Excellent Product - Far Exceeded My Expectations
This review is for: Shoe Goo Repair Adhesive for Fixing Worn Shoes or Boots, Clear, 3.7-Ounce Tube ============================================================================== I had several pairs of shoes that needed repair, including fabric separating from the insole, holes in the leather uppers, and three pair where the soles were either completely separated or almost so. There were slippers, tennis shoes and a pair of Teva sandals. I honestly didn't expect this product to work very well because it just seemed unrealistic to use store-bought glue to properly re-attach soles, with all the bending they go through with every step. But Shoe Goo proved me wrong. The most impressive repairs were the re-attaching of fully separated soles for a pair of tennis shoes and for the Teva sandals. After extensive use, the soles of both pair of shoes are still attached like they were repaired yesterday. What Worked For Me - Tips For Best Results 1. Use adequate ventilation. - This glue emits very strong solvent vapors, so use with adequate ventilation. Open the windows, work in the garage or on the patio, whatever is necessary. Keep in mind that strong vapors will continue to be emitted for days as the glue sets. You really do not want to breathe this solvent any longer than necessary. 2. Make sure the bonding surfaces are clean. - The separated soles on my shoes were dirty on both sides, so I first washed them with soap and water and after drying went over them again with alcohol. If the soles still had pliable glue on them, I would have used acetone (fingernail polish remover) to try and remove it. I believe the directions also mention that acetone can be used to remove excess Shoe Goo and for after-repair cleanup. 3. Use tape for masking. - I used paper tape to mask areas where I did not want the glue to go - like on either side of the seam where the sole attaches. And once the soles were attached, I put weight on the shoe so any excess glue would squeeze out. The excess glue was removed and then the tape was removed immediately so it didn't get stuck and become part of the shoe. 4. Work quickly. - Once the product is dispensed from the tube it starts to skim over and to dry out immediately. Plan ahead. Know where and how much glue needs to be squeezed out. Use something like a putty knife to quickly spread the glue so it covers the entire face of the parts to be glued. Wear some disposable gloves in case you need to move glue around into nooks and crannies with your fingers before attaching the sole. I also used 'parts' brushes to help move glue into the nooks and crannies. (Parts brushes are small brushes with somewhat stiff and coarse bristles, meant for non-painting applications. Typically sold in packs, they can usually be found in the hardware aisles of your local hardware store.) 5. Keep the glued parts in close contact while drying. - While drying, I made sure the parts stayed in close contact by placing a heavy weight on the shoe. I also needed to use heavy duty (Gorilla) tape to flatten out decorative edges on the Teva sandals. 6. Allow time for the glue to Set. - From memory, I believe the directions say that when re-attaching soles, allow them to sit for 24 hours, then put them on and put your full weight on the shoes to remove air pockets, and that it may take up to 72 hours for the glue to fully set. I followed those directions but allowed additional time for the glue to fully cure. The glue 'sets' through the evaporation of the solvent from the glue. But if the glue is trapped between two non-porous surfaces, the solvent will not evaporate quickly. So, I let the glue cure until I could just barely smell the strong solvent when the repaired soles were held next to my nose. And that took about a week for the Tevas and also for one pair of tennis shoes. Waiting that long may very well not be necessary, but I had the time to be sure the glue was dry. Notes: Once fully cured, this glue is TOUGH. I used a metal putty knife to spread it onto the shoe soles, and once dry it was very difficult to remove from the knife - even with a new box cutter blade. (I didn't try acetone.) The cured glue is also stretchy, in a heavy duty kind of way. It seems to be the perfect product for use on shoes, even those that bend a lot like tennis shoes and Teva sandals. And if your project requires spreading the glue, I recommend using something disposable like plastic putty knives from the dollar store. Or popsicle sticks. It appears that Shoe Goo will adhere to almost any surface, so you'll probably find a use for any remaining product. One of my old, comfortable slippers were about to wear through on one side so I slathered a layer of Shoe Goo over the weak area and it was fixed. The too-thin leather heel on another old, comfortable slipper was in torn tatters so I Shoe-Goo'd a cloth patch over the problem area and it's back in service. Neither of these two repairs is particularly attractive but since they're house shoes - function and comfort are more important than style. Be sure to screw the cap back on tightly after each use. And if you anticipate leaving the remaining product on the shelf for more than a day or two, you might consider applying a bead of petroleum jelly, grease or something similar under the rim of the attached cap to help prevent the remaining product from drying out. I would recommend Shoe Goo to anyone who wants to repair shoes at home. ==================================== Follow-Up, 12-2-2023 The following repairs were made at the same time as the repairs to my other shoes, described above. And all of these repairs are still holding well. ---------- Detail of the repairs made to my Sketcher Sport tennis shoes that look like a cross between tennis shoes and hiking boots. The heavy leather upper on one shoe sheared off cleanly where it connected to the shoe bed at the arch. It looked as if a very sharp knife was used to cut the leather right next to the bed. To align the leather before gluing, tape was applied to the edge of the sole, and then across the upper leather. Then, a bead of Shoe Goo was applied INSIDE the shoe. When that dried, and with the leather upper now secured in the proper position, the tape was removed and glue was applied along the new seam on the outside of the shoe. Since I was gluing the edge of the leather upper directly to the shoe bed (abutting at a 90 degree angle) I had strong doubts about this particular repair. However, it's still holding today. Kind of crazy! Also, the rubber toe protectors on the very front of both shoes had become detached and curled. To properly secure those pieces, they had to be glued in three steps, using strong tape to secure them into position. The result was ugly but a permanent black marker made the repairs nearly invisible, disappearing into the surrounding black material. About the Sketchers: I've had them for several years, but they've been gently and only occasionally used. I'm very disappointed these Sketcher shoes self-deteriorated the way they did with only light use. It points to substandard materials and poor construction. I doubt I'll ever buy another pair of Sketchers. Breakdown of my Follow-Up: 1. Shoe Goo is an amazing product! 2. If you're thinking about buying Sketcher shoes, I suggest you take another look at other brands. 3. If you do buy Sketcher shoes, try to remember how well Shoe Goo works! Read more