Shoe Repair

[Hammelby]

I bought a pair of barker shoes last month, and now they need a sole.
The cobbler even asked if i wanted a sole w. slide!

Sure im having the slide ones! i LOVVVVEE TO SLIDE!.. on metro´s, in dusty cellars, on dancefloors.. anywere that there is smooth stonefloors!

I especially like that accidential slide (when train bumps into action), i just go... sliiide.. and occasionally i do a lindy stomp off. Anyone else that has this urge or am i alone w. this fetish???

[Travis]

I bought a pair of barker shoes last month, and now they need a sole.
The cobbler even asked if i wanted a sole w. slide!

Sure im having the slide ones! i LOVVVVEE TO SLIDE!.. on metro´s, in dusty cellars, on dancefloors.. anywere that there is smooth stonefloors!

I especially like that accidential slide (when train bumps into action), i just go... sliiide.. and occasionally i do a lindy stomp off. Anyone else that has this urge or am i alone w. this fetish???

I like the slide too, at least 99% of the time, that other 1% I absolutely despise it, but that's usually because it results in me injuring myself.

[Zemke Fan]

I have not yet had to have ANY pair resoled. I wear out the zips on the front half of the sole at the same rate as the heels, so new heels and zips go on about every six to twelve months. (I have a couple of favorite pairs that I wear more than I should.)

As for the AE repair work. There are several services offered. The complete "recrafting" runs $95, but is much more involved than just new soles: "New outsoles, heels, cork footbeds, welting, and laces. Uppers are refinished and hand polished." As for "refinishing," which runs $40: "Old finish is stripped off and new dyes and finishes are applied to reinstate the shoes former brilliance."

Recrafting Form (.pdf)

[JazzBaby]

I especially like that accidential slide (when train bumps into action), i just go... sliiide.. and occasionally i do a lindy stomp off. Anyone else that has this urge or am i alone w. this fetish???

I'd love to see that!

I bought a pair of Marc Jacobs black leather pumps, very classic style with round toe and had rubber soles done by a local cobbler. Unfortunately it was a shoddy job, with stray bits of rubber sticking out of the side of the shoe, but I'd rather that than destroy a very beautifully made and comfortable pair of shoes.

[jitterbugdoll]

I've had my favorite vintage shoes resoled several times by an experienced cobbler. I am very hard on my shoes and the cobbler I go to does a great job at a very inexpensive price.

[Feraud]

I have my everyday shoes resoled at a local cobbler. My better brand shoes will go to their maker to be resoled.

[BegintheBeguine]

I went to the cobbler at Lenox Square in Atlanta. He did a great job. He always ended up charging me less than what he quoted or was posted.

[Matt Deckard]

What i find interesting is how my generation doesn't think to resole their shoes... though it may be my area.

[DeeDub]

What i find interesting is how my generation doesn't think to resole their shoes... though it may be my area.

I think we've been conditioned to expect everything we buy to be disposable. After all, we have to make room for all the new stuff we're buying at the mall each week.

I had my Florsheims resoled at a little shop in Cupertino some years ago, mainly because I didn't have the scratch to toss them out and buy another $100 pair of shoes. But the results were good and they served me well for several more years, until they were ruined by unfortunate circumstances too painful to discuss.

I've been wearing some cheaper shoes the past couple of years. They look okay, but I can sure feel the difference. These aren't worth fixing. When they wear out, I'm going back to Florsheims. Or better. After hearing all the talk about Allen-Edmonds here, I might give those a try. Then I'll wear them until I can get them resoled and provide a follow-up to this thread.

[feltfan]

I live in California and do not drive everywhere.
I walk my dog a minimum of an hour a day and walk or
bicycle as much as possible. Just bought my first car
in 10 years. I wear out soles.

I voted that I get shoes resoled at a "random shop".
Of course I go to a specific, carefully chosen shop. I have
had Redwing do some sole repair (poorly I might add).

I tend to wear a lot of boots. They are often well made
and designed to be resoled. Cowboy boots, hiking boots,
and workboots in particular. Recently had a pair of 1958
combat boots resoled (the leather was okay, but the sole
rubber cracked as a result of the years of storage). They
used Cats Paw. Vibram on the Redwings of course.

Tennis/running/all-terrain (name your current popular
term for these shoes) get thrown out because they can't
be resoled and tend to fall apart all at once.