I did a shoe resole, partly inspired and motivated by your previous resole. Stiching is easier with a soft sole. Soak it 10 minutes in warm, soapy water, then dry it for about 4-6 hours. Cementing is tricky, I still have to experiment with it. First, you need to brush the surfaces with a metal brush, this make the leather hairy (bigger surface area). Clean both surfaces with aceton. (removes grease and dirt). Before you press them, heat both surfaces with a heat gun just a bit, do not burn the cement. (This completely removes the solvent.) With a well curved awl, your can position the hole and avoid the upper. (use your awl to make the hole only, and stich into fresh holes only, because they shrink fast, put wax on the awl before every hole, cheap shoe wax will be fine, you will feel the difference :)). I use a long thread with two big bent nails on the ends. You can bend normal nails by hand, if you heat them with a lighter until they change color a bit. I also did hand welting with this setup. Sole finishing is pretty hard, wet the sides when you sand them. This way the leather will not burn. Burnt leather is impossible to paint, the paint just peels off. (Knife, rasp, glass, sanding, pro optimal: paint and iron with wax) This is not an easy job. You need to practice it, and every small technique update can help a lot. (English is not my first language, but I tried to sum my experiences) The finished product i.imgur.com/IiLdezr.jpg The used tools i.imgur.com/ONuZoUJ.jpg
Wow, what a fascinating video. I would never dream of attempting to re-sole a pair of shoes at home. I admire your degree of commitment to gaining shoe related skills.
Robert. You’ve done a really good job. You have to appreciate that a cobbler has all the correct tools etc. For an “amateur” that is a good job. Well done to you. Mike
For a second time DIY hand-welting, considering you don't have any experience and your tools are the best out there, needles that break etc. It looks pretty good I would be proud if I had done it myself the way you did. Congratulations! And next time will be even better!
Robert - you really did a good job! I cringe whenever I see Steve at Bedo's hand stitching a goodyear welt. You attached a leather sole by hand. The stitching wasn't perfect but that's on the bottom of the shoe. You made them wearable again. Your analysis was hard on yourself as you did not factor in the high cost of education. You got a lot of experience and improved skill as you made those shoes good enough for anyone to wear.
got a job at a boat factory doing upholstery, then i got a job doing custom boat upholstery, now im older and needed a hobby, i started doing things with leather, then eventually got into missing with leather boots and shoes. i feel those year in upholstery helped me learn the muscle memory faster. thanks for the video, i know how long it takes to make and edit.
This is why I appreciate a well made, handmade shoe/boot. I know the time and effort it takes to put together. Unlike mass produced "made in china" shoes. You can tell the difference. And another reason why I need to find me a good cobbler. They are getting rare these days. Nice video.
I want you to know how grateful I am for your shoe repair videos. Especially where you are learning. Saving me and I imagine many others, the same mistakes. You are a shoe Mensch. That’s Yiddish for a person with extraordinary kindness.
It didn't turn out too bad, totally wearable and much better than the previous attempt! Great job for a hand stitched sole. I was using a belt sander and then a 4" belt & disk bench mount sander but recently switched to a 5" disk sander attachment for my drill mounted in my vice, which I find more controllable and gets into that arch area better. I've really wanted to give this a go to advance from sole protectors and heels. Inspirational as always Bob
I'm in the process of learning resoling myself. At around the 29 minute part, where you are stitching the sole, I find it much easier to make an invisible channel stitching and punch the holes beforehand on an already wet the leather sole. This is how i saw on a lot of cobbler videos at least.
I also do my own maintenance om my shoe collection, such as sole protection, applying flush metal toe tips, conditioning of the uppers and maintaining the insides of my shoes. Al lot of great tips and ideas can be picked up by watching your vids. I especially like your rudimentary sole press and sander setup, although the later does seem a little unstable. Burnishing is something I hadn't previously looked into, but thanks to today's vid I have learned about it. Thanks for putting out these vids out!
Hi Bob, a tip for anyone who wants to resole to a good standard.... All the work can be done at home with bladed tools, a hammer and a cheap belt sander, modded for easier access to the curves of the sole edge. The one task I need a cobbler for is the outsole stitch, It's the only way us mortals can do a neat job. If you wanted to do as much yourself as possible, get the cobbler to just make the holes with his outsole stitcher then put the stitch in by hand.... I had to do that once when the thread tension was off on the cobblers machine and he couldn't fix it himself, the result was within a gnats testicle of a machine stitch. I do wonder if a lot of hand made shoes have a closed channel to hide the slightly uneven stitches sole side? My finished results are now more attractive than most cobblers using replacement leather and Dainite full soles. I'd never bother with a half sole personally. I can also do hand welting, which means an upper can last many many re-weltings as you use the original holes, rather than make addition holes via the machine route and I learned how to build and adjust a heel stack from scratch. decent cobbling is do-able and just needs practice, thought and a little learning. Another observation - yes, a sole stitch is attractive, traditional and increases the strength of the shoe to sole bond... but modern contact glues, properly applied and designed for leather and rubber would probably do the job on their own.
That's an interesting idea (cobbler just making holes). If you can find the next attempt where I did a 3 part video on resoling a pair of Florsheim Imperials at home, I used a punch with two pins to space the holes evenly. If you see that video, the sole stitching came out gorgeous. To be honest, it's SO much work, I'm not eager to hand stitch on soles anymore. I think I'll just take them to a Cobbler and have them stitch them on! Your work sounds impressive though!
@@CobblerBob Cheers. Yes, I am very pleased with how my shoes turned out. I've just found another cobbler, with an outsole stitcher) who's willing to do the stitch for me. He's asking for a very small sum as it's a quick job. M
I've got 4 re-soling at home videos total... definitely check out the latest one, the 3 part video series where I re-soled the black Florsheim Royal Imperial 96624 Long Wing Bluchers. It's by FAR my best work, but there will be a lot of useful stuff there to help you. Resoling a shoe at home is no joke. Each time I've done it, it takes me about 5-6 hours JUST to stitch the soles on. That is the most time consuming step. The neatness of the stitching depends heavily on where the holes for the stitches are. The hole placement depends largely on the finish quality of the sole edges. So TAKE your time on the sole edges!! If the sole edge is wavy, the groove for the stitches will be wavy. If that groove is wavy, there's no way you'll be able to get the Speedy Stitcher needle to hit the groove. The tool I use to pre-punch holes resoling the black AE Graysons and the black Florsheim 96624's was a game changer for me. Feel free to email me at robertpowers1972 at gmail dot com if you want tips.
See my 3 part series on the vintage black Florsheim Imperials I resoled at home. Those actually came out NICE! I figured out a couple things that really helped. ruclips.net/video/eTl7lJz7bY0/видео.html
I think that you should be quite satisfied with your results. This is only your second attempt and you improved considerably. An added bonus is that you did not have to visit the hospital! Perhaps you might consider acquiring an apron to protect your clothes? Thank you for sharing your learning experience Robert. Well done.
I just ordered a leather working kit today with all the common tools, along with a stitching clamp and a brogue punch so I can start learning how to do my own leatherwork as a hobby. Since I wear a kilt, I prefer a 4” wide belt, which are very difficult to find, so I decided to make my own. I wont be trying anything with my shoes for a long time though, lol
I didn’t really explain this well in the video, but after I broke both of my stitching awl needles, I did exactly that. The downside is it’s harder to control where the holes come out when you’re pre-punch them. But that’s exactly what I did on the 2nd shoe. Be careful if you’re going to get into Cobbling as a hobby. Getting the materials is not easy, search on eBay. Start with replacing heels first befor you do soles. And be careful, with the knives it’s very easy to hurt yourself. I’ve been to the emergency room once already for stitches because I stabbed myself in the wrist.
Hi Robert, I really enjoyed this video. You do a super job of explaining each step so a layman can understand it and you should be proud of your work. Forgive me for thinking a bumping hammer was for car body work, can't wait to see where the engine crane and welding mask come into shoe repair...Cheers!
LOL, sorry for missing you comment. YES, that's an auto body hammer! Before kids I was into 1980's Oldsmobiles. I had a 1986 Cutlass with a 455 and TH2004R in it. I miss that car.
An idea for sizing the cork: take a sheet of paper and rub the impression into it, cut it out, refine the shape, then use it as a pattern for the cork.
Aaron, I apologize for missing your comment. I know I got most of the tools as a kit. It was less than $50, and I believe it was either from Amazon or eBay. I tried looking through my purchase history on both, but unfortunately was not able to find it.
You’re brave for doing this but it puts into perspective the actual skill of a professional cobbler. Steve from Bedo’s leather works makes it look easy and effortless.
An improvement on the last (no pun intended) try :-) I recon that a lot of the time you need to do something, make mistakes and eventually you'll learn. I put a couple of lulu top caps on a pair of Crockett and Jones Derbys that I have - it took me way longer then I anticipated and was not that easy! Well done for having a go :-) Best wishes Tony
That did not look easy, you did a really good job! Thanks for documenting. I definitely have an even greater appreciation for the shoemakers on Kirby Allison’s world championship of shoemaking series now.
jeff anco - yes! I watch them on TV and nitpick about the stitching not being perfect, then I do it and I can’t even get the old sole off in less than 10 mins, LOL.
Robert quite frankly you did a better job than some of the "professional" cobbler jobs people sometimes complain about in our Allen Edmonds Enthusiasts group and those guys have full on machines with more practice so way to go good sir. Gasp! Could you be the next great Steve Doudaklian?! Dun dun DUUUUUUN! Haha Great content as always. Best wishes to you and the fam my man.
I'm totally enjoying your videos! Would it make sense to dye the upper threads black? Also, have you ever looked into the Chinese Cobbler Sewing Machine? Not sure how the stitch is same or different. Lots of RUclips videos on how to make them motorized.
Yes, or you could just use a black thread on top. NO, but I think I saw a video on them once... maybe I need to look into it? For a little over $100, it might be worth trying?? Then again, these days I spend more time in the garage than cobbling.
Robert, Great video! I have been repairing and making shoes from hand (thanks for recommending Andrew Wrigley website BTW) and best way, I’ve found , to hand stitch the out sole. I do everything the same or very close to way you are doing, but after I groove the bottom, I take a dremel with the tiniest milling bit .7mm I think from the bottom and I put a putty knife on top between welt and upper just in case , so I do not hit the upper. I punch holes around the entire welt with dremel then I go back with two needles but the sticher is fine I think. Great job I think! It ain’t easy .., it looks easy, but it is very, very hard to make even.
@@CobblerBob Bob, Since writing the message to you about a year ago, I have been trying a multitude of techniques, and the main problem I found in puncturing the welt and the very hard outsole in a very precise and very repeatable way was the inferior awl blade I was using previously. This led me to be forced to use a Dremel tool in this fashion. Since then I have purchased a few superb awl blades on EBAY and they are NOS made by Maeder and it has been a godsend. I made a custom wooden handle that is perfect for my hand out of some old hardwood from the yard and the high quality steel is amazingly sharp and I can puncture right through the welt and even a double oak sole now, fast and very repeatable. I highly, highly recommended this for any hobby shoemaker or cobbler. It is night and day over cheap Chinese made awls you get on Amazon. Another good awl blade is Barnsley, but these are even more expensive. Let’s face it, I am a bargain hunter and I hate to pay a lot for a tiny piece of metal, but in a case like this being a highly specialized craft, it is essential that one pays for quality. Take care Bob, I love the channel and your open-mindedness… you’re the best! Ty AL
@@zefdin101 This makes a LOT of sense. Honestly, I think it's the HARDEST part of this hobby when you're trying to learn it effectively on your own only by watching others. I can watch someone with the correct technique and copy their technique all day long, but I don't know when I'm missing something or using in this case an inferior tool. Thanks for the info!
Robert great value in your videos you are quite curious and resourceful. I think you could have skive the leather with the knife first for both the half sole and edge and then sand just the edge after stitching. Great video thanks for sharing
I’ve tried to skive leather by hand before... it’s DIFFICULT!! Yes, I should have sanded down that transition BEFORE stitching the sole. That was a big reason I didn’t get it smoother.
Robert WOW great job you are very inspiring, I enjoy your videos. Awesome job with hand stitching. If possible can you show more details on the stitching process. I want to try it, just don't have much information on how to begin the stitching. Also there is a leather sewing machine on amazon that is made in China. Do you think that will work for stitching Goodyear welt?
haryc carfam - Thank you! I’ve seen that machine... I wonder the same question too. I’ve never seen anyone use it for stitching outsoles. It seems too good to be true that for a couple hundred bucks we could buy a machine that can Goodyear Welt outsoles. Here’s a video that may help: ruclips.net/video/6rTRzUymxI4/видео.html
I'm seriously considering doing this to one of my Allen Edmonds 5th Avenue. I got them pretty cheat in eBay, but I managed to restore the uppers to maybe 90%, but sadly the left shoe have a rip in the lower left side, at it even shows the holes from the gemming. Looks like the last resole, which was done at the Allen Edmonds factory missed the gemming on one side, or maybe the previous customer tried too hard to stretch them and the gemming broke. So I'm looking into a full resole including chaning the gemming and welt. I don't care if it takes me 6 months to do it, but I really want to do it. And is not because I'm saving money, but because there are simply no cobblers in my country. None whatsoever. So unless I have a chance of sending the shoes to a cobbler in the US, which might cost half the cost of the resole, or travel, which again is not easy to time a trip with a visit to the cobbler, I'm stuck with no way to fix my shoes. Wish me luck.
Good luck! Go to my before and after playlists... I have two more videos with resoling from home. The "Florsheim Royal Imperial LWB ReSoling at Home" (3 part video) is the best: ruclips.net/video/eTl7lJz7bY0/видео.html
The Awl was from Hobby Lobby, and the other tools (awl, square knife, leather grooving tool, etc), I bought from eBay for sound $40 for Greg whole kit!
NOT HAVING ANY OF THE SHOP TYPE MACHINERY/TOOLS, THE END RESULT IS ACTUALLY QUITE REMARKABLE! KEEP THE VIDEOS COMING. LOVE YOUR CHANNEL (PREDICTION: IT WONT BE LONG BEFORE YOU START GIVING THE BIG DOGS LIKE "BEDOS" AND THE LIKE COMPETITION)..........SUMMARY: "A" FOR EFFORT!!!
I think with more practice you will eventually one day make your own shoes. If your passion for this craft/hobby continues. I see you succeeding. If first you don't succeed, try, try again. Angel from The Bay
Sean, sorry for missing your comment. YES, I have. There are only a handful of shops anywhere near me. One owner was not friendly/open. One recently retired and I lost touch with him, he was over 80. One told me he stopped stitching on soles at all over 10 years ago when his outsole stitcher broke!! I DID actually visit and even film some video AT an actual cobbler's shop! I never uploaded the video though. The results of even the shop owner's work was not nice enough, and I know both he and I would have gotten slaughtered on the web here. He bought the business from someone else only a couple years prior. I don't know if it was his lack of experience, or maybe his machine was not adjusted right, or maybe both? Even his stitching jobs there were many loose threads, and the stitching didn't stay where it should have, so I elected not to use the video =/
Hello Sir, Greetings from Malaysia. This video is very informative and helpful. To find a cobbler who can do good year welt is rare in Malaysia, and your video inspired me to resole by myself. The materials and methods are well explained throughout the entire process and I really learnt something out of it. However, may I know the details of the thread used, what type and diameter? Is it also suitable to sewing around the perimeter of the upper shoe, onto the insole? Hope to receive your advice on this. Thank you and stay safe, Sir.
I’m glad it helped! The only markings on the spool of Leathercraft thread I could find was BTH25 04. Honestly, don’t copy me, go watch some pros like Steve from Bedo’s Leatherworks channel. I’m not 100% sure what you mean by sewing around the perimeter of the upper… that sounds like making a Blake Stitched? I’m mot sure how that’s possible hand welting, with one stitch having to go into the interior of the shoe.
@@CobblerBob Hello Sir. Thanks a lot for responding. Trust you are doing great. Thank you for sharing the details of the thread. Sorry if my message earlier wasn’t clear but what I meant is, can we use same thread to stitch inside, attaching the welt to the upper shoes? - I was asking about the normal process of GYW, not Blake stitch. Thanks for your recommendation, and yes I always watch Steve from Bedos videos 😁. Thank you and stay safe.
@@shayutisharipudin2900gotcha, I am hesitant to answer these questions since I'm NOT an expert, and NOT a pro cobbler, but I believe the same thread can be used to stitch the welt onto the gemming/upper as to stich the sole onto the welt. It seems to me the welt thread might be a little thicker than the outsole thread from the factories though. Go to www.panhandleleather.com and search for ther "Landis Bobbins". They are 25 yard spools of thread designed to be used on Landis outsole stitching machines. This is the thread I purchased for my latest Resoling at Home endeavor I'm working on now, a pair of 1990 Florsheim Royal Imperial LWBs.
@@CobblerBob Hello Sir, Trust you are doing great. Again, a huge thanks to you for responding. It means a lot to me. Oh yes those informations you gave are well noted. It would be handy for my research and my next project as well. I understand that you may not be able to give a professional advise, but trust me, your videos help a lot and informative. Looking forward to watching more from you. Good luck and stay safe Sir. Last but certainly not least, peace from Malaysia 🇲🇾 ✌🏼
You’re welcome! My first engineering job as a sub-contractor for Goodyear I worked on a tire assembly line design for a Goodyear plant in Kuala Lumpur! I never went there though. Cheers!
Robert, Love the shirt, is it Robert Graham? If not who is maker? Robert Graham, if you’re not familiar with his shirts has the cool designs is the cuffs & collar like one you are wearing. I have couple of his shirts I thrifted. Normally like $125 - $250 shirts that I got for $14 each.
Can you make a video or respond here with the names of tools used. size needle and the names of the sheers ans the edging tools with sizing. 3/64 , 1/16 I am a little lost but like you I want to improve my skills. thank you
FYI I have a couple more re-soling at home videos released since. The Resoling of the Florsheim 96624s (3 part video released Nov 2021) is my BEST result by FAR. Anyway: - Speedy Stitcher (JoAnn Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, EBay) about $20 - Extra Speedy Stitcher Relacement needles (Part # BN-135) from Hobby Lobby are about $5 a pack. I wind up using the straight needles in my latest videos. - I got a leather working kit from eBay that had an edge de-burring tool, the dark red handled knife with the straight 90° blade, the grooving cutter, the files, a wooden leather burnishing tool, and a couple other tools for like $40! - I got the pack of 3 awls with the orange handles from either Hobby Lobby or JoAnns for a few bucks. - The leather soles or half soles, the Goodyear Top Lifts, & the cork can be purchased from eBay from seller @Nordshoe or www.panhandleleather.com. - Get Masters All Purpose Cement by Petronio instead of DAP Weldwood. Masters is better & it’s what the pros use. It’s avail on eBay or www.panhandleleather.com. Watch out, there are tiny 4 oz cans, 8oz, and big quart cans. All have a brush. Don’t get the 4 oz, it’s too small. - Belt sander belt, start with 36 grit, finish with 120 grit paper. - The tread I used is from Hobby Lobby, RealLeather P/N BH25 (they sell black and white) but I probably wouldn’t use this. Go to www.realleather.com and get their “Landis Bobbins” for $1.35. Get a few.
Sorry for missing your comment! A Goodyear welting machine uses 2 separate threads, where I am actually using only one thread. One end of the thread runs on the top, and the other end of it runs on the bottom. When making the first stitch, you pass the string through, and pull it to the middle such that both ends are equally long. So at the beginning, there is no loose end to tie off, there is just a loop. The only place you have to tie it off is after the last stitch. When done right, in theory it's functionally the same as if done by a Goodyear welting machine. I think. I could be wrong on that, but that's my understanding.
You really need to cut yourself some slack, and don't even worry about being "flamed" by anyone making negative comments. I think as you practice this more.
You know, that's a great idea! I never really considered a blind stitch, but it would cover it up. Make sure to check out the below linked video, I actually got a pair of shoes to look really nice: ruclips.net/video/RC2i-knabLs/видео.html
He was happy to have the shoes back. He didn’t obviously jump for joy or anything, but he was impressed that I was even able to resole them. He really liked those shoes because they were comfortable and easy to slip on and off.
omg am i the youngest of all the viewers? i am 17 and very fond of formal shoes spending a good amount on wholecut style dark tan shoes goodyear welted .I have been on it since evening and i can’t make them shine like i see on youtube.Also it has got wrinkles ok the toe top .could anyone help this naive please
Sri Seth - I’ve got a lot of shine videos... try this one: ruclips.net/video/O90JXapJrP8/видео.html Also, check out the elegant oxford’s channel. When you say you “can’t make them shine like I see on RUclips“ do you mean the tow camp near shine? It’s definitely not that easy. I’d love to give you more help, but it’s difficult without some frame of reference to give advice. Here’s the video that taught me to mirror shine: ruclips.net/video/WdHS-IgbHC0/видео.html
Robert Powers Hey Sir , how are you doing? Thanks a lot for replying. Firstly, I have wholecut shoes and the main problem i have is that they ain’t shining.I am not talking about the toe cap mirror gloss I am referring to just the overall leather upper. Secondly,the method I had adopted was cleaning the shoes ,polishing them with cherry blossom and then applying Kiwi’s protective neutral shine polish,it is prominently a isotope of wax. So now after providing you with the necessary background,wait my shoes are dark tan ,I want to get to the point: 1) They have got wrinkles mear the toe cap area because of flexion of my foot while walking 2) The colour of the shoe has changed after my experimentations dark tan to brownish ,it doesn’t match at all in colour to the leather swatch that I have . 3)Overall they dont shine well! It would be very kind of you if you could tell me your email id and i could send you the picture.I contemplate it might make it more coherent for you . Thanks Regards,
I did a shoe resole, partly inspired and motivated by your previous resole.
Stiching is easier with a soft sole. Soak it 10 minutes in warm, soapy water, then dry it for about 4-6 hours. Cementing is tricky, I still have to experiment with it. First, you need to brush the surfaces with a metal brush, this make the leather hairy (bigger surface area). Clean both surfaces with aceton. (removes grease and dirt). Before you press them, heat both surfaces with a heat gun just a bit, do not burn the cement. (This completely removes the solvent.) With a well curved awl, your can position the hole and avoid the upper. (use your awl to make the hole only, and stich into fresh holes only, because they shrink fast, put wax on the awl before every hole, cheap shoe wax will be fine, you will feel the difference :)). I use a long thread with two big bent nails on the ends. You can bend normal nails by hand, if you heat them with a lighter until they change color a bit. I also did hand welting with this setup. Sole finishing is pretty hard, wet the sides when you sand them. This way the leather will not burn. Burnt leather is impossible to paint, the paint just peels off. (Knife, rasp, glass, sanding, pro optimal: paint and iron with wax)
This is not an easy job. You need to practice it, and every small technique update can help a lot.
(English is not my first language, but I tried to sum my experiences)
The finished product i.imgur.com/IiLdezr.jpg
The used tools i.imgur.com/ONuZoUJ.jpg
Attila Varga - wow! Thank you! I’ve screen shotted this response & am saving it in my files!!
Where can I purchase high quality curved awl needles like the one pictured in your "used tools" upload?
From welding car seats to stitching shoes. The evolution of Bob Powers. This may not look perfect, but looks good for your second attempt.
B. Tome 👊🏼
This was awesome. Watching you learn and learning myself. Thanks for being humble and willing to show us your process.
daniel 👊🏼 you’re welcome! Thanks for coming along with me!
I now have a new appreciation. The pros make it looks so easy! Good for you for giving it a shot and sharing with us.
I salute you sir. This level of shoe repair is a mysterious art and you did a fine job with very limited tools.
Wow, what a fascinating video. I would never dream of attempting to re-sole a pair of shoes at home. I admire your degree of commitment to gaining shoe related skills.
Robert. You’ve done a really good job. You have to appreciate that a cobbler has all the correct tools etc. For an “amateur” that is a good job. Well done to you.
Mike
For a second time DIY hand-welting, considering you don't have any experience and your tools are the best out there, needles that break etc. It looks pretty good I would be proud if I had done it myself the way you did.
Congratulations! And next time will be even better!
Robert - you really did a good job! I cringe whenever I see Steve at Bedo's hand stitching a goodyear welt. You attached a leather sole by hand. The stitching wasn't perfect but that's on the bottom of the shoe. You made them wearable again. Your analysis was hard on yourself as you did not factor in the high cost of education. You got a lot of experience and improved skill as you made those shoes good enough for anyone to wear.
got a job at a boat factory doing upholstery, then i got a job doing custom boat upholstery, now im older and needed a hobby, i started doing things with leather, then eventually got into missing with leather boots and shoes. i feel those year in upholstery helped me learn the muscle memory faster. thanks for the video, i know how long it takes to make and edit.
This is why I appreciate a well made, handmade shoe/boot. I know the time and effort it takes to put together. Unlike mass produced "made in china" shoes. You can tell the difference. And another reason why I need to find me a good cobbler. They are getting rare these days. Nice video.
Duh.
Hand made and mass produced is always different, where ever it happens.
I want you to know how grateful I am for your shoe repair videos. Especially where you are learning. Saving me and I imagine many others, the same mistakes. You are a shoe Mensch. That’s Yiddish for a person with extraordinary kindness.
ThaNK YOU!! 🙏🏼
It didn't turn out too bad, totally wearable and much better than the previous attempt! Great job for a hand stitched sole.
I was using a belt sander and then a 4" belt & disk bench mount sander but recently switched to a 5" disk sander attachment for my drill mounted in my vice, which I find more controllable and gets into that arch area better. I've really wanted to give this a go to advance from sole protectors and heels. Inspirational as always Bob
I enjoyed and can identify with your comment, "I have an engineering degree and I will figure this out."
I'm in the process of learning resoling myself. At around the 29 minute part, where you are stitching the sole, I find it much easier to make an invisible channel stitching and punch the holes beforehand on an already wet the leather sole. This is how i saw on a lot of cobbler videos at least.
My hat’s off to you! Your dedication to this hobby is impressive.
Sory for missing your comment... thank you!!
I also do my own maintenance om my shoe collection, such as sole protection, applying flush metal toe tips, conditioning of the uppers and maintaining the insides of my shoes. Al lot of great tips and ideas can be picked up by watching your vids. I especially like your rudimentary sole press and sander setup, although the later does seem a little unstable. Burnishing is something I hadn't previously looked into, but thanks to today's vid I have learned about it. Thanks for putting out these vids out!
Hi Bob, a tip for anyone who wants to resole to a good standard.... All the work can be done at home with bladed tools, a hammer and a cheap belt sander, modded for easier access to the curves of the sole edge. The one task I need a cobbler for is the outsole stitch, It's the only way us mortals can do a neat job. If you wanted to do as much yourself as possible, get the cobbler to just make the holes with his outsole stitcher then put the stitch in by hand.... I had to do that once when the thread tension was off on the cobblers machine and he couldn't fix it himself, the result was within a gnats testicle of a machine stitch. I do wonder if a lot of hand made shoes have a closed channel to hide the slightly uneven stitches sole side? My finished results are now more attractive than most cobblers using replacement leather and Dainite full soles. I'd never bother with a half sole personally. I can also do hand welting, which means an upper can last many many re-weltings as you use the original holes, rather than make addition holes via the machine route and I learned how to build and adjust a heel stack from scratch. decent cobbling is do-able and just needs practice, thought and a little learning. Another observation - yes, a sole stitch is attractive, traditional and increases the strength of the shoe to sole bond... but modern contact glues, properly applied and designed for leather and rubber would probably do the job on their own.
That's an interesting idea (cobbler just making holes). If you can find the next attempt where I did a 3 part video on resoling a pair of Florsheim Imperials at home, I used a punch with two pins to space the holes evenly. If you see that video, the sole stitching came out gorgeous. To be honest, it's SO much work, I'm not eager to hand stitch on soles anymore. I think I'll just take them to a Cobbler and have them stitch them on! Your work sounds impressive though!
@@CobblerBob Cheers. Yes, I am very pleased with how my shoes turned out. I've just found another cobbler, with an outsole stitcher) who's willing to do the stitch for me. He's asking for a very small sum as it's a quick job. M
Great inspirational video, Bob. Enjoyed it.
Bob that was insane and inspired. Certainly entertaining. Decent results.
jazzandcocktails7 😂
Excellent work. Your video gave me the confidence to tackle the job my self. Thanks so much for the video.
THIS is the video I've been looking for! I am about to try my first re-soling at home. We will see how it goes...
I've got 4 re-soling at home videos total... definitely check out the latest one, the 3 part video series where I re-soled the black Florsheim Royal Imperial 96624 Long Wing Bluchers. It's by FAR my best work, but there will be a lot of useful stuff there to help you. Resoling a shoe at home is no joke. Each time I've done it, it takes me about 5-6 hours JUST to stitch the soles on. That is the most time consuming step. The neatness of the stitching depends heavily on where the holes for the stitches are. The hole placement depends largely on the finish quality of the sole edges. So TAKE your time on the sole edges!! If the sole edge is wavy, the groove for the stitches will be wavy. If that groove is wavy, there's no way you'll be able to get the Speedy Stitcher needle to hit the groove. The tool I use to pre-punch holes resoling the black AE Graysons and the black Florsheim 96624's was a game changer for me. Feel free to email me at robertpowers1972 at gmail dot com if you want tips.
Thank you for posting this. I already know how to do it now, but it will be helpful to those who want to learn.
See my 3 part series on the vintage black Florsheim Imperials I resoled at home. Those actually came out NICE! I figured out a couple things that really helped.
ruclips.net/video/eTl7lJz7bY0/видео.html
I think that you should be quite satisfied with your results. This is only your second attempt and you improved considerably. An added bonus is that you did not have to visit the hospital!
Perhaps you might consider acquiring an apron to protect your clothes?
Thank you for sharing your learning experience Robert. Well done.
I just ordered a leather working kit today with all the common tools, along with a stitching clamp and a brogue punch so I can start learning how to do my own leatherwork as a hobby. Since I wear a kilt, I prefer a 4” wide belt, which are very difficult to find, so I decided to make my own. I wont be trying anything with my shoes for a long time though, lol
Thanks for showing us the hard parts. I think I will try it on my old shoes.
Great effort, I admire your passion and energy reminds me of me a few years ago working to learn really high end shoemaking lol
Wow! Robert, you did A GREAT JOB! Very inspiring! So funny, I was literally thinking this weekend about learn to do this myself.
What about using a punch to pre-punch the holes for the welt?
I didn’t really explain this well in the video, but after I broke both of my stitching awl needles, I did exactly that. The downside is it’s harder to control where the holes come out when you’re pre-punch them. But that’s exactly what I did on the 2nd shoe.
Be careful if you’re going to get into Cobbling as a hobby. Getting the materials is not easy, search on eBay. Start with replacing heels first befor you do soles. And be careful, with the knives it’s very easy to hurt yourself. I’ve been to the emergency room once already for stitches because I stabbed myself in the wrist.
Totally it’s a wonderful experience to have .thank to shairing . KC from Baghdad
Get video Robert. Men’s Oxfords / dress shoes are fascinating one many levels. Thanks for sharing your learning experience.
Hi Robert, I really enjoyed this video. You do a super job of explaining each step so a layman can understand it and you should be proud of your work. Forgive me for thinking a bumping hammer was for car body work, can't wait to see where the engine crane and welding mask come into shoe repair...Cheers!
LOL, sorry for missing you comment. YES, that's an auto body hammer! Before kids I was into 1980's Oldsmobiles. I had a 1986 Cutlass with a 455 and TH2004R in it. I miss that car.
Hey Robert, for a non-professional I think you did a pretty good job!
Thank you!
@@CobblerBob the people that learn to craft their own needs usually fail better after world changing events like Corona virus epidemic.
An idea for sizing the cork: take a sheet of paper and rub the impression into it, cut it out, refine the shape, then use it as a pattern for the cork.
That is what I do when I repair my shoes. 👍🏽
Good idea! Thanks!
Really nice job!!! You are now definitely a 'Sole Man'!
Thank you Mr Powers! Great video.
👊🏼
Hi Robert ...good attempt doing it by hand. Could you share the tool kit you used or did you buy each tool individually?
Aaron, I apologize for missing your comment. I know I got most of the tools as a kit. It was less than $50, and I believe it was either from Amazon or eBay. I tried looking through my purchase history on both, but unfortunately was not able to find it.
16:58 🤣 omg dude. That was hilarious but scary
Really not bad, I'm starting to venture into DiY sole/heel replacement myself.
You’re brave for doing this but it puts into perspective the actual skill of a professional cobbler. Steve from Bedo’s leather works makes it look easy and effortless.
Sorry for missing your comment... YES. They DO make it look easy! Even things like sanding heels is surprisingly difficult.
An improvement on the last (no pun intended) try :-) I recon that a lot of the time you need to do something, make mistakes and eventually you'll learn. I put a couple of lulu top caps on a pair of Crockett and Jones Derbys that I have - it took me way longer then I anticipated and was not that easy! Well done for having a go :-)
Best wishes
Tony
That did not look easy, you did a really good job! Thanks for documenting. I definitely have an even greater appreciation for the shoemakers on Kirby Allison’s world championship of shoemaking series now.
jeff anco - yes! I watch them on TV and nitpick about the stitching not being perfect, then I do it and I can’t even get the old sole off in less than 10 mins, LOL.
Robert quite frankly you did a better job than some of the "professional" cobbler jobs people sometimes complain about in our Allen Edmonds Enthusiasts group and those guys have full on machines with more practice so way to go good sir. Gasp! Could you be the next great Steve Doudaklian?! Dun dun DUUUUUUN! Haha Great content as always. Best wishes to you and the fam my man.
Alex Adomeit 👊🏼😂
I'm totally enjoying your videos! Would it make sense to dye the upper threads black? Also, have you ever looked into the Chinese Cobbler Sewing Machine? Not sure how the stitch is same or different. Lots of RUclips videos on how to make them motorized.
Yes, or you could just use a black thread on top. NO, but I think I saw a video on them once... maybe I need to look into it? For a little over $100, it might be worth trying?? Then again, these days I spend more time in the garage than cobbling.
Man I adore your persistence. Would have abandoned ship after 30 minutes on a good day ^^
Robert,
Great video!
I have been repairing and making shoes from hand (thanks for recommending Andrew Wrigley website BTW) and best way, I’ve found , to hand stitch the out sole. I do everything the same or very close to way you are doing, but after I groove the bottom, I take a dremel with the tiniest milling bit .7mm I think from the bottom and I put a putty knife on top between welt and upper just in case , so I do not hit the upper. I punch holes around the entire welt with dremel then I go back with two needles but the sticher is fine I think.
Great job I think! It ain’t easy .., it looks easy, but it is very, very hard to make even.
Al, sorry for missing this comment! Great idea, thanks!
@@CobblerBob
Bob,
Since writing the message to you about a year ago, I have been trying a multitude of techniques, and the main problem I found in puncturing the welt and the very hard outsole in a very precise and very repeatable way was the inferior awl blade I was using previously. This led me to be forced to use a Dremel tool in this fashion. Since then I have purchased a few superb awl blades on EBAY and they are NOS made by Maeder and it has been a godsend. I made a custom wooden handle that is perfect for my hand out of some old hardwood from the yard and the high quality steel is amazingly sharp and I can puncture right through the welt and even a double oak sole now, fast and very repeatable. I highly, highly recommended this for any hobby shoemaker or cobbler. It is night and day over cheap Chinese made awls you get on Amazon. Another good awl blade is Barnsley, but these are even more expensive. Let’s face it, I am a bargain hunter and I hate to pay a lot for a tiny piece of metal, but in a case like this being a highly specialized craft, it is essential that one pays for quality. Take care Bob, I love the channel and your open-mindedness… you’re the best! Ty
AL
@@zefdin101 This makes a LOT of sense. Honestly, I think it's the HARDEST part of this hobby when you're trying to learn it effectively on your own only by watching others. I can watch someone with the correct technique and copy their technique all day long, but I don't know when I'm missing something or using in this case an inferior tool. Thanks for the info!
Robert great value in your videos you are quite curious and resourceful. I think you could have skive the leather with the knife first for both the half sole and edge and then sand just the edge after stitching. Great video thanks for sharing
I’ve tried to skive leather by hand before... it’s DIFFICULT!! Yes, I should have sanded down that transition BEFORE stitching the sole. That was a big reason I didn’t get it smoother.
You are so ingenious with the tools man ! haha great job !
Robert WOW great job you are very inspiring, I enjoy your videos. Awesome job with hand stitching. If possible can you show more details on the stitching process. I want to try it, just don't have much information on how to begin the stitching. Also there is a leather sewing machine on amazon that is made in China. Do you think that will work for stitching Goodyear welt?
haryc carfam - Thank you! I’ve seen that machine... I wonder the same question too. I’ve never seen anyone use it for stitching outsoles. It seems too good to be true that for a couple hundred bucks we could buy a machine that can Goodyear Welt outsoles.
Here’s a video that may help:
ruclips.net/video/6rTRzUymxI4/видео.html
Thank you very much, on my way to Hobby Lobby now to buy the tool. What thread do you recommend? And keep those videos coming.
I enjoyed watching this very much!
I'm seriously considering doing this to one of my Allen Edmonds 5th Avenue. I got them pretty cheat in eBay, but I managed to restore the uppers to maybe 90%, but sadly the left shoe have a rip in the lower left side, at it even shows the holes from the gemming. Looks like the last resole, which was done at the Allen Edmonds factory missed the gemming on one side, or maybe the previous customer tried too hard to stretch them and the gemming broke. So I'm looking into a full resole including chaning the gemming and welt. I don't care if it takes me 6 months to do it, but I really want to do it. And is not because I'm saving money, but because there are simply no cobblers in my country. None whatsoever. So unless I have a chance of sending the shoes to a cobbler in the US, which might cost half the cost of the resole, or travel, which again is not easy to time a trip with a visit to the cobbler, I'm stuck with no way to fix my shoes.
Wish me luck.
Good luck! Go to my before and after playlists... I have two more videos with resoling from home. The "Florsheim Royal Imperial LWB ReSoling at Home" (3 part video) is the best:
ruclips.net/video/eTl7lJz7bY0/видео.html
Great video Robert. Where did you source your tools from?
The Awl was from Hobby Lobby, and the other tools (awl, square knife, leather grooving tool, etc), I bought from eBay for sound $40 for Greg whole kit!
Well they turned out pretty good
Awesome just awesome. Keep it up.
👊🏼
Nice, the belt sander does look rather hard to handle, so instead I would just use some sandpaper by hand, or glass shards.
Sorry for missing your comment! I have never tried the glass method, I would like to try it soon.
Great information thank you for your time and sharing
frank marti 👊🏼
After watching this I feel like shoe cobbles aren’t getting enough respect. Cobblers need a national holiday.
YES!
Your using the grooving tool upside down the hole gos down to the leather and it will groove with very little effort.
Sorry I missed the comment... but THANK YOU! They don’t come with directions!
Not bad, no one is going to notice the imperfections and they're more than serviceable, they're fine.
You divided your materials from your time? I would think you would add the total materials to the sum of min wage x hours.
Yeah, that might make more sense
Not too shabby!
great work for first attempt! keep it up.
Classic, bob power video!! Love it!! 🙋♂️
Thank you!!
NOT HAVING ANY OF THE SHOP TYPE MACHINERY/TOOLS, THE END RESULT IS ACTUALLY QUITE REMARKABLE! KEEP THE VIDEOS COMING. LOVE YOUR CHANNEL (PREDICTION: IT WONT BE LONG BEFORE YOU START GIVING THE BIG DOGS LIKE "BEDOS" AND THE LIKE COMPETITION)..........SUMMARY: "A" FOR EFFORT!!!
SEYMOUR SCAGNETTI 😂 thank you!
Much better job mate, realy improved on last time, your get better with time
I think with more practice you will eventually one day make your own shoes. If your passion for this craft/hobby continues. I see you succeeding. If first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Angel from The Bay
🙏🏼 thank you!
Have you tried asking your nearest cobbler of you could volunteer on shoes you bring in? Or maybe use his shop after hours?
Sean, sorry for missing your comment. YES, I have. There are only a handful of shops anywhere near me. One owner was not friendly/open. One recently retired and I lost touch with him, he was over 80. One told me he stopped stitching on soles at all over 10 years ago when his outsole stitcher broke!! I DID actually visit and even film some video AT an actual cobbler's shop! I never uploaded the video though. The results of even the shop owner's work was not nice enough, and I know both he and I would have gotten slaughtered on the web here. He bought the business from someone else only a couple years prior. I don't know if it was his lack of experience, or maybe his machine was not adjusted right, or maybe both? Even his stitching jobs there were many loose threads, and the stitching didn't stay where it should have, so I elected not to use the video =/
Hello Sir,
Greetings from Malaysia.
This video is very informative and helpful. To find a cobbler who can do good year welt is rare in Malaysia, and your video inspired me to resole by myself.
The materials and methods are well explained throughout the entire process and I really learnt something out of it.
However, may I know the details of the thread used, what type and diameter?
Is it also suitable to sewing around the perimeter of the upper shoe, onto the insole?
Hope to receive your advice on this.
Thank you and stay safe, Sir.
I’m glad it helped! The only markings on the spool of Leathercraft thread I could find was BTH25 04. Honestly, don’t copy me, go watch some pros like Steve from Bedo’s Leatherworks channel.
I’m not 100% sure what you mean by sewing around the perimeter of the upper… that sounds like making a Blake Stitched? I’m mot sure how that’s possible hand welting, with one stitch having to go into the interior of the shoe.
@@CobblerBob
Hello Sir.
Thanks a lot for responding.
Trust you are doing great.
Thank you for sharing the details of the thread. Sorry if my message earlier wasn’t clear but what I meant is, can we use same thread to stitch inside, attaching the welt to the upper shoes? - I was asking about the normal process of GYW, not Blake stitch.
Thanks for your recommendation, and yes I always watch Steve from Bedos videos 😁.
Thank you and stay safe.
@@shayutisharipudin2900gotcha, I am hesitant to answer these questions since I'm NOT an expert, and NOT a pro cobbler, but I believe the same thread can be used to stitch the welt onto the gemming/upper as to stich the sole onto the welt. It seems to me the welt thread might be a little thicker than the outsole thread from the factories though. Go to www.panhandleleather.com and search for ther "Landis Bobbins". They are 25 yard spools of thread designed to be used on Landis outsole stitching machines. This is the thread I purchased for my latest Resoling at Home endeavor I'm working on now, a pair of 1990 Florsheim Royal Imperial LWBs.
@@CobblerBob
Hello Sir,
Trust you are doing great.
Again, a huge thanks to you for responding. It means a lot to me. Oh yes those informations you gave are well noted. It would be handy for my research and my next project as well.
I understand that you may not be able to give a professional advise, but trust me, your videos help a lot and informative.
Looking forward to watching more from you.
Good luck and stay safe Sir.
Last but certainly not least, peace from Malaysia 🇲🇾 ✌🏼
You’re welcome! My first engineering job as a sub-contractor for Goodyear I worked on a tire assembly line design for a Goodyear plant in Kuala Lumpur! I never went there though. Cheers!
Wow amazing diy I like your video 👍
Robert,
Love the shirt, is it Robert Graham? If not who is maker?
Robert Graham, if you’re not familiar with his shirts has the cool designs is the cuffs & collar like one you are wearing. I have couple of his shirts I thrifted. Normally like $125 - $250 shirts that I got for $14 each.
Al, the brand is “Clothesmith”. I can assure you I paid no more than $8- $12 for it from a thrift store! 😬
Can you make a video or respond here with the names of tools used. size needle and the names of the sheers ans the edging tools with sizing. 3/64 , 1/16 I am a little lost but like you I want to improve my skills. thank you
FYI I have a couple more re-soling at home videos released since. The Resoling of the Florsheim 96624s (3 part video released Nov 2021) is my BEST result by FAR. Anyway:
- Speedy Stitcher (JoAnn Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, EBay) about $20
- Extra Speedy Stitcher Relacement needles (Part # BN-135) from Hobby Lobby are about $5 a pack. I wind up using the straight needles in my latest videos.
- I got a leather working kit from eBay that had an edge de-burring tool, the dark red handled knife with the straight 90° blade, the grooving cutter, the files, a wooden leather burnishing tool, and a couple other tools for like $40!
- I got the pack of 3 awls with the orange handles from either Hobby Lobby or JoAnns for a few bucks.
- The leather soles or half soles, the Goodyear Top Lifts, & the cork can be purchased from eBay from seller @Nordshoe or www.panhandleleather.com.
- Get Masters All Purpose Cement by Petronio instead of DAP Weldwood. Masters is better & it’s what the pros use. It’s avail on eBay or www.panhandleleather.com. Watch out, there are tiny 4 oz cans, 8oz, and big quart cans. All have a brush. Don’t get the 4 oz, it’s too small.
- Belt sander belt, start with 36 grit, finish with 120 grit paper.
- The tread I used is from Hobby Lobby, RealLeather P/N BH25 (they sell black and white) but I probably wouldn’t use this. Go to www.realleather.com and get their “Landis Bobbins” for $1.35. Get a few.
I know this is just a hobby. But it wouldve been nice to have a whole resole n upper restoration
Why didmt you tie the first stitch. I love this. I'm in no way a cobbler. I only watch videos of channels like trent n heath
Sorry for missing your comment! A Goodyear welting machine uses 2 separate threads, where I am actually using only one thread. One end of the thread runs on the top, and the other end of it runs on the bottom. When making the first stitch, you pass the string through, and pull it to the middle such that both ends are equally long. So at the beginning, there is no loose end to tie off, there is just a loop. The only place you have to tie it off is after the last stitch. When done right, in theory it's functionally the same as if done by a Goodyear welting machine. I think. I could be wrong on that, but that's my understanding.
@@CobblerBob ty for explaining that
Bob you need a repair shop I got about 4 pairs to send you and you can give bedos a run for the title
BRAVO!!!
CHeck out The resoling new pair of Forsch and Royal Imperials at home, that one came out nice!
@@CobblerBob Will do thanks, so brave to just trying, I would mess them up greatly so I was very, very impressed. CHEERS!
You really need to cut yourself some slack, and don't even worry about being "flamed" by anyone making negative comments. I think as you practice this more.
Remember, your $7/hr was all take home, no taxes, FICA, health or retirement deductions. Not too bad.
A hidden stich this way would be perfect
Let me work my skills up!
i can dig it. gj
I think that a blind stitch would be a better choice
You know, that's a great idea! I never really considered a blind stitch, but it would cover it up. Make sure to check out the below linked video, I actually got a pair of shoes to look really nice:
ruclips.net/video/RC2i-knabLs/видео.html
The outsole is supposed to be angled
awesome job... a few minutes in and I can tell I will not be trying this at home. thanks though!
LOL!! Make sure you check out the Florsheim Royal Imperial resole at home. I finally got a pair to look NICE.
ruclips.net/video/eTl7lJz7bY0/видео.html
What did you friend think?
He was happy to have the shoes back. He didn’t obviously jump for joy or anything, but he was impressed that I was even able to resole them. He really liked those shoes because they were comfortable and easy to slip on and off.
Not bad
Attempt #4 (black Florsheim Royal Imperials) actually came out nearly professional!
omg am i the youngest of all the viewers? i am 17 and very fond of formal shoes spending a good amount on wholecut style dark tan shoes goodyear welted .I have been on it since evening and i can’t make them shine like i see on youtube.Also it has got wrinkles ok the toe top .could anyone help this naive please
Sri Seth - I’ve got a lot of shine videos... try this one:
ruclips.net/video/O90JXapJrP8/видео.html
Also, check out the elegant oxford’s channel.
When you say you “can’t make them shine like I see on RUclips“ do you mean the tow camp near shine? It’s definitely not that easy. I’d love to give you more help, but it’s difficult without some frame of reference to give advice.
Here’s the video that taught me to mirror shine: ruclips.net/video/WdHS-IgbHC0/видео.html
Robert Powers Hey Sir , how are you doing? Thanks a lot for replying.
Firstly, I have wholecut shoes and the main problem i have is that they ain’t shining.I am not talking about the toe cap mirror gloss I am referring to just the overall leather upper.
Secondly,the method I had adopted was cleaning the shoes ,polishing them with cherry blossom and then applying Kiwi’s protective neutral shine polish,it is prominently a isotope of wax.
So now after providing you with the necessary background,wait my shoes are dark tan ,I want to get to the point:
1) They have got wrinkles mear the toe cap area because of flexion of my foot while walking
2) The colour of the shoe has changed after my experimentations dark tan to brownish ,it doesn’t match at all in colour to the leather swatch that I have .
3)Overall they dont shine well!
It would be very kind of you if you could tell me your email id and i could send you the picture.I contemplate it might make it more coherent for you .
Thanks
Regards,
Yikes! @ 28:30. Lol gotta start somewhere. I wouldnt do any better
:)