes.

• Craftsmanship and the reputation of the manufacturer

Always make sure to conduct a little market research before investing your money in premium quality handmade leather shoes. Before buying such shoes it’s always advised to cross check the reputation of a craftsmen/manufacturer. The best option would be to go with references and recommendations from people who have some sort of past experience with a particular manufacturer. But if you’re stuck and can’t find any leads, you can always hop onto internet or social media channels. From there you will be able to find reviews that talk about the quality, pricing, as well as customer service related to a particular brand of such shoes. With a few clicks you’ll be able to figure out quite a lot of information and your life will be sorted. After all, who doesn’t want to spend their hard earned money efficiently!

• Design and appearance of the shoe

Before buying a pair of handmade leather shoes, be clear about the style, design and details (even the smallest ones) you want in them. It’s preferable to go through different varieties before ordering a pair. Always look closely at every single detail, be it the lace, buckles, zip closure, sole or shape. These are some of the most important features that you just can’t ignore while placing an order for a custom handmade leather shoe.

• Price and long-term benefits

Price is always a major factor when it comes to investing in a good quality custom handmade leather shoe. Such a pair is definitely a tad expensive when compared to machine-made shoes that you can find in common stores. But considering that such a shoe is custom-made and is crafted by an expert after putting in a lot of time and effort just for you, the price is quite justified! These shoes are crafted so brilliantly that they will stay with you for a lifetime.

How to maintain Handmade Leather Shoes

As we have already mentioned before, custom handmade leather shoes can be very expensive. So in order to keep them beautiful and shiny for long, and to make sure you don’t keep buying a pair every now and then, you have to provide them with a little bit of extra care.

To keep high-quality handmade leather wedding shoes for men in good shape and form, make sure you keep them clean, especially in harsh conditions like snow and ice. Additionally, here are some basic tips that will help you maintain the durability of your pair and make it last for a very long time.

• Remove the laces from the shoes (if they have any) and then use conditioner or polish to clean the shoes and make them shine. Laces can prevent the conditioner or polish from spreading evenly.
• Apply conditioner to your shoes after every 25 wears. This helps in moistening the leather.
• Use polish on your leather shoes once a month. Use small circular motions for application. This will help in protecting them for long.
• Use beeswax to protect the shoes from snow and icy weather. Beeswax helps in creating a waterproof shield around the material.
• Always make sure to insert shoe trees when you’re not wearing the shoes. 

Before you buy – A quick look at the pros and cons

Now that we have discussed all the important points you need to consider before buying premium quality handmade leather shoes, let’s have a look at the pros and cons of these shoes:

Pros

• They’re extremely durable and will last you a lifetime. Truly a one-time investment.
• They offer unique and premium quality.
• They’re appropriate for all seasons.
• They’re super comfortable.

Cons

• They’re often come with high maintenance
• They’re often priced on the higher end
• You need to be careful with the fake raw material.
• Sometimes they offer poor breathability, but it depends on the material you’re opting for.

To Conclude

Handmade leather shoes are undoubtedly the best choice if you’re looking to make a unique style statement. They’re classy, durable, long-lasting, and made with extreme attention to detail. Even though they come with a slightly higher price tag, they’re better than any off-the-shelf pair you purchase from a store. For a pair of shoes that exhumes sophistication, handmade leather shoes are ideal.

We hope you found this article knowledgeable and helpful. Don’t hesitate to use our tips to select the best pair of handmade leather shoes for yourself.

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