The sole on one of my Keen’s has come loose and i’d like to glue it back on. I’ve had poor luck with successfully gluing soles on shoes in the past and I’d like this one to be different. Usually the glue gives way after a few days.
What can I do to make sure this adhesion is permanent? I’ve washed and cleaned both surfaces. WHat kind of glue do you recommend? I’ve tried a few diff glues on other shoes since the '80’s but they all have failed. I want something different…one that really does work
I’d take it to a cobbler/shoe repair guy if you really want it to hold.
Barring that, I’ve had luck with Gorilla Glue.
I have had good luck with Shoe Goo. That type of thing is what it is made for. It is flexible and very strong. The repairs I have made with it outlasted the rest of the shoe. You can by it online or at stores like Home Depot or Wal-Mart. Some supermarkets also carry it.
I am going to second Shoe Goo. The little fitness shop in my gym (they sell sneakers, bathing suits, and other workout gear) didn’t have any in stock, but the lady was kind enough to dab a bit on my workout shoe for me from her own personal stash. It’s held tight ever since.
Two other good brands that are more likely to be found in actual cobblers’ shops or dealers that they buy from are Barge and Cobbler’s Choice. However, Shoe Goo is good stuff and is fairly easy to find in stores.
One word of advice on Shoe Goo - it’s utterly horrible smelling stuff that you will probably want to use outside. I used to work with Barge and Cobbler’s Choice professionally, and they were both warm, happy “Whoooo!” sorts of smells, but Shoe Goo smells of nasty unpleasant anger and violence.
I had great results gluing the sole back on my Keen hiking shoes using Barge Cement. Lasted another 4 years or so.
Urethane based glues like Gorilla Glue etc. are usually the strongest and most flexible for shoe repair but be aware that
1: they expand significantly when curing so be sparing with application esp. around edges or it will ooze out the sides when it hardens and it is a bear to remove.
2: you need some method of ensure good clamp of material to material while the glue is curing and it cures quite slowly
I will confess I am not familiar with Barge Cement, in googling it may be superior to urethane glues for shoe repair.
I’d use Aquaseal or Shoe Goo, or Barge Cement, if I had any.
Thanks all. I’ll look into barge cement. I’ve found regular barge cement but not specifically “cobblers” cement. Is the regular stuff ok or am I needing to look specifically for the cobblers version?
NO! OMG, DO NOT USE GORILLA GLUE!!!
Gorilla glue will hold but it’s one of the worst goddamn things you can use. Please, PLEASE never give that advice again.
The problem is that shit expands. Instead of bringing the two surfaces together it forces them apart, and in an uncontrolled and random fashion that gives you poor support under your foot. AND you can’t get that shit off without physically grinding it off if you ever need to re-do the job.
Should I mention that I have actually been a cobbler and done shoe repair? AND dealt with botched Gorilla glue repairs, OMG, we used to charge extra to deal with that.
First - either Barge Cement or Shoe Goo will work after a fashion, but they aren’t the best solution. They’re best for splits or gouges, but they are messy over large areas and hard to control. They will work but the results may or may not be pretty.
Here’s how I do footbed replacement:
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determine how extensive the separation is. If the footbed is completely separated I’d use cobbler’s Master cement or Barge. I’ve also known people, in a pinch, to use contact adhesive used for flooring like vinyl tile, with good results.
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Clean all exposed surfaces. I like rubbing alcohol for this, it’s a degreaser and you don’t want oil or grease involved in a glue job.
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Allow everything to dry thoroughly. You don’t want moisture of any sort involved in a glue job.
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Lightly roughen the surfaces to be glued with sandpaper or a nail file.
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Apply super glue. My preferred brand and type is Lock-Tite gel control because it doesn’t get runny and drip, and it’s resistant to below freezing temperatures. You can get formulations that give you more than 10 seconds to apply if you feel more comfortable with that. Apply to a small area, quickly hold the two surfaces together, and count to 60 twice. Repeat as needed. Work in small areas to minimize the chances of mis-alignment. When you get to the edge of the sole wipe away any excess quickly.
Wait 10 minutes to ensure curing and check for missed spots. Then you’re good to go - put on the shoes and start walking.
You can use superglue to re-attach an entire sole, but getting the alignment right can be tricky.
It’s been my experience with super glues that they are quite brittle when flexed. Is this Lock-Tite formulation more flexible or is the nature of the shoe repair that because the glued material itself is flexible that glue flexing is not an issue?
Superglue is strong in regards to tensile forces but not for shearing ones. When it works for rebonding the sole of a shoe it’s the flexibility of the shoe material that allows bending. In actual fact, the plane of glue in such an instance does fracture into many small parts, but those parts are strong enough to keep the two pieces attached and the flexing occurs in the seam between fractures, sort of like expansion joints on a sidewalk or concrete road. Superglue is also impervious to water and most other solvents, so it remains attached.
Cements like Barge and Shoe Goo are more flexible and more resistant to shearing forces but not particularly resistant to tensile forces. They work for large surface because of the area involved and because of their flexibility. They are, however, more vulnerable to solvents and over time will dry out (actually, out-gas their solvents) and become brittle and stop acting as an adhesive.
Which is one reason shoe soles drop off sometimes - crappy glue/cement that dries out or is not waterproof, stops being sticky or becomes brittle and flakes off. Cobbler glues and cement usually are good for 15-20 years (sometimes longer, depending on the shoe’s environment and usage). Some of the cheap crap coming from, shall we say, budget providers in certain nations, don’t last nearly that long.
Anyhow - either method will work.
I am sorry, but according to the book of ChuckT, chapter 10.5, converse EEE, a sole, once lost, cannot be recovered.