soles!! Does anyone have an answer???

[planet uk900]

about the dry cleaning uim guessing u were the cowboy version lol. Nothing personal just a little dry cleaning banter.

No actually, I worked for Sketchley Shoe repairs for four years, which often bored the crap out of me, because most of their "heel bars" were ill equipt and dead as a door nail, So I often helped out on the Dry Cleaning side. Not much more than a big washing machine that cleans with a solution spirit, rather than water.. Bit of thought on the spotting table, and some practice on the press, and bobs ya uncle. Any one with a bit of savy knows "spirits" can melt platics, so check your labels.

But I think the key word is constructive criticism. I don't think I've been given a chance.

I think you have, your opening post reads like, you've brought a finisher, had a look on utube and your all set up as a shoe repairer.

Just asking "how much do you sand off for soles" tells every shoe repairer that ever lived that you haven't got the slightest clue.. Are they welted shoes, are they mocassins, are they moulded, are they worn through, are theyare they, are they.......

Elgin, if I were u, I would go n work in a dry cleaners, just for a short term.

Why a short term ?? isn't it best to get qualified in something before you set-up as a professional ?? because if your being paid for a service, then you are posing as a professional.

Its all good me telling u how it is, but to understand the work, the machine, the pressing and boiler, u should. Really go into a working enviroment n see if its what u want to do or add to ur business.

Talk about the monkey trying to educate the monkey, thats really funny, Thats exactley what we're telling you, but we're arrogant...

Be warned machinery is very expensive tho. My machine is about 18 years old n is still around the 15-18k area.

Then I believe your machine will soon be, if not already scrap with new H&S standards, and the fumes these old machines give out.. For the record it aint cheap to set up a good repair plant either .

[planet uk900]

Zeddy, are you using an open circuit machine or using Designated Risk Phrase Solvents, or have you had to make major changes with your plant, being as your machine is old..

[zeddy50]

planet, as u know i dont have experiance in the shoe repair trade so i cant answer ur questions, thats why im here to learn more. ive already said i will conact multi service association.

by the way what happebned to sketchley's? they were everywhere then all of a sudden they went.

after reading my opening statement, yes it does sound like that. but its not. basically, ive sourced my work out for about a year n half maybe more. ive got a few friends who are in the trade spoke to them about starting it up on my own. they didnt tell me it would be this hard, they said it just takes practice, so i watched them do shoe repairs for a few weeks. looked like i could get the hang of it (no disrespect). but obviously watching and doing it yourself are two completly different things. i bought a finisher, press, heat lamp, work station, electric pliers, drill and stock. got a load of old shoes n started practising, using the techniques they have taught me, i still call them up to find out more each day. im on here every night too, to see if i can pick something up in the forums posted.

now the person who i give my work to is saying he's too busy to teach me, and i cant go to my friends for too long as they are quite far away from me, also cant take too long out of the shop, as you could imagine. but il sort something out. by the way how much is shoe repairers hourly wage roughly? that was one of my ideas, if i can get someone with experiance to come in and do shoes for me whilst teaching me at the same time.

short term, cos shop owners cant take to much time of their businesses, also like u said its not that difficult, find out what colours go with each other and know ur machine.

about the dry cleaning machine being old. its been very well maintained used to have a contract with permac who serviced it twice a year, and no i did not have to make any drastic changes to comply with the laws of today. i get a routine check from the council to check the waste is going to right place, the amount of solvent i am using and checking the risk factors of all the chemicals used.

i dont understand ur last post? did skethley's clean leather on site?

[planet uk900]

by the way what happebned to sketchley's? they were everywhere then all of a sudden they went.

I'll tell you, Sketchley saw other companies thriving doing shoe repairs and key cutting, so they jumped on the band wagon, spending alot of there capital on the way.

They took on a team of area managers, district managers, area supervisors, and a load of staff that hadn't got a clue, apart from a few. It wasn't long before the rot set in and the area managers etc had to go, along with failing shoe bars. I believe they made some other poor investments which was the final nail. Bit like yourself if you don't take the advice given.
But I'd have thought you'd have know.. being in the dry cleaning industry ????

Look Zeddy, your business plan sucks, sounds like your friends have had enough, and you aint got time to leave the shop and the fact that your not anywere near competant enough to be able to sustain a successful repair business.

1, either take in shoe repairs and get a good repairer to do the work, giving you a persentage.

2, take on a qualified repairer, if you think there is a call for repairs within your shop, but be aware of the competition, if they are established and good at what they do, you will find it difficult to encroach.

3, if you don't think there is enough business to support a member of staff, then its a non goer from the off. sell the equipment, and consentrate on what your good at.

[zeddy50]

how much is a shoe repairers hourly wage roughly?

[planet uk900]

£8ish suppose it depends were you are London/Wales etc

[keithm]

I have to say there is a place for "the heel bar brigade".
Timpsons do a very good job on this...... as do you Keith
carry on!

Most, if not all of Timpsons shops are given all the equiptment to complete shoe repairs in the right way. Whether the operator is competent enough to use them to their full potential is a completely different matter

Keith

[planet uk900]

I have to say there is a place for "the heel bar brigade".
Timpsons do a very good job on this...... as do you Keith
carry on!

Most, if not all of Timpsons shops are given all the equiptment to complete shoe repairs in the right way. Whether the operator is competent enough to use them to their full potential is a completely different matter

Keith

I Concur Keith..

[keysmith]

Encroaching on other people's business
With reference to "sketchley seeing other businesses thriving, and then taking on shoe repairs to join the party"
Dont we all do this? - i remember only doing shoe repairs, then taking on key cutting to "bump up the sales", then when things slacked off again we took on engraving to "bump up sales', and then we started to fit watch batteries to 'bump up sales", over the past 25 years or so, everyone (including shoe repairers) have taken other trades into their store and pushed it along, most of us are shoe repairers by trade, Not engravers, Not Locksmiths, Not watch repairers, where have we learned these trades _ By winging it most of the time, making mistakes and asking questions - Give this guy a chance, dont be so guarded, good healthy competition is great for business.

So, when a dry cleaner wants to start repairing shoes, is it not hypercritical that we all tell him NOT TOO, when we all have done the same thing to other trades?

And on the subject of "heel bars" - i would think that the majority of the subscribers to this site have at some time or another worked in a "heel bar" (heelamat, Timpson, Sketchley, Coombes, Mini) these places gave most of you the insight to start off your buisness and become "tradespeople", now it seems there is no place in your history to mention the times you spent there (helping with the dry cleaning)

[planet uk900]

Nobody told him not to, just do it properly

[ascap29]

I started off in a heel bar and only got basic training in heels and stick on soles but now consider myself totally competent and able to do 99.9% of the work which comes my way, especially stuff the other so called repairers around here turn away.

I've picked loads up since joining this forum

Rick.

[rlj]

I think the point we were trying to make is that you can't go out and buy a finisher etc and call yourself a shoe repairer.I'm still learning stuff now 40 years on. BUT I had the best possible introduction to the trade, I did a 5 year apprenticeship. I learnt to make threads, rewelt shoes. I was taught how to use a machine properly, how to use machine cutters. how to use an outsole stitcher. I wasn't let loose on a finisher for at least a year.There are so many skills to learn. I welcome new blood into the trade to keep our skills alive, but there is a right and wrong way of getting into it, and the way Zeddy is getting in to it is in my opinion not the right way. If he wants to spend a day here and there with some of us more experienced chaps I would be happy to pass my knowledge on and I suggest more of us should. No pay of course LOL

[Whiteboot]

Come on guys. Lets face it, we were all crap at one stage. This guy should get the training so he can take on more work & make more money
A good repairer is one who does his best every single time. Alas I`ve came in many a morning & thought I can`t let that go out like that. Not very often but it`s happened.
Zeddy 50, get some training. Zips in boots, Riding boots, re-welting & new heel blocks on ladies shoes are all jobs a lot of repairers turn away & you can charge the money for & the profit is in your skill as the materials are not much.
If you have two functioning hands & a brain you can repair shoes but it`s quicker to learn from someone who already knows how to do it.
I know some of you will think me mad but guess what I am.

[Lee]

I'd done the basics when I started my shop & self taught EVERYTHING else! So personally I say fair play for having a go!
I offered advice to Zeddy through the PM system, but he'd tarred the whole site with the same brush & declined to give me his identity & I wasn't going to give help to someone who wasn't giving a two way street. So Zeddy joined the site, got the offer of help he was ultimately looking for & throw that chance away!

Doesn't matter what level your at, you can always learn & IF someones going to tell you something you don't already know, you'd better start listening! I've spent a lot of time in the chat room, which is frequented by some pretty knowledgeable people & real time live conversations have given me some of the best training I've had in years & through the banter & P**s taking I always come away with something new to try!


Lee

[keithm]

I concur

[zeddy50]

hi lee,

i didnt decline your help at all. i'm not prepared to make myself look worse than i already do. i went about my first question completly wrong. i wish i had more knoledge than i did. i really appreciate u trying to help. i really do. ive shown u my work and uve told me what to improve also my shoe repair man is giving me a few pointers, so im learning more and more every day. im just not prepared to reveal my identity or buisness name because of all the feedback ive had from the forum, im sure ppl can understand that.

as for the banter an p*ss taking, u might be ok with it, but im not!!! id rather prod along doing the small jobs which i know i can do, and get hints and tips by reading other ppls views and learn that way.

[zeddy50]

Zips in boots, Riding boots, re-welting & new heel blocks on ladies shoes are all jobs a lot of repairers turn away & you can charge the money for & the profit is in your skill as the materials are not much.

u must be joking, still learning heels. cant even do soles yet. dont want to try cos like someone said in an earlier post, (i think lee) im doing a repair that goes on someone's feet, bones, muscles etc. dont want to be held responsible, also want to learn and master heels first and then move on to other repairs

[hakeemz]

hi zeddy..as far as i know lee and the way forum works is that when he asked for identity it wasnt to share with all on the forum or have any negative effect on you or your business in any way.. thats just not lee.
and as far as banter goes..in most trades this is an unwritten rule..( bigger the ego,,harder to learn) by putting up with the piss taking(of course there are limits) you are proving your willingness to learn along with admitting superiority of the teacher. who himself been through it.. trust me you will find it worth it in long run..good luck and keep at it