ScottEnglish

Hello again. What is the hardest wearing sheet soling that you've used or heard of? I've been using 5mm thick Caster tyre tread soling which is rated at 85 on the Shore A scale of hardness. It wears far too quickly. Thanks. Scott

Hello again. I want to obtain a contact adhesive for bonding soles to footwear that doesn't require heat nor a clamp to be effectual. The best contact adhesive I have found so far is Bochem Boterm GTA. But it requires heat and a clamp. Has anyone used contact adhesives manufactured by Anglo Adhesives or Caswell Adhesives? Do these need heat or a clamp to be effectual? Thanks. Scott

Hello. I wish to acquire sheet soling that is hard-wearing. I have heard that Topy in France makes such soling. My current soling is rated at 85 on the Shore A scale of hardness. It wears too quickly at the heel. Does anyone here have experience of Topy soling in regard to wear? Please share this with me. Thank you. Scott

Hello. Has anyone any experience with contact adhesives manufactured by Anglo Adhesives or Caswell Adhesives that are suitable for gluing soling to leather? I would like to know what is involved in each step of application. My current contact adhesive requires two coats of glue followed by heat to activate it before bonding surfaces under pressure. Ideally, I would like a glue that doesn't need heat to activate it. Thanks. Scott

Thanks everyone for your replies. Scott

Hello. I recently bought a chrome tanned leather side from a well known English tannery. The flesh side is dry and the grain side lacks the wax that is usually present. There was also a bird feather and tiny amount of bird poop on it! I think they may have sent me something past its best. What do folk think? Also, the neck looks to be present on the side. Is this useable? This is not the first time that I have received dry leather from a supplier. A few months ago I bought a shoulder of vegetable tanned leather that is very dry and stiff. Not the same supplier. Many thanks. Scott

Thanks fredk.

Does anyone know of a business in the United Kingdom that sells eyelets for lace holes? The only eyelets and tools for fitting them that I know of are those by Ivan and C. S. Osborne. Neither are suitable as the eyelets are too large. I am thinking of buying eyelets with a 4 mm hole if they are available. Thanks. Scott

Thanks to you all for your observations, contributions, and thoughts. Scott

Well, I have tried the contact adhesive and ground rubber mixture for soling moccasins. On several pairs. I walk a reasonable number of miles weekly on tarmac and concrete. I find the contact adhesive and ground rubber soling wears very quickly. Too quickly. One solution for extending the life of my mocs is to make the soling thicker by spreading more layers of the mixture on to the underneath of them. But it is time consuming and the fumes are unhealthy. The other solution, which is far more appealing, is to just use thicker leather for the soling. Probably buffalo. Or bison on your side of the pond. I would like to know whether the leather soles on the moccasins made by Arrow Moccasin Company are resistant to water. My experience is that leather soaks up water once the finish on the grain side is worn off. If the soles on the Arrow mocs are not resistant to water, then why do folk buy them? Scott

Thanks for the link to the video Aven.

Thanks again fredk. Mystery solved! I am grateful for your reply. Scott

Thanks fredk! Do you think the sole on the pair of mocs in the photo that I have linked to are made this way? I ask as I think the pair pictured are made with bison leather that is chrome tanned. Scott

Hi. Looking online at photos of professionally made moccasins the soles on quite a few pairs resemble leather that has been moulded. Here is a link to an example: https://img0.etsystatic.com/065/0/5624269/il_fullxfull.786041240_he1e.jpg Does anyone know how this is achieved? Thanks. Scott

Thanks for the useful information fredk.

Thanks chrisash. I will have a look at the EVO-STIK website. juck: I thought you might have forgotten the link! Thanks. Scott

Thanks jcuk for your input. To clarify, are you referring to Woodweld when you say it is used in the shoe industry or an Abbey England product? Scott

Thanks for the reply Grumpymann. Have you used Woodweld on footwear that has become sodden during use? Scott

Hello. I bought a tin of Bison Kit contact adhesive which I have used when making moccasins. Unfortunately, when they get wet the adhesive fails and parts separate. Having just looked on the manufacturer's website, this limitation is noted. Can anyone recommend an alternative contact adhesive that does not have this limitation? Thanks. Scott

Thanks Matt S. Scott

Why are awls for making holes diamond shaped in section and not round? Ta. Scott

Thanks Aven for the information about ground rubber and Barge cement soling. And the link to the video. Sheilajeanne: I didn't know red deer were related to North American elk. Thank you. Scott

Aven: Seems water buffalo is indeed a good substitute for bison. Very helpful for me to know that before I buy more leather. Can bison/buffalo leather be moulded? Thank you. Scott

Aven: Bullhide. I'll have a look online. Thanks. How durable was the ground rubber and Barge cement soling? Frodo: Thanks for your reply. Moccasins made of rabbit pelt must be nice in the winter! Scott

Thanks Chuck. The information about the Native American moccasins is useful. I'm grateful. Looks like I'm going back to the drawing board! Scott