Gluing Vibram soles On Doc Martens

[elfman]

personally if i was going to glue doc martins i would not use 5050 ,the best was the foss8016 or the gripsotite pta as these seem to be no longer available then the chocie is either syntac total ,multicol  colle de clogne or 5050 my prefered choice is multicol ,never really been over keen on any bostik adhesives

 

[grahamparker]

11 hours ago, Flash said:

I don't remember being offensive to anyone, if I have offended anyone I apologise, I just don't believe fitting a pair of Vibram units to a D.M.upper is a very good D.I.Y project.

If the D.M. have little value then by all means give it a go. My advice remains the same, if you value your D.M. then seek expert help.

It wasn't you mate it was Tom D who got offensive.

[Bren]

On 5/24/2018 at 10:47 PM, JaySpencer said:

I can see from searching around that superglue as a primer and bostik 5050 is recommended, I've already peeled the outer soles off so its a bit late for forewarning, if i screw it up ill be glad i gave it a shot anyhow, ill try this and if i can't get hold of the bostik perhaps a more general contact cement. Im a trainee mechanic, nothing to do with cobbling but I'm used to using my hands.

Im not trying to cheapskate anything or avoid paying to have them fixed, as said I visited the cobbler with every intention to pay him for resoling them, I assumed when he said that they can't be fixed it would be the same for all cobblers local to me as even I understand that the way they're constructed is a bit unconventional.

If anyone has any actual tips instead of unjustified anger and fear of sharing knowledge of a trade it'd be appreciated, if not i'll try it anyway.

I googled shoe repair forum, not the angry cobbler forum, if this isn't a place where an honest guy can come to seek a bit of advice, then whats the point? Might as well be called 'cobblers trade secrets'. 

DO NOT USE SUPERGLUE.

[Shorehamboy]

On 5/24/2018 at 11:04 PM, SteelCityShoes said:

Jay, where are you based? We might be able to recommend someone near to you who can do them for you. Some guys on here also do postal work.

Tom is annoyed, because recently the rise of these eBay sellers trying to cash in selling repair materials and things has contributed to many hardworking guys going out is business.

You say you’re a mechanic, I wouldn’t try and fix my own car, I’d leave it to you. There’s a lot more to shoe repair than a bit of glue.

You rightly said that in the factory they are heat bonded, don’t try this, the fumes are toxic and won’t work with a vibram sole. While some Vibram soles can go on Docs without an issue, not all of them can. Likewise with glue, it’s not just a case of painting it on and on top of that, one glue won’t bond all materials. For example 5050 won’t stick a Vibram sole to a Doc boot.

You are honestly best just taking them to a different shoe repairer. You’ll end up spending a lot more time and money doing it yourself and you may not have success

Hi SteelCityshoes ... can you recommend somewhere in Sheff that could resole my knackered old docs? Thanks 

[SteelCityShoes]

1 hour ago, Shorehamboy said:

Hi SteelCityshoes ... can you recommend somewhere in Sheff that could resole my knackered old docs? Thanks 

I might be able to, have you got any pictures?

[Shorehamboy]

11 hours ago, SteelCityShoes said:

I might be able to, have you got any pictures?

Cheers ...

 

To be honest I gave up on these a while ago and assume they’re beyond repair, or at least not really worth it. 

 

They were my first pair of proper boots, bought 5 or 6 years ago, and I probably didn’t really look after them. I’ve got another pair in black and two pairs of DM shoes, all of which have been looked after well, so even if the boots pictured can’t be salvaged I’d like to be able to resole the others when the time comes.

[Clinton]

Hi I've been working on shoes now for over 30 years now and ive been doing dms along time ive always said any shoe can be repaired im sick of hearing other cobblers who have been trained for three months or so and work for a company and say to customers sorry carnt repair them always go to a local cobbler who loves is work check is feedback of customers any dm can be repaired 

[Clinton]

I can repair them for you 

[Flash]

42 minutes ago, Clinton said:

I can repair them for you 

Need to read the date, this topic is a bit old now.

[ironplanet uk900]

He's not doing anyone out of work!

Timpson have set a president as far as shoe repairs go... very expensive, very poor quality & incorrect advice. (Not all branches, but most imo)

This is the sort of story that is probably all too common these days.

Thus leaving potential customers disillusioned by our trade in general. 

If your a handy person, why shouldn't you attempt your own repair?

Over the years I've done many a tradesman out of a job because I've fixed it myself for a fraction of the cost... I'm sure most of you have too!

Some members on here are embarrassingly dumb. 

 

Just sayin.

[Flash]

31 minutes ago, ironplanet uk900 said:

He's not doing anyone out of work!

Timpson have set a president as far as shoe repairs go... very expensive, very poor quality & incorrect advice. (Not all branches, but most imo)

This is the sort of story that is probably all too common these days.

Thus leaving potential customers disillusioned by our trade in general. 

If your a handy person, why shouldn't you attempt your own repair?

Over the years I've done many a tradesman out of a job because I've fixed it myself for a fraction of the cost... I'm sure most of you have too!

Some members on here are embarrassingly dumb. 

 

Just sayin.

I was referring to the original post date Jan 2019, nothing wrong with having a go yourself but this pair requires extensive repairs, beyond most competent D.I.Y.ers

[ironplanet uk900]

27 minutes ago, Flash said:

I was referring to the original post date Jan 2019, nothing wrong with having a go yourself but this pair requires extensive repairs, beyond most competent D.I.Y.ers

I wasnt quoting anyone in particular!!!

[Flash]

21 hours ago, ironplanet uk900 said:

I wasnt quoting anyone in particular!!!

Sorry, just an old topic, bit out of date.

[Marketcobbler Peterborough]

Hi doc martens can be repaired by putting a whole new unit on them. 

If you are interested in getting this done, then contact us on our Facebook page (market cobbler rivergate Peterborough) 

this service is £35 plus postage if they can be brought in to us. We only use genuine official airway units and typical take 3-5 days. 

For anymore information please contact our Facebook with any question or inquiries. 

[Flash]

3 hours ago, Marketcobbler Peterborough said:

Hi doc martens can be repaired by putting a whole new unit on them. 

If you are interested in getting this done, then contact us on our Facebook page (market cobbler rivergate Peterborough) 

this service is £35 plus postage if they can be brought in to us. We only use genuine official airway units and typical take 3-5 days. 

For anymore information please contact our Facebook with any question or inquiries. 

So, for £35 you are willing to fit a pair of D.M. units, welts, vamps and possibly insoles?

I don't think this is an economical repair, plus read the date, tho owner gave up on these in Jan 2019.......

[grahamparker]

1 hour ago, Flash said:

So, for £35 you are willing to fit a pair of D.M. units, welts, vamps and possibly insoles?

I don't think this is an economical repair, plus read the date, tho owner gave up on these in Jan 2019.......

If a member of the public searches the internet they find the forum and they will see these posts and contact the companies directly in future. I have had 100’s of calls and emails from customers who found my posts on the forum. In regards to pricing this argument rages on dependant on location and how affluent that area is so to some £35.00 is way to expensive to others way to cheap that’s always been the case. I have to balance my costs with other local companies and calculate vat costs and overheads before setting my prices. I would rather cut 1000 keys and make a reasonable profit rather than 100 at a much more expensive price.

[Flash]

15 minutes ago, grahamparker said:

If a member of the public searches the internet they find the forum and they will see these posts and contact the companies directly in future. I have had 100’s of calls and emails from customers who found my posts on the forum. In regards to pricing this argument rages on dependant on location and how affluent that area is so to some £35.00 is way to expensive to others way to cheap that’s always been the case. I have to balance my costs with other local companies and calculate vat costs and overheads before setting my prices. I would rather cut 1000 keys and make a reasonable profit rather than 100 at a much more expensive price.

I agre, but with this particular repair £35 would either be an unsatisfactory repair, or not profitable.

[grahamparker]

10 minutes ago, Flash said:

I agre, but with this particular repair £35 would either be an unsatisfactory repair, or not profitable.

Again it depends on what you are paying for the units/materials we do not all pay the same price.

[fasdfee3]

No your a cheapskate for asking the way to do them if you do no longer have a clue then leave it on my own ,plus if as you are saying you've got pulled them off then you may well have done greater damage than accurate, plus the reality who ever advised you they could not be repaired must no longer be within the alternate as they are smooth to do

[x minit uk]

Absolutely 

[Ian MOP]

Hi I'm a member of the public looking at options for new soles and came across this forum. So far I have found the following.

Timpsons ~ Waste of time, unless pushed they won't send them away

There is a place in Southend Essex that repairs Solovair (and recommended by Solovair)

I can only find a place in the midlands to resole DR Martens and then only 1460 boots.

If you wish to purchase replacement soles Solovair sell them for £15 a pair (maybe cheaper on EBay etc. but what the quality is like is anyone's guess) I have purchased a pair of genuine Solovair soles direct from Solovair. 

If I can't find a cobbler to resole my Dr Martens I will contact the place in Southend and see if they are prepared to resole Dr Martens with Solovair soles. 

As a very last resort and before they are binned I will attempt to glue them with suitable glue (i'm a long way from this step and really hope it does not come to this)

Hope this helps 

For anyone not in the know Solovair used to be Dr Martens before DM moved production abroad     

[petercoulson]

8 hours ago, Ian MOP said:

Hi I'm a member of the public looking at options for new soles and came across this forum. So far I have found the following.

Timpsons ~ Waste of time, unless pushed they won't send them away

There is a place in Southend Essex that repairs Solovair (and recommended by Solovair)

I can only find a place in the midlands to resole DR Martens and then only 1460 boots.

If you wish to purchase replacement soles Solovair sell them for £15 a pair (maybe cheaper on EBay etc. but what the quality is like is anyone's guess) I have purchased a pair of genuine Solovair soles direct from Solovair. 

If I can't find a cobbler to resole my Dr Martens I will contact the place in Southend and see if they are prepared to resole Dr Martens with Solovair soles. 

As a very last resort and before they are binned I will attempt to glue them with suitable glue (i'm a long way from this step and really hope it does not come to this)

Hope this helps 

For anyone not in the know Solovair used to be Dr Martens before DM moved production abroad     

If you mean the boot repair company in Southend then they are pretty good at this kind of work. if you want to speak to them have a word with Peter he will tell you straight what they can sort for you. If it's a location issues whereabouts are you based?

[Ian MOP]

Hi Thanks for the feedback, it is indeed The boot repair company I'm in Chigwell (about an Hour from Southend so no problems getting there)

I will give them a call and talk to them to see if what I want is possible (never bothered before as I'm in no rush as have a few pairs, the boots that need resoling are Custom Painted so little chance they would get binned or bodged by myself) 

Will be nice to actually take them off display and actually wear them again

 

  

[Cobbler96]

On 5/24/2018 at 9:12 PM, JaySpencer said:

Hi, im not a cobbler, but i took my Doc's to my nearest cobbler on Monday and he said DM's can't be repaired, however I've seen Docs online with vibram soles fitted so it must be possible. Ive decided to have a crack it at myself, it'll be a nice project and good to know for the future. I've found some vibram soles on eBay for £15 and I've managed to pull the old Doc sole off nicely, leaving just the welt. My question is how do i go about bonding the vibram soles to the doc welts? I understand that the standard units are heat sealed but I'm guessing the vibrams I've seen online are glued/cemented on, anyone have any experience with this?

Thank you in advance to anyone that has any knowledge to pass on. 

The chances of you doing it yourself is going to be difficult... We do quite a few DMs & experimenting has got us to a really good success rate...

Feel free to get in touch

[cre]

On 11/2/2020 at 10:05 PM, Ian MOP said:

Hi I'm a member of the public looking at options for new soles and came across this forum. So far I have found the following.

Timpsons ~ Waste of time, unless pushed they won't send them away

There is a place in Southend Essex that repairs Solovair (and recommended by Solovair)

I can only find a place in the midlands to resole DR Martens and then only 1460 boots.

If you wish to purchase replacement soles Solovair sell them for £15 a pair (maybe cheaper on EBay etc. but what the quality is like is anyone's guess) I have purchased a pair of genuine Solovair soles direct from Solovair. 

If I can't find a cobbler to resole my Dr Martens I will contact the place in Southend and see if they are prepared to resole Dr Martens with Solovair soles. 

As a very last resort and before they are binned I will attempt to glue them with suitable glue (i'm a long way from this step and really hope it does not come to this)

Hope this helps 

For anyone not in the know Solovair used to be Dr Martens before DM moved production abroad     

There are quite a few cobblers familiar with this type of work on here and I'm sure some accept mail ins if you can't find one local to you. I do a fair bit of work on docs up here in north Yorkshire as Timpsons don't seem interested or are unable to and refer their customers to me. 

Please feel free to look at my Facebook page as a reference point, I use original pvc dm units which come in a couple of tread varieties or sometimes vibram rubber units, depending on customer requirements. I hope you find a good cobbler you can work with going forwards and it's always worth seeking a second opinion. Good luck. 

https://www.facebook.com/last.co.uk/