ironplanet uk900 Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 We recently had a Lady customer on the forum asking if anyone could repair her boot. she posted a picture for us to look at. I offered to do the job at a reduced rate hoping she would have them done so I could do a tutorial for the forum. Haven't heard from her since. But as luck would have it a customer brought a pair in with almost the same problem.... This is how we went about the repair. The heels were a little awkward in shape to get like for like replacements, so I repaired the existing heels. Leaving the heels attached to the boot(makes it easier to work with at this stage), peel back the covering and glue the broken piece back on (superglue) when the glue has gone off, drill a small ( 1/8 ) pilot hole carfully down the centre of the heel. then drill a again using a drill exactly the same size as a tube insert. Then insert the tube, make sure you use a good quality tube as this is going to take the strain from here on. Now is a good time to take off the heel using your electric pliers, remember not to use excessive heat, this just ruins the heel seat, you only need to heat the nails for a second. remember to clear all the bits of leather off the heel breast, so you get a nice neat finish when you replace the heel block. peel off all the leather covering and tidy up the remaining crack the damaged heel has left. with this one I put some more superglue in the crack and tapped it close gently with my hammer. Now you can recover the heel block, choosing the nearest match you can. this even applies with black, as the finish varies so much. I always warn the customer that we always try to find the nearest match but a slight difference is usually unaviodable. I always start sticking the covering on down the back of the heel block first, and then gently smoothing it around the sides, snipping the leather as you get further round to the front, this releaves the stress on the leather as it tries to give in the curves of the block. If that makes sense. Then glue the components as normal and replace them on the shoe. I tend to screw these heels on nowerdays, by drilling pilot holes first. Then reheel and finish as normal one very happy customer with exactly the same heels as she wanted. regards uk900 This post has been promoted to an article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Another fine tutorial, Do you offer a trade service for such repairs? Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Do you offer a trade service for such repairs? Lee Come on Lee, I'm sure you could do the same job if you put you're mind to it Nice job UKman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Another fine tutorial, Do you offer a trade service for such repairs? Lee I never thought of offering it as a service to the trade, It's one of those jobs were I like to talk to the customer myself to explain whats going to happen to their shoe/boots Colour matching etc. But if anyone needs the service I'd be happy to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Come on Lee, I'm sure you could do the same job if you put you're mind to it Indeed I could, however there are many that can't otherwise Uk wouldn't have done the tutorial. Its these members that might like to use a trade service like this from UK, after all he's done the interview by showing us this work. I would now be quite happy to post him a pair of shoes having seen this work (if I couldn't do the work myself) We all have our strong and weak points, mine is Brass plaques I simply hate doing them, not that I can't I just choose not too, so I always farm this work out. A fax later and its done. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Great job. Finished a pair of heels like that on Sat,got slated cos the customer didnt like the flared bottoms. Cant win! What top pieceing did you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Great job.Finished a pair of heels like that on Sat,got slated cos the customer didnt like the flared bottoms. Thats the beauty of fixing the existing heel, and trimming it the same as original, and taking photos to show them. What top pieceing did you use? Originally they had push-on moulded plastic top pieces, which was part of the cause of them breaking. we put tubes in for strength and also to hold the heel on, so as not to further damage the plastic blocks. However I didn't have PU tops big enough, so I used Vaulkalon sheeting, put a hole in and attached with a attaching pin I also glued them on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corlas Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Good work UK And good posting! Health! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Thanks Corlas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny King Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 A true craftman at work Nice one UK900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TITs Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 A Trade service is what I need, sounds like a bit of a good idea im going to PM you on that very subject Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x minit uk Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Great post mr UK. Nice to see a genius at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerbas Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Nice job viking, keep up the tutorials!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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