AE Shoes - Recraftable?

[osc]

For those who have owned AEs - I have not seen these soles on Park Avenues before - are these soles original, recrafted by AE, or recrafted by another cobbler?

At the end of the day, I am wondering if the shoes are still be recrafted.

 

[fcuknu]

ive never seen AEs with taps.

 

[minnesotamoon]

The heals are the originals from the looks of it, and it looks like they just added a rubber bottom on for protection over the leather. To me they look original with the exception of the two additions.

 

[osc]

Is their any criteria that would make the shoe not recraftable?

For example, would AE not recraft the shoe after it has been to another cobbler?

 

[rebel222]

Originally Posted by osc

Is their any criteria that would make the shoe not recraftable?

For example, would AE not recraft the shoe after it has been to another cobbler?

Not for adding a topy (rubber cover). If the shoe has been resoled or half-soled, then maybe they would refuse. Those have the original soles on them, however.

 

[porcelain monkey]

Originally Posted by minnesotamoon

The heals are the originals from the looks of it, and it looks like they just added a rubber bottom on for protection over the leather. To me they look original with the exception of the two additions.

I agree, but they are not Park Avenues

 

[lab1dobie]

I've had a pair of AE's recrafted and they redid the entire sole, heel, inner sole lining and refinished the upper. They also included shoe trees and bags in the price. You can get sole or heel only repairs and they have the prices on their website. They did an outstanding job too!

 

[East Oakland]

The rubber on the sole is just a topy--its a layer of rubber added to protect the leather sole. If you look at the threads from the past few days, there's a long one on removing topys from a pair of used shoes.

The heel appears to be original.

No reason this could not be resoled by AE or anyone else.

 

[osc]

Originally Posted by porcelain monkey

I agree, but they are not Park Avenues

Thanks - Good catch

 

[osc]

Originally Posted by East Oakland

The heel appears to be original.

There looks to be a small added piece to the heel too (much like the toe) - I have the AE catalog and it don't see that piece on any type of sole

(or is this just part of the topy?)

 

[East Oakland]

Originally Posted by osc

There looks to be a small added piece to the heel too (much like the toe) - I have the AE catalog and it don't see that piece on any type of sole

(or is this just part of the topy?)

Yes, it's another add on (like the topy)--even easier to remove than than the topy.

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by East Oakland

The heel appears to be original.

No reason this could not be resoled by AE or anyone else.

But once someone else resoles them, AE probably will refuse to work on them. So once you choose the (much cheaper) local route, you can't later decide to get AE to do the work.

Originally Posted by osc

There looks to be a small added piece to the heel too (much like the toe) - I have the AE catalog and it don't see that piece on any type of sole

(or is this just part of the topy?)

Those are basically like Kiwi taps. I have bought them for a few dollars at the grocery store in the little 4ft wide shoe repair section and install them at home on two pairs of shoes. They are just hard plastic and make the heel last longer. I don't use them on the toe, because my shoes don't wear there. I have heard people say that nailing through the welt at the toe could damage a shoe in the long run.

 

[bleedinggumsmurphy]

Do those taps change the sound or feel of walking? I've never put taps on before, but I just noticed I'm wearing down the shoes on my AE Fairhaven's (a discontinued wingtip).

 

[Steven Aver]

Originally Posted by bleedinggumsmurphy

Do those taps change the sound or feel of walking? I've never put taps on before, but I just noticed I'm wearing down the shoes on my AE Fairhaven's (a discontinued wingtip).

Yes they elevate the heel. If you use the plastic taps they are not loud IMO.

 

[KlezmerBlues]

Originally Posted by Steven Aver

Yes they elevate the heel.

But not in a noticeable way (for me at least).