SoleHeeled offers convenient and affordable RM Williams boot repairs by Australia’s best craftsmen, with free shipping to your door. This case study outlines how we recently restored a customer’s RM Williams boots.
The boots
These Adelaide Cuban women's boots by RM Williams were no doubt built to last. But even the sturdiest of boots (including those manufactured by this iconic Australian brand) will eventually wear over time. This customer was particularly concerned that the boots seemed to be letting in water, finding her feet wet on rainy days in Melbourne. Meanwhile repairers the customer approached suggested the boots could not be repaired — at least not without a full re-last (where the whole of the boot's outsole is removed and reconstructed).
However, when the customer reached out to us for a free diagnosis/quote, we reviewed the photos she submitted and immediately recognised that a full re-last would have been an overly expensive and unnecessary solution to a clear problem — the disintegrated soles simply needed replacement. Given the state of the boots, we recommended a full re-sole, which involves the replacement of the sole along the entire length of the boot (as well as a re-heel), and a restoration of the leather.
Happy with the diagnosis/quote, the customer submitted an order and used SoleHeeled's free 2-way (Australia-wide) shipping service to send over her boots from Melbourne to our Sydney workshop.
Full re-sole and re-heel
We removed the existing heel blocks and soles before installing new leather soles and rubber heels in place of the old — using original RM Williams replacements. In addition, given the environment in which the boots were being worn and the construction of these particular boots, we applied a pair of thin protective rubber soles over the RM Williams leather sole for greater longevity. We then reattached the heel blocks, and cleaned and recoloured to restore them.
Leather restoration and waterproofing
Even the highest quality yearling leathers RM Williams use on these boots are not immune to the effects of everyday wear and tear. The leather in this case was not exactly in a good state, but looked to be in far worse a state than it actually was in. And so we set about cleaning and conditioning the leather throughout the boots, before recolouring and polishing out the scuffs and scratches. Finally, we applied a leather waterproofer for extra protection going forward.
It is worth noting here that quality leathers deserve ongoing care and attention. It really is best to condition the leather every couple of months to keep the leather looking and feeling fresh and supple. SoleHeeled stocks RM Williams' unique leather conditioners and polishes. Feel free to let us know if you would like us to send back a unit or two with your repaired boots.
Have a pair of RM Williams boots needing repair or restoration?
SoleHeeled is an official recommended repairer of RM Williams boots — one of a few remaining repairers in Australia. Our craftsmen are intimately familiar with RM Williams boots and what it takes to repair them, using authorised RM Williams replacements and products in their repairs. If you have a beloved pair of RM Williams boots in need of repair or restoration, ask us for a free diagnosis/quote by completing our online order form — where you can upload photos of the boots and let us know exactly what you would like done to them, or let us advise you on what the boots need based on the photos.
SoleHeeled serves all of Australia through its free 2-way shipping service:
Order online: Answer a few questions to get an instant quote and complete your order.
Send your boots: Drop your boots off at a local post office for free packaging and shipping to us.
We repair: A team of experienced cobblers will carefully repair your boots.
We return: We'll deliver your repaired boots to you, wherever you are in Australia.
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