Shoe trees ??

[tonyper]

After reading the Show us your shoes thread I see all the shoes in trees.
I remember my Father having trees in all his shoes forever. Are they that important? Only very good shoes should have trees in them? I used Boot trees for a pair of Cowboys I used to have but have never used shoe trees. I would like to hear your comments.

Thanks T

 

[johnnycanuck]

I use shoe trees in my Allen Edmonds. But only my Allen Edmonds. Protecting an investment.
Johnny

 

[CharlestonBows]

I remember my Father having trees in all his shoes forever. Are they that important?

Well, maybe not that important for your pair of Nikes, but if you've got a decent pair of leather dress shoes, trees are important.

Shoe trees help maintain and restore the shape of the shoe, absorb extra moisture and help maintain the leather.

Think of shoe trees like a quality jacket hanger vs. a wire hanger from the cleaners.

 

[HungaryTom]

After reading the Show us your shoes thread I see all the shoes in trees.
I remember my Father having trees in all his shoes forever. Are they that important? Only very good shoes should have trees in them? I used Boot trees for a pair of Cowboys I used to have but have never used shoe trees. I would like to hear your comments.

Thanks T

Tony,

All of your leather shoes should have a shoe tree. Vass automatically offers all shoes with the shoe trees made according to the specific bootlast form. The tree has other (lighter) wood as a material. Vass however is quite unique; they co-operate with a specific shoetree builder company. That man works in a dying out trade; he is the only one who is left over it in Hungary. His shoetrees are not even expensive some 30 USD. I heard that a shoe manufacture in Slovenia makes also custom shoe trees.
Therefore most upper market shoe companies offer extra cedar shoe trees that are not specifically built to that shoe but have some adjusting element.
Also the more basic shoe tree will do the job, but it should be wood- I always buy shoe trees when I buy a pair of shoes, even if they are not goodyear welted or very precious: THEY REWARD IT.

Regards:

Tom

 

[tonyper]

Trees

Thanks guys, The the ones my father had were beautiful wood woth slots in them and the wooden ball at the back of the flexable spring. I see alot of them now with the tree in the back as well as the toes. Differences??
My mothers family are, were, all shoemakers. My Grandfather, 3 uncles, several cousins of my Mothers and my 2 cousins also. A dying craft indeed.

Tony

 

[Miss Crisplock]

All my shoes have shoe trees. I bought shoe trees for my roomate, and my little strappy type shoes have shoe forms.

Having been a rider, I learned the value of taking care of leather - Harness, Saddles, Bridles, Boots. Why would I do less for my own leather goods?

It makes a huge difference over time, and if you have a decent pair of footware they are going to be around a while.

PS. Can I have your family's #?

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Thanks guys, The the ones my father had were beautiful wood woth slots in them and the wooden ball at the back of the flexable spring. I see alot of them now with the tree in the back as well as the toes. Differences??
My mothers family are, were, all shoemakers. My Grandfather, 3 uncles, several cousins of my Mothers and my 2 cousins also. A dying craft indeed.

Tony

With all of your relatives being shoemakers...who better to ask about the importance of shoe trees?

 

[Tomasso]

Vass automatically offers all shoes with the shoe trees made according to the specific bootlast form. His shoetrees are not even expensive some 30 USD.

Vass makes fantastic shoes, particularly on their U last, and they're quite a bargain especially if one can get to Budapest; Considering that John Lobb's basic tree runs 431 £.

 

[Tomasso]

Well, maybe not that important for your pair of Nikes......Shoe trees help maintain and restore the shape of the shoe, absorb extra moisture and help maintain the leather.

I uses trees on all my shoes, athletic included, for the reasons you stated.

 

[Miss Crisplock]

Also have recently aquired a shoe butler to help with polishing. Where to mount it is an issue.

What do you think? Bedroom closet? Spare bedroom/office closet?

 

[HungaryTom]

Vass makes fantastic shoes, particularly on their U last, and they're quite a bargain especially if one can get to Budapest; Considering that John Lobb's basic tree runs 431 £.

Well - the lastmaker is Mr. K?°lm?°n Berta. The shoetrees price I know beacuse Mr. J??zsef Kov?°cs the maker from Debrecen offered them with his custom made shoes for a surplus of 5000 HUF - that is approx. the price of 30 USD.
At Vass shop you do not get the shoetrees separately - just in a combo with their shoes BTW for 450-500 USD...not only the shoetree...John Lobb-you pay there a lot for the name.

Now Vass also has some crocodile leather shoes.

The Ugoletti and Firenze lasts are gorgeous -designed by this Italian master- your feet must have sleek forms, otherwise with wide foot and high instep they do NOT fit. I did try it out in person and failed - you see no U shoes in my collections for that reason . But the gunboats forgive that you walk on bear pawnlol .

Regards:

Tom

 

[tonyper]

trees

Thanks all, Well I do not see the relatives often so... hence me asking here since a shoemaker is a shoemaker not always a shoe fanatic... ^_^
yes I do see the reason, but what would, does happen to shoes without trees.

Tony

 

[cookie]

But the gunboats forgive that you walk on bear pawn

Is that why you can't afford any more Vass shoes Tom?lol

 

[jgilbert]

All my shoe except my running shoes have trees and bags. When I come home at night slip of the shoes, slide in the trees, grab a brush, do a quick brushing, then into the bag for a good nights rest.

CharlestonBows is correct, trees do assist in the maintaining of your shoes. I think that can add a few years to any pair of dress shoes. It is a small investment that pays a huge dividend.

 

[Anthony Jordan]

Thanks all, Well I do not see the relatives often so... hence me asking here since a shoemaker is a shoemaker not always a shoe fanatic... ^_^
yes I do see the reason, but what would, does happen to shoes without trees.

Tony

You should find, at least, that shoe trees will preserve the shape of your shoes, reducing their tendency to crease and, subsequently, to crack along the crease lines.

 

[Warden]

I have a few 'vintage' shoe trees, mostly from my late Grandfather.

However if I am honest I keep forgetting to put them in the shoes, tend to come home from work and kick the old shoes off, then play find the slippers.

Harry

 

[HungaryTom]

Shoetree-upgraders sans frontiers

All my shoes have shoe trees. I bought shoe trees for my roomate, and my little strappy type shoes have shoe forms.

Having been a rider, I learned the value of taking care of leather - Harness, Saddles, Bridles, Boots. Why would I do less for my own leather goods?

I also love to clean and polish leathers...but what is the name of the symptom in English if you begin to upgrade your shoe trees from standard ones to those hand-made shoe trees???[huh] :eusa_doh:

 

[Feng_Li]

If the shoes are to be polished, they should have trees. It's unnecessarily difficult otherwise.

 

[Styk33]

Shoe trees are important if you own any shoes that you like to keep looking appropriate to wear. I have convinced most of my cycling training partners to use trees in their cycling shoes as they are leather. It only was a little work to convince on gentleman as he had a pair shrink one weekend when he left them in the sun after excersizing.

I buy only Woodlore Epic trees for my shoes and always keep a couple on hand just in case I buy a new pair of shoes between tree purchases.

I even picked up a cheap pair of shoes on ebay that I repaired to good condition that I use shoe trees in. The trees cost twice the price of the shoe in that case.

http://www.woodlore.com/products_shoe_trees/epic_shoe_tree.html