A shoe cobbler is a craftsman or woman who specializes in repairing shoes. Traditionally, these individuals also made shoes, although most modern ones focus on repair and restoration, not the manufacture of new shoes. Many communities around the world have cobblers, and in areas where one is not practicing, people can ship or mail shoes for repair and restoration. Using the services of a cobbler can generate substantial savings, as he or she can repair a pair of shoes for the fraction of the cost of a replacement pair. Cobblers have been working with shoes for centuries, and cobbling is one of the oldest professions in the world. Historically, people purchased shoes from this person, and used his or her services to continually repair the shoes as needed. A single pair of shoes could last for a decade or more with judicious resoling, refinishing, and minor repair work, giving the wearer a great deal of mileage. In addition to resoling, shoe cobblers can also perform stretching, resurfacing, reshaping, reheeling, and other repairs. They can work with wood, jute, leather, synthetics, cotton, and other materials used to make shoes, and many also offer services like shoe dying, relacing, and so forth. Cobblers work with vintage shoes, designer shoes, and more ordinary shoes with attached or thrifty owners. Shoe repair may not seem like very big business, but many of these individuals represent multiple generations in the shoe repair business, and business tends to be brisk during periods of recession, when people seek out cost cutting measures, like repair in preference to buying new shoes.