Louboutin: Real vs Fake
With so many Christian Louboutin shoes being repaired at Baxter & Black, I have pulled together a list of how to pick a Louboutin: Real vs Fake.
Vintage camera bag restoration
Today we handed back a great item to one happy customer. A vintage camera bag that we had restored from an initial sorry state. looking pretty ratty and all that we made new straps and reconditioned the old leather back to working condition Here he is looking pretty happy. Final Look Check out more on […]
A bevelled waist
The last bastion of hand made shoes is certainly the bevelled waist and the fiddle back sole. Conjecture is rife as to the original function of the fiddleback, with most thinking it was originally of benefit in the construction of ladies shoes. One can certainly admire the smooth elegance and tight lines it brings to […]
Workshop Update
Things have been pretty busy in the workshop with a whole lot of restocking going on. The Lulu and Triumph plates have been a big hit on the streets of Sydney town, thankfully I do regular restocks from the U.K. or else I would not have been able to keep up with the demand. The […]
An interesting road
When I first started Baxter & Black I wanted to reflect my passion for shoes and the repair of them in such a fashion as to be honest to my training and to be of a level that is transparent, if a a shoe uses pegged wooden nails in the heel block then I do […]
A night of polishing
Recently we held a little polishing circle at the studio with great results. The theme for the night was brushing up on skills and looking at the little rituals we all have when going about polishing our beloved shoes. For me personally I was excited to show the other end of the craft in so […]
Client Shoe Progress
The elves have been very busy setting the edges on this rebuild of a clients shoe. And now with hard wax, fire and some heated hand tools we have now set the edges so that they quietly shine like amber. Taking a step back in the process we set the edges the night before by […]
I love old machines
I have a confession to make: I love old machines. It does not have to be machinery that specifically relates to shoe production (although that helps a lot). I think it comes down to the fascination of all those gears and machinery all working towards one goal, such as stitching a sole on a shoe. Past […]
The process of patina
From a concept to outcome, one of the hardest things I have found to understand was the Art of Patina. This was partly due to the lack of shoes that are specifically made in crust leather or neutral coloured leather, that would enable me to practice on them. I have also never found a person […]
All about laces
I have been somewhat fixated on laces. I typically steer towards the heavy wax variety in darker colours. However with the summer months, I am casting my gaze towards some lighter colours in a flat lace. If I can find a good-looking hunter green flat waxed, I am going to be very happy.
Not that I am a hoarder
Every tool has it’s place. There is a sense of quiet satisfaction looking across a full tool box with a heady selection of tools and other findings.
All things about shoe forms
The start of everything past the initial client measurements is the shoe last. Hopefully this year we can have a Lastmas tree.
Polish, Patina and Antiquing
Polish patina or antiquing. So what is the difference? Generally, a polish is where you use wax in the same colour as the shoe. It can also be a neutral colour. This is to maintain a high shine on the shoe in the existing colour of the shoe. Patina is where we either have a […]
