Any reason why a cobbler would replace Goodyear welt soles with glued ones?

[chimbleysweep]

I just picked up my Wolverine 1000 Mile boots from the cobbler where I had the worn soles and heels replaced. I should say that I absolutely adore the boots and wear them all the time. One of my favorite features is the leather soles and the stitching. Anyhow, I look at the boots and find that the cobbler has replaced with glued-down soles—no stitching. I cannot fathom why he did this and unfortunately, he was not at the shop when I picked them up.

I'm really upset right now, because I feel like something I love was partially ruined (or if nothing else will involve a huge hassle to get fixed). It's not something I ever would have thought I would have to specifically request.

Before I call him back, is there any good reason why he would have done this? How difficult will it be to fix?

 

[MyOtherLife]

The best work comes from the manufacturer where the boot or shoe is put back on the original last. In this way, both the soles and the welts can be replaced (limited times though).
A typical cobbler works on hundreds of pairs of glued jobs a year. I mean cheap shoes. Sometimes they get a nice pair and glue soles anyway. Most customers will never know the difference.
I am not saying he tried to take advantage.
Check your welts. If they are plastic, he would have had no choice but to glue.
If the welts were damaged, they may not be strong enough to hold the new stitching.
Cobblers glue is pretty strong stuff so probably you have no need to worry, but politely inquire as to why this was done and why the stitching was not applied. It should be possible to still stitch them. He can run those through the stitching machine in 5 minutes while you wait if he is not busy. Even when shoes or boots are re-soled, they are glued into place before stitching anyway so they hold their positions.
Welcome to Styleforum.

 

[MyOtherLife]

duplicate post, sorry

 

[chimbleysweep]

Thanks for the welcome. I actually inquired with Wolverine first, but they don't do refurbishing.

I guess I don't understand the point of the Goodyear welt and stitching. If all he has to do is run it through a machine for 5 minutes, it doesn't seem like it actually provides that much value. Plus, why would he just do that on every shoe? Aren't the stitches on the bottom connected to the ones on the top?

 

[MyOtherLife]

It takes a lot more than 5 minutes to resole shoes or boots. I was talking specifically about applying the welt stitching by machine. The rest of the work takes longer.
Please watch this short video to see how a Goodyear Welted shoe is made. Pay attention to where the soles are attached to the welt and also the welt itself. This should clarify the procedure for you.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]


I could be wrong but I was under the impression that Allen Edmonds manufacturers the boots for Wolverine. Either way, this video will be helpful.