60 year old fake Wallabees still good to wear.
As I have posted before, these were my only shoes when I started in college. By a year later, holes developed in the soles. I wore them all that winter with snow leaking through the holes!
Anyway, I have worn them fairly regularly, even after I had plenty of other shoes in my closet to choose from. They have always been especially comfortable. Now, even the holes are tin the right places and of the right size that make them fun to wear. Just enough of my sole is in contact with the pavement.
As I have detailed, parts of them have fallen apart over the years, and been glued back together. Some time in the last year the narrow end of the front part of the right sole came loose.
The question in my mind has been whether to glue it back (if possible, there isn't much left to glue, whether to leave it loose as it is, or whether to remove the whole piece, leaving my whole forefoot on the pavement.
I've worn them occasionally in the last year without doing anything. I noticed that, first, the piece was nor =t a problem when walking; it didn't drag or trip me up by catching on things. In fact you didn't even notice it was loose.
also noticed that the crepe was naturally sticky enough to stay stuck to the remains on the upper after I walked on it a little, but if I curled/doubled up my toes (usually when sitting down, but even occasionally when walking), the piece would pop free. So it really wasn't necessary to glue it back on.
When it fell apart many years ago, most of the glue I tried didn't hold. I think I ended up using hot glue. But so much more has worn away since then that there isn't enough to hot glue, and also I have no idea where the glue gun went!
So I had them on all day yesterday, and in the evening I walked a few blocks to the supermarket. I took a few pictures, but as usual, I didn't even notice that it was loose, And after a block or so, it would stick back together.
Just to try the removal option, I tucked the crepe on top of my toes for the walk home. This left my forefoot sole barefoot directly on the ground, as it would be if the crepe piece was not there.
Now I certainly found the shoe still wearable, I don't mind wearing various "barefoot" partly or completely soleless shoes. but my foot is not really toughened up enough to be exactly comfortable barefoot.
So I have decided to do nothing, at least for now. I'll wear them as I have, with no further repair. Most of the time the crepe piece of the sole will be under my forefoot, but if I really want the barefoot feel, I cn tuck the sole abofe my toes as I did this evening.
I do notice that the split in the left sole is almost all the way across, as the right one has been for years, so I suppose that the left shoe will sooner or later be missing as much as the right. Meanwhile, I'll be wearing them forever.
60 year old fake Wallabees still good to wear.
As I have posted before, these were my only shoes when I started in college. By a year later, holes developed in the soles. I wore them all that winter with snow leaking through the holes!
Anyway, I have worn them fairly regularly, even after I had plenty of other shoes in my closet to choose from. They have always been especially comfortable. Now, even the holes are tin the right places and of the right size that make them fun to wear. Just enough of my sole is in contact with the pavement.
As I have detailed, parts of them have fallen apart over the years, and been glued back together. Some time in the last year the narrow end of the front part of the right sole came loose.
The question in my mind has been whether to glue it back (if possible, there isn't much left to glue, whether to leave it loose as it is, or whether to remove the whole piece, leaving my whole forefoot on the pavement.
I've worn them occasionally in the last year without doing anything. I noticed that, first, the piece was nor =t a problem when walking; it didn't drag or trip me up by catching on things. In fact you didn't even notice it was loose.
also noticed that the crepe was naturally sticky enough to stay stuck to the remains on the upper after I walked on it a little, but if I curled/doubled up my toes (usually when sitting down, but even occasionally when walking), the piece would pop free. So it really wasn't necessary to glue it back on.
When it fell apart many years ago, most of the glue I tried didn't hold. I think I ended up using hot glue. But so much more has worn away since then that there isn't enough to hot glue, and also I have no idea where the glue gun went!
So I had them on all day yesterday, and in the evening I walked a few blocks to the supermarket. I took a few pictures, but as usual, I didn't even notice that it was loose, And after a block or so, it would stick back together.
Just to try the removal option, I tucked the crepe on top of my toes for the walk home. This left my forefoot sole barefoot directly on the ground, as it would be if the crepe piece was not there.
Now I certainly found the shoe still wearable, I don't mind wearing various "barefoot" partly or completely soleless shoes. but my foot is not really toughened up enough to be exactly comfortable barefoot.
So I have decided to do nothing, at least for now. I'll wear them as I have, with no further repair. Most of the time the crepe piece of the sole will be under my forefoot, but if I really want the barefoot feel, I cn tuck the sole abofe my toes as I did this evening.
I do notice that the split in the left sole is almost all the way across, as the right one has been for years, so I suppose that the left shoe will sooner or later be missing as much as the right. Meanwhile, I'll be wearing them forever.