Shoe Repair

[Mid-fogey]

...Big Shoe and some of the others here on the glued rubber sole savers, toppys, what have you.

I've worn dress shoes daily for over 40 years. I used to get full resoles, half soles, etc. It seems like I was forever in the cobbler's shop. Many years ago I got on the sole saver track. I put them on new shoes and replace them when the heels get too "round." I have never worn out a pair of shoes since I started this.

I have 20+ year old shoes where I've lost count of the times I've changed the rubber sole savers and heels. I'm often complimented on how nice my shoes look, and people ask me if they are new.

If you like slick soles, fine. If you want to keep your shoes for good, have some sole savers glued on the next time you buy a new pair or have a full resole job. If you use good polish to keep the leather supple, you will get tired of a pair before you ever wear them out.

[RM Bantista]

Since I do this for a living I will through in $00.02 worth.
There are 3 makers of rubber toplift, Topy, Catspaw and Vibram they run fron 1mm to 1.5 mm thick. A toplift half sole is glued on with contact cement. Of the three makers I prefer the vibram as it is more abrasion resistant. Depending on the price where you live it should run between $15 and $25.
Topy is better for barnyard acids I have used a lot for horseshoers. Catspaw seems to be the thickest and also provides excellent traction.
For leather soles try to replace them with either full or half soles before you wear into the welt.(usualy at the toes depending on how you walk). For almost all shoes made in the last 20 years repair at the first sign of a hole in the outsole or when the stitching starts to get worn through as most factory shoes use synthetic insoles and one or two days of use will be all thats left.
If you pronate or wear down the out side of your heels rapidly I sugest plastic heel taps they are cheap and are mostly self stick. Otherwise you will break down the heel stiffener. If this is you when you replace heels use Vibram heels. A lot of repair men don't like Vibram because it is so hard to sand but they wear great.
Tom

Tom, Thank you for a great post of excellent and reliable information.

Best regards,
rudy

[Shawnie MacAlpine]

I recently discovered a lovely set of knee-high leather 70s hiking boots in my attic (turned out they're my mom's from college) that go very well with my steampunk and 40s military jackets. Sadly, the second time I wore the boots, the crape soles came loose. I had them repaired at my regular cobbler, but they promptly broke again. I chalked up the second break to the cobbler not cleaning all the old glue off and tried to repair the boots myself - unsuccessfully.
Another cobbler initially claimed (through a poor translator :P) he could fix them with a different kind of glue, but relented after examining them more closely and told me they needed completely new soles. I suggested leather for a more old-fashioned look.

So the question is... how does one find a good shoe repair place and get a shoe resoled properly? My college-kid experience with shoe repair is pretty limited and I want to make sure it will actually work before I sink another $70 into the project.

[Fifty150]

So tell me what do you wear and have you had them resoled?

I just picked up a pair of shoes from the cobbler today. All leather Rocky Boots. The uniform duty type. Made in USA. There are still Made in USA Rocky Boots. They just cost more than the imported models. If someone is interested, look for the shoes that are made for government contracts or to a contract specification. Usually, it is made to the Post Office contract specs. Depending on the user, those Vibram lug soles could last a very long time. This pair lasted over 10 years before I needed new soles.

New Vibram sole and heels. The insole is a replaceable insert, so new gel soles could be found at any drug store. A few cuts and gouges in the toe cap, but that can't be helped if you actually work in them. No splitting or cracking leather. All the stitches are still in great condition. They get oiled and polished regularly. Cheaper and easier to resole, than breaking in new boots.

I like to rotate my boots. If possible, never wear the same pair 2 days in a row. So during the summer, I use a leather pair, and one with cordura sides. In the winter, what I usually do is keep pair a of Gore-Tex & Thinsulate boots in the trunk, and change into them when it starts to rain. So with three pairs of boots in rotation, the all leather boots see the most wear.

I don't need them resoled often as i live in California and drive everywhere.

In LA, you can't walk anywhere. You have to drive.

In The Bay Area, just like in The Big Apple, we tend to walk and use public transportation more.


In San Francisco, I use:
The Pioneer Renewer
Address
4501 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114-1831
Phone
1 415.255.4576
.

[LoveMyHats2]

These pictures sure look similar to the local cobbler here in my town. He does really great work, and is reasonable for the quality work he does. His Father originally owned the shop, and so he grew up over time learning the trade.

I had some soles sewn on some shoes I own for $24.00, a pair of wingtips get the sole saver half sole glued, nailed and at the tip, sewn, for a whopping $10.00, and a complete sole/heel placed on some shoes for $32.00.

As it is, I am able to wear a variety of shoes, I own perhaps 40 to 50 pairs of shoes, so having something done to shoes is not a common event for me.

[DeaconKC]

I have a good cobbler I go past at least a couple times a week. Last pair of boots I had resoled and new heels was $35 and an excellent job.

[Fifty150]

Prices can be all over the place. It all depends on your local economy. Here, real estate and taxes more than double what other people pay for exactly the same thing. Even our minimum wage is over $10 an hour. Kids flip burgers for more than what police & firefighters make elsewhere.

[Fifty150]

Anyone know of a good shoe repair wizard in the Bay Area---outside of San Francisco please?


j

Well, no. But in SF, Along with my favorite cobbler, Anthony's Shoe Service also comes with good references. Apparently, they've won some kind of shoe repair trophy. I didn't know such a prize existed. It looks like the America's Cup.


340 Kearny St
(between Bush St & Pine St)
San Francisco, CA 94108

(415) 781-1338

[ambulatingreader]

If you're in Seattle, I recommend Swanson's Shoe Repair in Wallingford. Cash or checks only...really. They resoled/reheeled 2 pair of Rockport "Prowalker"walking shoes that were made in Hungary at least 10 yrs. ago. I bought them on sale, and got them out about 4 yrs. ago. My feet had gotten both wider and longer, so I stretched them myself.Swanson was able to use the soles I wanted (Gumlite), which wear much longer than the factory ones. The highly touted other "cobbler" in town said he could only use factory soles. These shoes are much better made than the new Rockports. I tried on a pair of the "extra wides", and they were too tight, even though I wear an 11 E. I use Obenauf's leather oil on them, and they have about 1500miles on each pair, as I average 22mi./week since 1987.
If you want a well made hiking boot that doesn't cost a fortune, and is non Goretex, I recommend the Hi-tec Altitude IV. The wides fit me, and the price is right. Wish I'd appropriated several pair of the old jungle boots in 1969.
Oh, and wear good wool socks with your shoes.

[Vampyre Master]

I recently discovered a lovely set of knee-high leather 70s hiking boots in my attic (turned out they're my mom's from college) that go very well with my steampunk and 40s military jackets. Sadly, the second time I wore the boots, the crape soles came loose. I had them repaired at my regular cobbler, but they promptly broke again. I chalked up the second break to the cobbler not cleaning all the old glue off and tried to repair the boots myself - unsuccessfully.
Another cobbler initially claimed (through a poor translator :P) he could fix them with a different kind of glue, but relented after examining them more closely and told me they needed completely new soles. I suggested leather for a more old-fashioned look.

So the question is... how does one find a good shoe repair place and get a shoe resoled properly? My college-kid experience with shoe repair is pretty limited and I want to make sure it will actually work before I sink another $70 into the project.

Hi there SM I had a pair of leather riding boots, soles were coming off with age but still very thick, the guy would not repair them but told me to buy a tin of evo stick, pull away the sole with care! pour in evo wait till goes takky then slap them together, wear them for half an hour, still wearing them to this day !!
VM