Black_Ghost
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Just purchased some simms studded felt soles which I need to replace my current felt soles with.
Questions
1: Whats the best way to get the old felt soles off which are quite worn ? This article says to use a belt sander to remove them. I don't have a belt sander ? 
2. What type glue should be used ?
3. They say you can glue them to the old felts but it is preferred to remove them and attach them to the boot bottom. Any body have experience with this ?
I replaced some felts probably 15 years ago can't remember what I did though. Since then I have just been buying new wading boots every 2-3 years, but now with two sons in college and a third in two years from now need to conserve $$$$. The wading boots I have I like Hodgman Wadetech,nice and high around the ankles, comfortable and I have not fell in with them yet. LOL No sense changing them.
Will hold on the replacement process until I hear some comments from our experts on this.
Thanks in advance
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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Steeldrifter
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BG first remove as much of the old felt as you can if you dont have a belt sander then a small electric grinder/sander will work or if you have to a putty knife/sand paper and some elbow grease will do the job but will take longer.
once you have all the old felt off take a coarse sand paper (about 40 grit) and scuff up the bottom to give the glue some bite. Then for the glue a friend of mine that owns a shoe repair shop suggested something called "Barge" that is a shoe glue that can be purchased at any shoe repair type shop.
Alpply the glue to the new felt and let it sit for about 10-15mins to "tack up" before you put it on the shoe....then put the felt to the shoe and let it sit for about 12 hours before getting it wet.
SD
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Take a deep breath....feel the spirit of the wild
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BobK
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Yep, that's the procedure. But be especially careful to give yourself a "level" bottom by getting all of the old felt off. You can RENT a belt sander (most rental stores have 'em!), and they are hard to beat for the job. Use lots of 60 or 40 - grit sandpaper, and keep your HANDS off of 'em, so you don't get GREASE on 'em, (they won't hold), then use Barge cement as instructed.
If you do a good job, they will hold up pretty well. If you don't - well, you'll just end up having to buy a new pair.
BTW, don't you use stocking-foot waders???
BobK 
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oldman
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I use a hair dryer to get the old felt off. It heats up the old glue and you can pull the old felt off with a pair of pliers. Works better than with a grinder. And I think that maybe the Princess has a hair dryer for you to use. It is even faster than the grinder. And you won't dig into the bottom of the boot that way.
You usually get some glue with the set of felts that you are going to replace the old ones with. Well that isn't enough to do a good job so invest in another tube. You can never have too much and it's better than not having enough.
Jim
Edited by oldman (08/06/04 07:38 PM)
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Steelheader69
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And, if all else fails, and you don't want to do it, take it to a shoe repair shop. I had a set that needed to be replaced (they were stiched on originally). Dropped them off, and picked them up after work. Only cost me about $10 (and I had the kit to give them already). But have also done it myself too. Grinders make it SOOOOOO much faster.
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TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Project Healing Waters
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BobK
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Yeah... Jerry is right! Look for an old-fashioned shoe repair shop.... but they may be hard to find in Chicago!
BobK
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Black_Ghost
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Thanks for the great comments the task is now in process removing the old felts. Hair dryer (mine not the princesses) is working and then I am sawing them off with a small hand saw. I got the Barge cement from my local old fashioned shoe shop, 5 minutes from the house, plus the owner said if you have problems I do cheap for you Mr. BG.
LOL
Always have an economically prudent backup contingency plan you know is one of my MOs.
Well back to the removal process.
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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potter
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I have used the barge cement also but have also used goop. Quick grab cement was the best but I think 3M quit making it. The replacement is a product called Omni-stick that I want to try:
http://www.artsuppliesonline.com/catalog.cfm?cata_id=8535
Goop works well also. The felt side will need to be glued twice as it soaks in. I also tape the felts to the boots, real tight, as the glue is drying. Never tried the hair dryer but it sounds interesting. If anybody needs some felt let me know as we bought a huge roll, enough to carpet the front room! Speaking of carpet, I remember glueing shag rug on the bottom of work boots, old time wading shoes...
Edited by potter (08/07/04 09:28 AM)
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Steelheader69
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LOL potter. Sounds like you're set for life. LOL. May have to buy some from you, I want to convert a set of sandles for wet wading during the summer (they want a FORTUNE for them in flyshops).
Yeah, sometimes it's "technically" cheaper to drop off and have it done. You gotta factor in your "cost per hour", which your time is money if you wanted to get down to it.
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TEAM JACKSON BALDWIN
Project Healing Waters
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fredaevans
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Just my .02 cents here ... the instructions, including using Barge Cement are on the money. BUT doing a long term job is a royal pain in the butt.
As noted by Jerry, take them to a shoe repair place and pay a couple extra bucks to get the job done right.
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Fred A. Evans
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BobK
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Listen to Fred and Jerry if you want the right job done!
BobK
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potter
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no problem, I trade for a jig or 2. e-mail mw jour mailing address & I'll drop some in the mail. letty@lettypotter.com
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Black_Ghost
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Here is my status:
Removed both felt soles yesterday. First one took 30 minutes started at heel applied hair dryer to loosen glue and start peeling back the felt. It worked. Had a small saw which I used to take the felt off as I pulled it and used heat gun. It was easy.
But not the other boot's felt. Man that was glued on. The hairdryer did not help. Used the saw to gradually saw it off it took all day !! LOL
My right arm now is really sore. I got a couple of coarse sanding blocks from Home Depot and am sanding the remaining felt off. Its not fun work for a white collar guy like me, now have several cuts in my lily white hands, may effect my work performance and FF forumn posting ability for a while. LOL
Any way thats where I am. I have barge cement and marine goop to try as tje glue. Plus my local low cost shoe repair shop is my back up plan.
I have another issue though which I am waiting to hear from the fly shop I purchased the studded felt soles from its a large PNW fly shop in WA. I ordered the Simms studded felt soles they sent me Korkers studded felt soles. I asked them via email if I received the right product on friday no response yet. All of you will know the fly shop if I gave you the name as they are large and have been around a long time.
One of the felt soles is larger in diameter than the other one and studs barely protrude through the felt which I have asked them about. We will see.
I have another pair of wading boots to use until my primary pair are ready with the new felts. Always have a backup for critical on river equipment.
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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oldman
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When the felt is new the studs will look like they don't belong there but after you wear them a while and the felt starts to compress then the studs also look like they don't belong there. They(the studs) don't wear out as fast as the felt does. Mine are due to be replaced this year and was wondering if it isn't easier to just go but another pair of studded boots.
Jim
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BobK
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Hal - if it was me, those studded felt soles you didn't order would be on their way back. And, that would be my LAST order to that business. I would let them know EXACTLY why with a polite letter to the company president, and that he just lost another customer.
Jim, good advice. Also, if you have to go through what Hal is going through, it's easier (and usually more comfortable) just to buy a new pair.
BobK
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Black_Ghost
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I agree and will wait to see if they respond to my email by EOD Monday. I sent it to them Friday morning.
Here are the studded felts they sent me, note the * footnote, LOL, funny that footnote is not on the instructions received to install the felts. I may be going to the shoe repair shop to have these installed bet it will be at least $ 20 -30 to install them. They cost me $ 30 including shipping so now I am looking at a total cost of $ 50-60 plus I already spent $ 10 on glue !!
Korkers
Maybe I need to sent the fly shop a link to this thread if I get no response from them ?
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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fredaevans
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"One of the felt soles is larger in diameter than the other one and studs barely protrude through the felt which I have asked them about. We will see."
That's odd to say the least. However, that aside I don't think the 'brand' of the replacement felts would make a bit of difference. (Other than one 'brand' may use a better felt material.)
But 'two sizes' in one bag is something I've never seen/heard of before.
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Fred A. Evans
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Steeldrifter
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BG since you already have the new felts and have been working on them this isnt something you would probaly want to do right now,but when this pair wear out have you ever looked at the convertable Korkers that they have now. They soles slide into groves and then latch through a D ring on the back so that you can change from studded to felt to rubber in a matter of about 2 minutes and when they wear out you can slide new ones in them to make them 'new" again.
I just picked up a pair myself this spring and love them!
SD
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Take a deep breath....feel the spirit of the wild
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Black_Ghost
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SD
Yep my local fly shop has the new convertible Korkers which do look nice, my fly shop owner has been using them and really likes them. My next pair after these may be them but right now my objective is to use the current boots with the new studded felts.
Fred, yes its odd that they are two different diameters but they are. The studs don't even protrude through the felt on the thicker felt sole, just a little bump in the felt at this time while the other one has the studs protruding well beyond the felt.
My project is on hold for now until I hear from the fly shop this week. No rush need to do the job right, starting to lean to Jong's Shoe Repair service to do it. As long as he does it for less than $ 30. LOL
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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oldman
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Well Bob,since I'm just about as cheap as Hal is I'll probably end up doing it myself. I've done it about three time now and it gets easier each time I do it. About like tying flies. I think that I have it down to a science.
Just go to one of my local outlets and pick up some replacements and just do it.
Jim
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BobK
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Yeah, Jim, but you're not going through what Hal is going through! Besides, you know what you're doing, are used to doing a little honest work, and can use sharp instruments without getting your blood all over the place! 
BobK 
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Black_Ghost
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My hands don't feel so sore today. LOL
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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BobK
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That's good news! Hopefully, you got a response from that shady dealer! THE FISH WILL BE RUNNING PRETTY QUICK!
BobK
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Black_Ghost
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No email response yet from the vendor but my email is down for some reason the last two days.
But guess what upon my arrival at home tonight from work was another box from the same vendor with a 2nd pair of Korkers studded felts, so now I may have two pairs I do not want. Have to check if they charged my credit card for the second set with the princess. I could be in real trouble now if they did charge me a second time and not with the vendor but with you know who !! Just when our relationship was getting good again over my fly fishing addiction that is everything else of course is fine after 27 years together. LOL
Now what do I do with two sets of felts I may not want ?
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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BobK
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The answer is obvious - SEND 'EM BACK!
BobK
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fredaevans
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Stuff the BS aside here. Hal, finish the job (lots of luck) and for your next set of boots do consider the Kooker 'convertables.'
Several of our local river guides have gone to these and not a 'darn!' in the group. Given these guys are in the boots 4-6 days per week .. gotta be something going right there.
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Fred A. Evans
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BobK
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Fred,
Do you know if the Korkers available as wading shoes, or just boots??? (I use stocking-foot waders.) The concept sounds GREAT!
Thanks -
BobK
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Black_Ghost
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here they are, I am never an "early adopter" of new technology, since that is when its price is highest, I am a "late adopter" when the price is lower and the product is proven, thats what they taught me in my MBA marketing classes, it works, besides my current wading shoes are fine just need the new studded felts.
Korker convertibles
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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Black_Ghost
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Status Update:
No response to my email sent to the fly shop which was sent this past Monday . Guess they don't beleive in customer communication/service even if I have two sets of their felt soles and only paid for one (I think). Very disappointed in this major west coast fly shop's service.
I decided the remaining tasks to replace the felt is to much for the low available time I have. So I dropped them off today with my wading shoes at Mr. Jong's shoe repair shop. Not sure how much it is going to cost me, he say he call me back. LOL Can't be more than $ 30 I say, I already took off the old felts that was not easy.
Hope to have the repair done this week and then be good for another couple of years, then those Korker convertibles will be down in price and proven as a reliable product = the time BG will consider buying them as a "late adopter".
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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Black_Ghost
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Bad news: Mr Jong of the shoe repair shop has advised the felt soles will not fit on the heels of the wading shoes so now I have two sets of felt soles that don't fit which I will have to send back to the fly shop which BTW, has not answered my emails yet over a week !!
Got any thoughts?
Plus my favorite wading shoes now have no felts on them.
May be I can save this major project some how, do I need felt on my heels ?
If any body knows of any studded felt sole shoes on sale let me know. LOL
BG
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"The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool."
Jane Wagner
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