Club Obi Wan

My Todd Coyle boots have been holding up real nice, aging and weathering down both artificially and naturally.
I recently began using the boots on-stage during a theater show I am acting in. The director needed my character to wear a pair of boots with a certain look and I suggested my Indy boots which she loved.
Somehow during the running around on set, I chipped a chunk of the rubber material right off the toe area - the surface on the bottom layer.
I do have a shoe repair shop close to me, but I have yet been able to bring the shoes in for a look-see and quote. Does anyone have any idea how costly/time consuming it is, roughly, to have the shoes resoled?

I was quoted $100+.

Needless to say, I didn't take him up on the offer.

Hopefully it won't be that much. I love the 'character' my boots have now and really won't replace them with new ones and start from scratch.

Putting a real sole on those would probably cost as much as resoling Aldens or a boot or shoe with a real welt. Depending on how big the chunk is, I'd probably have a cobbler install sole protectors; he could probably hide that chunk by filing it away before putting on the protector, or fill it with epoxy or something. You'd also have some added slip resistance. A good cobbler should come up with an economical solution based on what the boots cost. I'd also suggest nailing on the heels and getting rid of that big staple inside the heel (only if it's sticking up). You'd see a 3/4" square directly where your heel rests if it's working it's way out. Just my experience. The protectors virtually stop the actual boot sole wear.

Hope that helps!

Yes, your input does help - thank you for taking the time to post!
The shoe repair shop that is nearby is owned and operated by a very 'old school' guy, so he should be able to do whatever I need for these. I had been thinking of having them resoled before, but now that there is a chunk of rubber missing from the toe area, I don't want them to get worse.
Sure, buying a new pair from Todd would be inexpensive, but like I said - I spent a lot of time breaking these in to give them that 'look' that Indy's boots need to have. They held up nicely and comfortably through three days of walking around Disney Orlando and have survived all my other wearings up until recently on stage.
Having the shoes professionally resoled would give them new life and stronger durability than what came 'stock' with them.
The boots are currently in the dressing room at the theater and I don't take them home with me but I can get a pic when I go in tonight and share it here so you guys know what I'm talking about.
Thanks again!

Some cobblers can do a half sole replacement.
Basically, they just grind the sole flat and lay a new layer on (not including where the arch is, just the part you walk on).

My father in law turned me onto that one.
He says he used to have his work boots resoled like that back in the day as it was cheaper than a full sole replacement.

Might be worth looking into.

1/2 soles are the way to go. $35 bucks should be about right (that's what I paid in So.Cal)

Hey RB,

Who did your boots in So. Cal
Mine are about ready for soles (daily wear has taken its toll) so it's time I look for a cobbler.

Thanks for the tip.
Sometime this week I will stop by the shoe repair shop and see what kind of quote I can get. Like I said, the gentleman that owns and runs the shop is VERY old-school and deals with a lot of elderly and handicap customers so I am sure he practices good business ethics and pricing and very much knows his stuff.
Hopefully, a 1/2 sole replacement will be in the cards.

kwad wrote:Hey RB,

Who did your boots in So. Cal
Mine are about ready for soles (daily wear has taken its toll) so it's time I look for a cobbler.

Hey Kwad,

I got all my shoes and boots done by a guy off of Lyons Blvd in Santa Clarita/Newhall area, in the Smart and Final parking lot...

Only once did he do something that wasn't perfect, and I think that's when he was letting the apprentice get some practice. Besides that, everything was always spot on perfect, and he always cleaned and conditioned the footwear.

Hope that helps

I think the 'half-sole replacement' you guys are talking about is a lot like the sole protectors I mean. They glued mine on, and it does look like they filed down the existing sole to keep the thickness the same as before.