Reattach a Felt Sole

[chemdoc]

I have a pair of wading boots and the felt sole is detaching on one of them. Can anyone recommend an adhesive that will hold it in place? Thanks.

Phil

[Darian]

Try Shoe Goo. Haven't used it to attach soles yet but I've used it on several items and found that it dried quickly, holds well and seems like it'll stick anything to anything .

[Finsane]

I use silicone

[BigSmallFly]

I have tried Shoe Goo, and it didn't hold for very long.

I am very tough on Wading Boots and they don't last any longer than a season. I usually have to replace or repair the felt by lat July, and hope they last through the fall.

I prefer Aqua Seal. Two tips. 1) I find the sole last longer to cut off the old sole and replace it with a new one. The hold is so much better with clean surfaces (regardless of the glue), that it is easier to cut off the old soles and replace them that it is to get the clean out the area that is lifting up. Especially considering the dirt and debri that grinds into the felt. 2) To clamp the sole to the bottom of the boot, I use a lot of string. I just keep wrapping the boot as tightly as I can get it, and along as thin of a gap between passes. I end up with a ball of string by the end and can't even see the boot. Otherwise, I get bubbles or gaps, which result in the felt lifting from the sole within the first trip or two.

I hope this helps. Cheers.

[BillB]

Chota's repair kit came with Aqua Seal, at least the kit I purchased. The felt heal has been tight for over two years.

[dberry]

Try Barge. Its a water resistant, contact cement.

[Ralph]

Cobblers use Barge in the YELLOW tube/can. The Blue label Barge might be better for air quality, but it doesn't seem to work very well. I've always had excellent results when glueing felt using YELLOW Barge cement. Shoe Goo, Aqua seal, Goop all work well as long as the surfaces are clean and the bond is tight during curing. YELLOW Barge is the easiest to work with. . . no need for long-term serious clamping as long as the contact is made between the felt and sole.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Although some folks might pooh-pooh this, I've had really good luck using Gorilla Glue to reattach soles or to repair wading and hiking boots.

--F.G. Dave

[KillBill]

You won't find anything better than g. g. I've used it on wet and dry wading boots and just remember to wrap the sole tight with duct tape to form a good joint... g.g. expands when it dries and trim off the excess once it has set. There are other glue companies that make their own glue that is the same as g.g. so you do have options there. I was fishing the Clearwater bought a new pair of wading shoes at Poppy's "The Red shed" and had seperation in two days went to Orofino and bought Elmers brand and was back in the water over night and they are still stuck.

[flounder]

I've tried a few different things. The cobbler method was expensive and the sole didn't hold. I then tried Gorilla and it fell off too (though maybe its the way I applied it. I've heard others say it works well.) Aquaseal worked and its still working. Dont skimp and use enough glue.

[oldtrout]

I used Barge Cement with good results, but that was 20+ years ago.
30+?

[chemdoc]

Thanks for all of the good suggestions. I have both aquaseal and gorilla glue, so one should do the trick.

[BHirayama]

Hi Ralph. I can't seem to find the yellow Barge. Do they still make it? If not what would be your advice on the best adhesive? Thanks Ralph!

[Ralph]

Hi Ralph. I can't seem to find the yellow Barge. Do they still make it? If not what would be your advice on the best adhesive? Thanks Ralph!
On Amazon you can buy it by the pint and the quart.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

For decades we used Barge contact cement to put new felt sole kits on.

We used one coat on the boot and two coats on the felt.

You put on the Barge and let it dry before putting the surfaced together.

I think it is fairly instant as they call it contact cement.



Today I would try AquaSeal for a repair but it must set up over night.
.

[BHirayama]

Thanks Ralph. I will get in on Amazon!

[Bob G]

Since 1973 I have also been very successful using Barge Cement (yellow container). Most recently, while on vacation last Summer I found Barge Cement at the hardware store in Graeagle/Blairsden. After joining the felt sole to the boot's bottom, I always try to get a hammer or similar object and pound the sole to insure great contact, with special emphasis on the edges. Barge absolutely will not fail you!

As an aside, in the old days we would buy rubber lug sole waders, take them to the tire store in Bozeman, Montana, and use their buffer to grind off the tread. Then good old Barge Cement took it from there. In those days we couldn't afford felt replacement soles, so we used indoor/outdoor carpet which was functional for wading, but it didn"t wear nearly as well as felt.

Best, Bob