Have your loving pair of cowboy boots been broken? Don’t know how to resole them?
Relax! You are in the right place.
After several hours of scouring the internet, I am here with a detailed guide on resoling cowboy boots.
Let’s answer the main question first, can cowboy boots be resoled?
If you want to save a few bucks by resoling the cowboy boots by yourself, then make sure you read the article till the end.
Let’s hop into the main dish!
Can Cowboy Boots Be Resoled?
No doubt cowboy boots deserve a perfect 10/10 in durability and sturdiness. For more than 10 years, a pair of cowboy boots can be your reliable partner.
But high durability does not mean your cowboy boots will not get damaged.
Sooner or later, the sole of your cowboy boots will break down. And this is inevitable because the sole comes in contact with the ground the most.
A broken sole doesn’t mean the boots are of no use. You can resole them from a cobbler or even fix them by yourself.
Going to professionals for resoling will obviously give the sole a pro finishing. But hey, for that you have to pay at least $70-$130, which is pretty expensive though!
Whereas you can easily resole your cowboy boots at home with a sole repair kit. And the repair kit will merely cost you $10-$15.
Huge savings, right?
So keep reading to discover the easy way of resoling cowboy boots at home.
Follow our guide on how to Clean Cowboy Boots: The Step by Step Guide.
How To Resole Cowboy Boots
Resoling cowboy boots is not rocket science. If you know the proper method, you can easily resole your cowboy boots.
Please make sure you have a very good sole repair kit, only that way you can achieve a flawless result.
So, here are the steps to resole cowboy boots:
Step 1: Prepare the sole repair kit
Buy a professional sole repair kit that includes all the tools for resoling.
The resoling of cowboy boots needs a lot of work, so make sure you have a hand with all the specialized equipment.
Related guide: how to Shrink Cowboy Boots.
Step 2: Break the cowboy boots
Don’t get scared! You just need to break the heel base, not the entire boots.
With the piler, take off the heel cap and pop off the heel base with a metal scraper.
Now cut off all the nails from the heels of cowboy boots.
Cut off the whole old sole with a thin knife and, with piler, take the entire broken sole out of the cowboy boots. Before moving to the next step, make sure all the nails have been taken out of the outsole.
Step 3: Sand the outsole
With sandpaper, sand the boot’s surface well.
Now prepare the new outsole. It should be more significant than the old cowboy boots outsole and should have a thickness of 4mm.
Take off all the stitches from the soles so that there is enough space for the new stitches.
Follow our epic guide on how to Stretch Cowboy Boots.
Step 4: Attach new sole
Time to makeover your cowboy boots with a new sole.
Apply a hefty amount of glue on the sole and then attach the new sole to the boots.
Be very careful while attaching the new sole; it should stick firmly to the boots. With a knife trim off the access of the new sole. Try to take a sharp knife because the new one is very hard to cut.
To ensure the sole is attached properly, you can rub the sole to the cowboy boots with sandpaper.
Now it’s time to seal the deal.
Stitch the new sole to the cowboy boots with a particular sewing thread.
The stitching process is cumbersome, so try using a sewing machine.
Using nails, nail the concave part in the middle of the sole of the boots.
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Step 5: Attach heel base
Attach the heel base to the boots and nail the new heel base to the sole of cowboy boots with nails. Make sure to nail it firmly.
Now sand the entire heel base and attach the heel cap to it.
Rub the new sole to the boots with sandpaper to have a perfect fit.
Step 6: Dye the new sole
Choose the shade of your boots and dye them. Lastly, buff to polish the bottom of the boots.
Clean the boots, and you are done resoling your cowboy boots.
Follow our epic guide to know What to Do with Old Cowboy Boots.
When To Resole Cowboy Boots?
The leather outsole needs to be resoled every 2 years and the rubber outsole every 4-5 years. But this time can increase or decrease depending on how often you wear the cowboy boots. In addition, the quality of cowboy boots also decides how often they should be resoled.
So how can you say your cowboy boots need to be resoles?
Well, there are key points that tell your cowboy boots need to be resoled immediately. Let’s see what they are:
- If the outsole has wrinkles or becomes soft, then it needs to be resoled. You can check if the boots have wrinkles or not by running your finger across the outsole.
- If the outsoles have any holes or punctures, they should be resoled right away. Because once the outsole gets holes they no longer remain waterproof and can be damaged beyond the outsole.
- Check the outsole circumference to see if any welt stitching is opened.
How To Prevent Damage Of The Soles?
It is better to take care of the sole; instead, they get to the point when they need to be repaired.
You can extend the life of your boot’s sole by simply following some techniques.
Below are the things that you should do to prevent damage to the soles:
- The primary reason for a damaged sole is the build-up of dirt. So after every use, clean and dust the boots thoroughly.
- Dirt and grimes erode the leather quickly. To prevent that, wipe the bottom of your cowboy boots with a soft cloth. This ensures there is no dirt or muck embedded.
- You can use special cleaning products like lotions on the western boots to keep them neat and clean.
- Install a thin rubber sole protector to the sole of the boots. This makes the sole last longer and protects the sole from the harshness of the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can All Cowboy Boots Be Resoled?
No, not all cowboy boots can be resoled. You should seek help from a cobbler or ask the boots company if the boots can be resoled. Because many cowboy boots are non-resole, you are actually damaging the entire boots if you try to resole them.
Are boots resoling worth it?
Of course, boots resoling are worth it. If the sole is punctured or broken, water can easily peep into them and damage the entire boots. And replacing the cowboy boots with a new one can be pretty expensive, so it’s better to resole the boots.
However, if your cowboy boots cost less than $150, then resoling them won’t be worth it. As the boots are not of good quality, they will anyway not last long.
If your cowboy boots cost more than $150, then surely resole them if the sole breaks.
How many times can you resole cowboy boots?
The life span of cowboy boots is approximately 10-15 years, depending on the quality and usage. Within this period, boots can be resoled 3 to 5 times.
Being on the safe side, it’s better to ask a cobbler or the manufacturers how many times your cowboy boots can be resoled.
Conclusion
In conclusion, yes, cowboy boots can be resoled. But if you are a newbie, you have to be very careful when resoling cowboy boots. Damaging $300 cowboy boots will indeed feel like a dagger in your heart, right?
But I can assure you, you can never go wrong if you follow the steps of resoling cowboy boots that I have discussed earlier.
Boost up your energy and with patience, start the resoling of cowboy boots right away.
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