One significant advantage of well-made leather boots is that they can often be repaired rather than replaced. If your soles are worn down but the uppers are still in good condition, a professional resole can bring your Red Wing boots back into regular rotation and help you keep the fit you have already broken in.
This guide shares practical notes on resoling and repair, with insight from Yorkshire Sole owner Dean Westmoreland, a specialist in welted footwear repair based in Shipley, West Yorkshire.
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When is a resole worth doing?
- The tread is worn flat, and the grip has dropped, but the uppers are still strong.
- Sole is uneven or wearing through at the heel or forefoot.
- Comfort has changed because the mid-layer has compressed over time.
- You want to keep the exact fit rather than starting again with a new pair.
What happens during a proper resole?
A good repair aims to restore structure underfoot, keep the boot’s shape, and respect the original design. While the exact steps vary depending on the boot and condition, Dean’s approach focuses on doing the job cleanly and thoroughly:
- Always put a new cork in.
- Welt stitching should go through the original holes wherever possible.
- All old stitches removed.
- Uppers to be restored as much as possible.
Dean Westmoreland on earning his wings
“At 34 & after 13 years working in the shoe repair trade across the North of the UK, along with winning the UK shoe repair award, late 2017 brought the opportunity to open my own repair shop; taking over a heel bar from a retiring cobbler. The ethos immediately was one of doing high-quality work with integrity, and to try and build a good reputation for welted footwear repair, using traditional shoe-making techniques wherever I could.”
How to prepare your boots before sending them for repair
- Brush off dirt and remove dried mud around the welt and sole edge.
- Do not soak or heavily oil the boots just before repair; let the cobbler assess the leather first.
- Note what you want (same sole type, more grip, wedge vs lug, heel rebuild, stitching colour).
- Take photos of worn areas to explain any issues clearly.
Repairs in the proper manner
After posting the repair on Instagram, I was immediately sent requests for the same from Red Wing customers all over the UK. We do repairs properly & always try to be sensitive to the shoe's original design. I feel this approach has helped the business & Red Wing recrafts in particular grow from there. The following year will bring continued growth and an opportunity to take on an apprentice; I think it’s essential that these skills be passed on, as training in this trade becomes ever scarcer. I make bespoke shoes & study the craft of making them in my spare time.
Yorkshire Sole (Shipley)
Market Square, Shipley BD18 3QB
Recommended care products and spares
Regular brushing and occasional light conditioning help the uppers stay healthy, so your boots remain good candidates for future repairs. Here are a few useful products and spares from our Red Wing range:
If you need more general leather care options, visit our shoe care collection.
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