What kind of welt is this?

[ComboOrgan]

http://www.zappos.com/images/732/732...7-427716-2.jpg I have a few pairs of shoes with stitching on the bottom like the link above (with or without the rubber inlay). Notice how the stitching ends well before the heel. On this pair I don't see any nails in the heel, but I have a pair with this stitching that does have nailed on heels. What is this? Would you say this is a welted sole, or is the stitching purely cosmetic? I've only seen it on lower-end shoes.

 

[sho'nuff]

for rubber sole,it is not any premium welt like goodyear, but it is not cosmetic as well.
lot of rubber soles have a stitch like this ,whether going all the way back to the heel or not, it is just for the attachment of the rubber on the underside.


for LEATHER soles, this is usually a mark of goodyear or blake stitching, whether channeled or not, you can usually tell either by looking inside the insole as well for further deducement and/or just the over all quality and make of the shoe and price as well.
i am pretty sure anything minimally premium like goodyear on COLE HAAN they will have worded it on the sole to further market the shoe

 

[mbc]

Cole Haan does mark the soles of their shoes with the phrase "Genuine Goodyear Welted" if they are indeed constructed in such a manner.

 

[ComboOrgan]

thanks for the info.

Do you think the sole can be replaced, or is this not enough information to judge?

 

[sho'nuff]

soles probably can be replaced by some cobbler whether experienced or not maybe just a simple blake stitching sole replacement or just a glued on cememnted sole replacement.

if you mean by another rubber sole replacement, you may not get the same exact rubber sole, but many of these shoe manufacturers and cobblers do get their rubber soles OEM from these certain rubber manufacturers so quality would be same.

there is an experienced problem of bringing shoes to have soles replaced to a private cobbler and then the shape of the sole not being exact as before.
better to bring to the original manufacturer but cole haan and /or these shoes may not have the 'premium' enough to even have such a service availble so your only choice maybe just to go to a local private vendor.

it is rare for a local cobbler to go to the extent of replacing a sole with a goodyear leather sole , if it was blake or glued on in the beginning. they will not upgrade.
if you have a goodyear sole originally, the cobbler will in fact replace the sole due to the facilitation of the goodyear construction, but not upgrade to a goodyear sole.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by mbc

Cole Haan does mark the soles of their shoes with the phrase "Genuine Goodyear Welted" if they are indeed constructed in such a manner.

Yes and they are made in India, and they also say that on the shoe, unlike some "English" shoes which are mostly made in India but say Made in England.

 

[shoe maker]

Hey shoe guru's

Ive started a little while ago making shoes.. well really i get them made.. Anyway, they are great except im trying to improve the quality of the soles

Do you have any ideas where I could get Welted soles done? (in the world!) at a good price?

Would be soo grateful!!!

Look forward to your insights...

Regards,
J