Resole cowboy boots

[PurpleBronc]

Hey, has anyone ever done anything with resoling cowboy boots? Have an old pair I'm trying to do, and any tips would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Dwight]

 

[Tastech]

Looks like a Half sole will do the job 

With a knife cut the stitching between the welt and outersole 

Remove the outersole with pincers . Under that layer will be cork . Remove the cork the best way you can .Screwdriver will do the job . 

Remove stitches from the welt using an awl to pick at them and tweezers to remove them .

Replace cork layer. Cork floor tile will work if the real stuff is unavailable. I use a clear overhead projector plastic sheet to make the template for the cork  . You will work out what i mean .

Use a strong contact cement to glue the cork in . With a sanding block of about 36 grit Sand the cork flush with the welt and roughen the welt and any other areas where the new sole will sit  as well to give some tooth for the glue . 

Sole leather is not you average bark tan leather  so you might have to source a pair of half soles from a cobbler 

You will have to skive the sole leather where it will overlap the original near the shank . ( i Use a 30 mm overlap )

 Apply contact cement to both shoe and sole and let dry  and repeat . with a heat gun get the sole warm and put it in position then hammer it down , you will have to use the back of the cobblers hammer to push the welt against the sole  ( yes that's what the other end is used for, That and for starting short nails  )

Once all is good trim the excess using a sharp knife and sand the sole edge flush .

A channel must be made on the sole to correspond to the distance off the outside of the welt to the stitching hole .(usually about 4-5 mm )

Wet the cut channel with a wet sponge or spray bottle and commence stitching following the welt hole as a space guide . 

You will need a curved awl , 2 needles and some heavy waxed thread . (The choice is up to you ) You start your hole from the welt side pushing out through the sole . Tighten each stitch as you go .

How you finish the edges or sole is up to you but i recommend something waxy 

What i wrote above is just a summary not a concise step by step .

You can watch a few youtube videos to see what i describe demonstrated and make up you own mind if you are confident to proceed .

Or just take the boots to a cobbler and let him do what he does best .

I do between 10-15 resoles a week but use specialized tools and machinery because i have to make it pay . But when i make my own shoes i hand stitch the soles because of the precision and finish but my fingers and tendons in the elbow ache for a month afterwards .

By all means i encourage you to have a go , You will find it satisfying for sure .

[Northmount]

9 hours ago, PurpleBronc said:

Hey, has anyone ever done anything with resoling cowboy boots? Have an old pair I'm trying to do, and any tips would be helpful.

Thanks!

Moved your post to "Shoes, Boots, Sandals and Moccassins"

[PurpleBronc]

On 6/27/2024 at 9:53 PM, Tastech said:

Looks like a Half sole will do the job 

With a knife cut the stitching between the welt and outersole 

Remove the outersole with pincers . Under that layer will be cork . Remove the cork the best way you can .Screwdriver will do the job . 

Remove stitches from the welt using an awl to pick at them and tweezers to remove them .

Replace cork layer. Cork floor tile will work if the real stuff is unavailable. I use a clear overhead projector plastic sheet to make the template for the cork  . You will work out what i mean .

Use a strong contact cement to glue the cork in . With a sanding block of about 36 grit Sand the cork flush with the welt and roughen the welt and any other areas where the new sole will sit  as well to give some tooth for the glue . 

Sole leather is not you average bark tan leather  so you might have to source a pair of half soles from a cobbler 

You will have to skive the sole leather where it will overlap the original near the shank . ( i Use a 30 mm overlap )

 Apply contact cement to both shoe and sole and let dry  and repeat . with a heat gun get the sole warm and put it in position then hammer it down , you will have to use the back of the cobblers hammer to push the welt against the sole  ( yes that's what the other end is used for, That and for starting short nails  )

Once all is good trim the excess using a sharp knife and sand the sole edge flush .

A channel must be made on the sole to correspond to the distance off the outside of the welt to the stitching hole .(usually about 4-5 mm )

Wet the cut channel with a wet sponge or spray bottle and commence stitching following the welt hole as a space guide . 

You will need a curved awl , 2 needles and some heavy waxed thread . (The choice is up to you ) You start your hole from the welt side pushing out through the sole . Tighten each stitch as you go .

How you finish the edges or sole is up to you but i recommend something waxy 

What i wrote above is just a summary not a concise step by step .

You can watch a few youtube videos to see what i describe demonstrated and make up you own mind if you are confident to proceed .

Or just take the boots to a cobbler and let him do what he does best .

I do between 10-15 resoles a week but use specialized tools and machinery because i have to make it pay . But when i make my own shoes i hand stitch the soles because of the precision and finish but my fingers and tendons in the elbow ache for a month afterwards .

By all means i encourage you to have a go , You will find it satisfying for sure .

Thanks, all!

[chuck123wapati]

It amazes me in a sad way, there were shoe repair shops in every town when I was a young man. now its almost a lost art in less than one lifetime. 

[Mablung]

I have a pair of wolverine boots that need to be resold. Watching that video got me thinking that I could probably manage to do it myself. I found a last Jack on eBay for a good price, which I might grab so that I can start doing some more advanced shoe making and repair work. if everything goes to hell in a handbasket, at least I will be able to make and repair shoes. 

[fredk]

This reminds me I have a pair of #1 son's shoes to repair. They are/were expensive Italian. I took them round the local 'shoe repairers', not one would or could do anything with them. There are absolutely no cobblers left. All these guys could do is stick rubber soles on them

Although I made medieval shoes about 20 years ago it looks like a new talent I'll have to learn to repair this one pair

[Mablung]

1 hour ago, fredk said:

This reminds me I have a pair of #1 son's shoes to repair. They are/were expensive Italian. I took them round the local 'shoe repairers', not one would or could do anything with them. There are absolutely no cobblers left. All these guys could do is stick rubber soles on them

Although I made medieval shoes about 20 years ago it looks like a new talent I'll have to learn to repair this one pair

Time to become one’s own cobbler, right?

[Dwight]

16 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

It amazes me in a sad way, there were shoe repair shops in every town when I was a young man. now its almost a lost art in less than one lifetime. 

Count the number of farriers in town in 1890 . . . then again in 1930 . . . 

Same idea . . . same results

May God bless,

Dwight