How to glue rubber to leather

[deboardp]

The gum rubber is visible in the above picture. This is the backside of the heel, which has been roughed up with a fine striation 

Edited January 25, 2024 by deboardp

[deboardp]

This is the sandal that's ready to stitch. I wet the edge all around so it would take a crease better. I'll stitch in the crease, no machine guide. I used the heavy awl to make crease lines around the straps to reinforce the slot areas. The water stained the leather and I'm hoping that the grease will overshadow that. 

Two of the slots look too big in the pic but that's because the strap is loosened. The straps have two reductions in it. It goes from 1-7/8" to 1-1/16" to 13/16". Snugging the strap will fill those slots. 

 

Edited January 25, 2024 by deboardp

[deboardp]

From the side...

 

[Aven]

Lisa Sorrell did a video on using Aquilim 315 with rubber. 

Its a Boot Life

https://sorrellnotionsandfindings.com/product/aquilim-glues/

 

Edited January 25, 2024 by Northmount
Added link to Lisa's site for Aquilim

[Mablung]

3 hours ago, deboardp said:

From the side...

 

Wow, that's thick.  Apprise us of how it feels on the foot.  Not at all likely you'll feel gravel through that (to me that's a detraction, but I wear quite comfortably shoes the sole of which consists of a piece of 1/8" crepe rubber topped with a 4 oz. piece of oil-tan).

5 hours ago, Tastech said:

May i offer my advice . As a shoe maker and repairer i glue rubber to leather all day every day . Its no big deal . Any contact rubber cement will do the job but some are much better than others . I use and recommend Renia Colle de colonge  .Apply on both surfaces and let dry for about 30-60 mins . With a heat gun or even a blow dryer heat the rubber piece then apply to the leather . Cut the rubber larger than the sandal and trim the rubber with a knife . At some point you are going to have to replace the sole  so you heat the rubber again and with pincers remove the rubber and replace . Using epoxy is not an option because it is brittle and will crack even the flexi stuff and will do damage when trying to replace the sole  , Also you have to keep the sandal in a press for 12-24 hours . Another option is to use a product called shoe goo . It is flexible but needs to be pressed as it is not a contact adhesive . I use shoe goo mainly for hiking boots especially the toe piece that returns upwards . To keep it in place i wrap a cut down bicycle tube around the shoe for a day or so . Either way contact adhesive is the best option . Yeah its a bit wiffy but so what  only smells for about 10 mins  and it wont kill you . I would also recommend you get proper sole rubber from a cobbler as it has a different composition than regular rubber and comes in an assortment of treads .

The suggestions are much appreciated.  I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for that Renia product, as I'm starting into making shoes (simple, minimalist designs, for the moment) so I can replace the soles easily).

[Tastech]

deboardp  ,  I am in Australia and we use different name products so links to products from my supplier would be of no use to you . Find a wholesaler of shoe repair materials in your area and source your materials from there . They will have a few different brands of high strength contact adhesive and various types suitable sole material of various thickness  and hardness . same goes for heel material . You may have to buy a full sheet of the material  , but if you are making a few pairs then it is economical do do so . Go to your local cobbler and ask some question and get them to show you various materials that they use . That way you will become familiar with what best suits you and you can then contact a wholesaler . One product that may interest you is the birkenstock EVA sole . Its 8mm thick and relatively soft yet quite tough . Its a good sole for sandals . The brand Vibram is also worth looking at . EVA or microcell is probably the best material for sandals because it is light weight and shock absorbing . There is also another type of EVA material that tapers from heel to toe . The heel is about 15mm and it tapers down to 8mm one the ball and toe . You have seen this before but probably never noticed it . You will see it on UGG boots mainly . Using the tapered sole eliminates the need for a separate heel . Brand is not important  because different brands use the same material formula . If you are not sure which material is better for you, experiment with different types. Keep in mind that you will need 2 coats of adhesive on the leather because the first coat absorbs into the leather .

By all means stitch the 2 layers of leather together but only glue the sole material on so it is easy to remove when a resole is required . If you choose a separate  heel of harder material then a few small nails for extra security is good .

Allow me to confess my dirty little secret . I wear crocs . There i said it . LOL Australia gets damn hot in summer and you don't wear proper shoes if you can avoid it . I like crocs because they are anatomically correct therefore comfortable , However i wear out the sole in a couple of years . New ones take a while to settle in so i resoled my old ones with EVA . Specifically the birkenstock pattern sole . I also do the same thing for my wife . She has shown her friends and now i get asked to do it for others . Even though the cost of a" birkencroc" conversion cost more that a new pair of crocs  people are loving it . Go Figure . Keep in mind that Crocs are not frowned upon in Australia  like they are in the US . Flipflops are king and Crocs are legendary . Birkenstocks was the preferred foot footwear of lesbians 20 years ago but now they have mainstream acceptance and i resole them frequently .

Fun Fact : Because Australians wear proper shoes only half of the time our feet are one size wider than the rest of the world . 

[deboardp]

On 1/26/2024 at 7:20 AM, Tastech said:

products so links to products from my supplier would be of no use to you .

Not so, not so! I'll look them up, read the specs, find out what you consider proper sole rubber. I have a sheet of gum rubber, 1/8" , thick, that I'll use on my first pair, the prototype. 

When I do get to it, I'll use two coats of Barge, just to see if the rubber will stay on. 

[deboardp]

On 1/26/2024 at 7:20 AM, Tastech said:

Go to your local cobbler and ask some question and get them to show you various materials that they use . That way you will become familiar with what best suits you and you can then contact a wholesaler . One product that may interest you is the birkenstock EVA sole . Its 8mm thick and relatively soft yet quite

We don't have cobblers in the states as far as I know. There's a shop that makes custom shoes but I doubt that they do repairs. Their stuff looks made for millionaires. I expected that someone would ask me if I'd kindly take my scruffy self down the road, and please don't touch the shoes! Although quite perfect looking, they also looked too stiff to be comfortable. 

When I was a competitive road racer in my 30's during the foot race craze in the 70's here in the states, I used Shoe Goo to build up my Nike Elite racing shoes at the heel. Great stuff. I still have a half full tube in my survival gear. 

[Wepster]

2 hours ago, deboardp said:

We don't have cobblers in the states as far as I know. There's a shop that makes custom shoes but I doubt that they do repairs. Their stuff looks made for millionaires. I expected that someone would ask me if I'd kindly take my scruffy self down the road, and please don't touch the shoes! Although quite perfect looking, they also looked too stiff to be comfortable. 

When I was a competitive road racer in my 30's during the foot race craze in the 70's here in the states, I used Shoe Goo to build up my Nike Elite racing shoes at the heel. Great stuff. I still have a half full tube in my survival gear. 

There are probably a hundred cobblers in New York State alone (one source states 7000 in the US). There is one in Amsterdam and a few in the capital area. Shoe Repair. Makers of shoes are shoemakers or cordwainers. 

[deboardp]

6 hours ago, Wepster said:

There are probably a hundred cobblers in New York State alone (one source states 7000 in the US). There is one in Amsterdam and a few in the capital area. Shoe Repair. Makers of shoes are shoemakers or cordwainers. 

Sheesh... I guess I shoulda run a search for cobblers near me. It's probably a good idea to visit one, or call first, ask if he would be willing to show me what he uses for sole rubber.

Cordwainer???

Edited January 28, 2024 by deboardp