Shoe Repair Adhesives

Caring for heirlooms a delicate task

When the family of Greg Krueger set out to finish his grandfather's old wooden chest, they are not worried about making money out of it.

"She sits in the basement of my grandmother for 40, 50. My parents refinished, and it looks great, "said Krueger, curator for the Lynchburg Museum System." They just wanted it to look really presentable. The sentimental value is still there. "

When you take care of family heirlooms and antiques such as the chest of the family, understand what you want to do with the piece is the key.

If the plan is to keep it in the family, you do not have to worry about preserving its original state. Refinish away.

But if you want to sell an item - perhaps "Antiques Roadshow" style, perhaps? - Change as little as possible.

"Only after the original," he said. "You can never get that back."

Earlier this summer, Krueger gave a workshop at the cemetery of the old city on how to take care of family memories.Some of the advice he offered:

Stored in climate-controlled areas.

"Many people like to store old things in the attic or cellar," said Krueger. "Bad idea. Rooms are good parts, in closets or under beds. "

Attics and basements are a no-go because they are usually subjected to excessive heat and moisture problems.

It recommends the articles in clear plastic containers (and go for a brand, like Rubbermaid, for better quality).

"They form a barrier against moisture and temperature, to a degree," he said. "I prefer the clear so you can actually see what's inside."

Scan old photos.

The scan and save copies of images on CD, DVD or USB key, so you'll have a copy of the old pictures.

"It's the nature of the beast," says Krueger. "These things will continue to deteriorate. Maybe not in our lifetime but your grandchildren may see a few crumbs."

When the storage of original photographs, plastic is better than the paper - which can sometimes rub and wear out the image, unless you buy special paper pad - but it's not ideal.

Shoe Goo Makes Your Shoes Brand New - Tennis Shoes Guide

Shoe Goo is an industrial strength rubber cement that may be exactly what you are looking for when it comes to repairing your old shoes. Invented in 1972, Shoe Goo was originally designed to combat a problem known as 'tennis toe'. The clear gummy glue was applied to the toes of tennis shoes that had been worn down by dragging the shoes across the tennis court. Once Shoe Goo dried, the shoes were said to be as good as new. To use Shoe Goo to repair a hole in a shoe start by using a piece of duct tape to cover the hole from the inside. (I.e., if you have a hole in the sole of your shoe, remove the insole and cover the hole with tape. This tape will prevent the Shoe Goo from forming a bump on the inside of your shoe as the glue dries.) Once you have applied tape to the inside of the shoe, apply Shoe Goo to the outside. Allow the glue to dry. Be sure to take the tape off in under two hours or it may become a permanent feature of the shoe! To use Shoe Goo to repair a worn-down section of the shoe (like the 'tennis toe'), coat the shoe in a thin layer of the adhesive. Allow this layer to dry thoroughly before applying successive layers. The technique is similar to painting a house or painting your fingernails: many thin layers will provide a smoother, more durable protective coating than applying one thick gummy layer.

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