Shoe Bronzing

Since the year 1930, sentimental parents started having their baby shoes bronzed as a keepsake. This craze was most popular throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s but once again is experiencing high demand. Bronzing is a process in which an item is encased in a layer of copper metal. The layer of copper is then oxidized and polished. The art of shoe bronzing is a highly technical skill that has evolved over time and below is a step by step guide of what goes into making the finished product.

1st stage:

Clean and inspect shoes

2nd stage:

Arrange and fix laces/buckles etc.

3rd & 4th stage:

Apply several coats of base primer and allow to dry. Then Apply several coats of the special electro conductive formula, and allow to dry.

5th stage:

Inspect and prepair the shoe and place in the plating tank for between 6-8 hours.

6th stage:

Remove from plating tank

7th stage:

Rinse in oxidising solution and dry

8th stage:

Buff and polish the shoe

9th stage:

Apply 2 coats of laquer to prevent tarnishing

10th stage:

Inspect and apply a decorative coating of flock to the inside of the shoe.