Members PurpleBronc Posted June 27, 2024 Members Report Posted June 27, 2024 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! Quote
Members Dwight Posted June 27, 2024 Members Report Posted June 27, 2024 Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Members Tastech Posted June 27, 2024 Members Report Posted June 27, 2024 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 . Quote
Northmount Posted June 27, 2024 Report Posted June 27, 2024 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" Quote
Members PurpleBronc Posted June 28, 2024 Author Members Report Posted June 28, 2024 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! Quote
CFM chuck123wapati Posted June 29, 2024 CFM Report Posted June 29, 2024 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. Quote Worked in a prison for 30 years if I aint shiny every time I comment its no big deal, I just don't wave pompoms. “I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” THE DUKE!
Members Mablung Posted June 29, 2024 Members Report Posted June 29, 2024 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. Quote
Contributing Member fredk Posted June 29, 2024 Contributing Member Report Posted June 29, 2024 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 Quote Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Members Mablung Posted June 29, 2024 Members Report Posted June 29, 2024 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? Quote
Members Dwight Posted June 30, 2024 Members Report Posted June 30, 2024 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 Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
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