Questions about re-soling and repairing uppers

[MaximRecoil]

I have a pair of Dexter Shoe Acadia work boots that I bought new in 1993, and wore regularly until 2015, at which point one of the uppers started to tear away from the Goodyear welt stitching. Here’s a picture:



I would like to install a new pair of welts, insoles, midsoles, and outsoles.

But before they can be re-soled, the uppers need to be repaired. After removing the old welt, insole, midsole, and outsole assembly, I want to stitch a new strip of leather around the bottoms of both uppers, like in this mockup picture I made:



That would give me fresh leather to stitch new welts to, and they should last a very long time after that, provided the new leather is as of good quality as the original leather that the uppers were made from in the first place.

 

Does my plan sound feasible? If so, any suggestions for the type of leather I should use? The original leather is soft, full-grain tumbled leather, as can be seen on my boots in the areas above the ankle where it is still like new. It must have been very good quality for it to have lasted as long as it did (over half my life).

 

Also, where can I get a suitable strip of welting (the original is made of some sort of plastic), insoles, and midsoles? Here's a closeup picture of the welt, midsole, and outsole:

 

 

From what I remember, seeing these go by on the assembly line (I worked at the original Dexter Shoe factory in Dexter, Maine for about 2 years, until they packed up and moved to China in 2002; all their boots are fake leather junk that sell for $40 or $50 a pair now), the insoles were made of a white, stiffly woven fabric of some sort (perhaps with something else inside the fabric for structure), with a ridge around the bottom perimeter. The welt was stitched to the bottom of the upper and that ridge on the insole simultaneously. Then the midsoles were stitched to the welt, and the outsoles (Vibram Armortred #4007 basketweave) were cemented to the midsoles. Then they were heel scoured and edge trimmed; done.

[Flash]

The most important part of tackling this repair is where to obtain a suitable pair of lasts, without which the repair is not feasible.

Even with a pair of lasts the repair would not be for the faint hearted. You will need a lot of time, a bit of skill, and a lot of luck.

I wish you all the best, I look forward to seeing a picture when the repair is completed.

[Lee]

you'd need a last to hold the shape of the upper for resoling & rebuilding, without it the chances are after spending hours doing the work when you finally put them back on your feet they'd be misshapen & uncomfortable. with out the original manufacturers lasts you're on a hidding to no where. I think its time to realise, its time to let them go.

 

Lee

[da miller]

send it to me 

iwill fix side for you

then carry on with what you

were going to do