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Steel-toe. Military. Recreation.
We'll Keep Your Boots Going Strong.
Boots come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure, they gotta be tough, durable, and comfortable to keep up.
Whether on the construction site, climbing the alps, or defending our nation, your boots will get you there. Once you find that perfect pair and break them in, you never want to let them go—and you don’t have to.
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Austin Shoe Hospital knows boots. We’re from Texas, after all!
"Repairs are our passion. We fix all brands, all styles, all shapes, and all colors. If you can wear it, we can repair it!"
Timberland's
Tecovas
Cavender's
Corral
Justin
Twisted X
Corkys
Circle G by Corral
M&F Western
Roper
Durango
Lucchese
Liberty Black
Not Rated
Anderson Bean
Very G
Old West
Olathe
Tony Lama
Dingo
Laredo
Scout
Bick 4
Boulet
Sage
Smoky Mountain
Carolina
Chippewa
Dan Post
Muck Boots
Naughty Monkey
Redwings
Reba by Justin
The Anatomy of a Work Boot
(Hiking, Safety, Military, etc)
When we approach a shoe or boot repair project at Austin Shoe Hospital, we focus on structural preservation. There are 5 primary areas of concern when we evaluate any damage:​
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The Upper is the top of the boot.
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The shoe Insole is the part your foot actually sits on.
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The Welt or Midsole lies in between the sole and the upper. This is a critical component that is stitched or glued directly to the upper and serves as the foundation for the sole to attach to.
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The Sole & Heel Unit Bottom is the key differentiator of this style. Most all work boots have a singular unit bottom sole and heel made of either rubber or neoprene. This singular unit of the boot make contact with the ground and give you the traction and support you need while working. This is where the majority of your wear and tear occurs and basic repairs can be maintained with a full replacement of the entire unit. However, if you wait too long wear through these layers, you risk damaging the welt, insole and/or upper, which will result in more extensive repair needs.
Sole and Heel Unit Repair
If the soles of your boots have been worn down into the welt or midsole, it’s time for a sole replacement! Boots that have a severely worn sole or even a hole in the sole can be replaced with both a new sole and a new heel. We can also complete a half-sole repair without replacing the heels, or a full-sole repair which requires a new heel. Usually, if the sole is heavily worn, the heels are as well.
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There are several reasons a sole replacement is so important. Once a hole has been worn into the sole, it can mean that the insole of the shoe is getting damaged. The insole, which every shoe is built around, is very critical to protect and preserve, because unfortunately, it can’t be replaced if damaged. Additionally, when soles are heavily worn at the toe or sides of a shoe or boot, it’s likely that the upper itself is getting scuffed and damaged with each step.
Lastly, the welt—what holds the boot together—should ideally never see wear at all, as it’s a key component of the shoe’s structure. We will look at your boots carefully and determine the best repairs to make your boots like-new again.
To repair a sole, our Austin Shoe Hospital cobblers will remove the old worn out sole, re-cork the inside filler when necessary, and then cement and/or carefully stitch a new leather or rubber sole onto the shoe. Since most "shoes" are level with a flat arch, we prefer doing a full sole with no half-sole splice so that your boots look fantastic.
Boot Shine, Cleaning & Refinishing
We can beautifully shine, clean, and/or completely refinish your boot uppers whether they're leather, suede, nubuck, or any other fine finish at Austin Shoe Hospital.
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Boot Shine: A boot shine consists of first cleaning off all the dirt, grime, and old polish, and then deep conditioning the leather until its buttery soft. Next, we hand rub a wax or cream polish to provide stain and color, and last, we buff the boot to bring out the highest shine possible. The friction and heat we produce with rigorous buffing activates the boot polish and produces a gorgeous sheen that makes your boots look fresh and new.
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Deep Clean & Refinish: If you want your boots to look like the day you picked them off the shelves (or likewise, if they are made of suede, nubuck or fabric and can’t be “shined”), you’ll want what’s called a Deep Clean & Refinish.
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At the time new shoes and boots are manufactured, they receive a special custom finish that is applied at the very end of the process. This provides a beautiful long-term coating. When our cobblers complete a refinish on your shoes, we reapply the same gorgeous finish the shoe or boot had when it was made new.
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For a full refinish, we first deep clean to remove any stains. Next, we’ll generously condition the shoe leather with pure lanolin (when needed), and then apply permanent color over worn and damaged areas. Lastly, we put on a new-shoe custom topcoat.
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Suede and nubuck must be dry cleaned or finely sanded when cleaning to ensure dirt and stains can be removed. By using special suede-cleaning stones or our delicate sand-blasting booth, we remove the stains gently without harming the suede or nubuck. After cleaning, the suede or nubuck is lightly brushed and waterproofed for longer protection.
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Voila! Your shoes are like-new, and this process outlasts a regular shoe shine up to 10 times.
Work Boot Custom Repairs
Our Austin Shoe Hospital cobblers can also provide a myriad of custom repair work for any damage that you have one your favorite boots. Here's just a glimpse of some of the things we can do:
- Pull straps and loops
- Custom stitching / rips / tears / patchwork
- Zipper repair
- Elastic repair
- Hardware (e.g. rivets, buckles, hooks, rings, etc)
- And so much more...