Re-doing boots, advice

[NegativeEleven]

So my first pair of boots used the marine grade vinyl from Hancock which is a little off-white and not very strong. The boots themselves are the most comfortable shoes I own.

 

I made another pair last year with the newer "cheap" boots from Walmart and used Weblon (vinyl coated urethane from a marine cushion maker). That stuff is stronger, but doesn't flex, so the toe has some wrinkles where it would have stretched with regular vinyl. Also this base boot isn't as comfortable.

 

I am thinking about doing it again, back on the first base boot. I will use the rest of the Weblon for the top, but I got some matching white vinyl for toe and dog bone. Advice needed: should I rip up the glued down vinyl on the toe or just stretch and glue another layer? Has anyone done this?

[Stroker]

I've made about 8 pairs of white and 3 pairs of black both with the thinner stuff and the thicker grained vinyl. I'd start over. Also a heat gun can be your best friend along with another set of hands when it comes to the toe area. I couldn't get em perfect without the wife and my cheap heat gun.

[bikerscout73]

I would heat up the old vinyl and peel it off and then sand the boot a bit and re apply the new vinyl. I use marine vinyl from Jo Ann's and for the boot tops I glue thin craft foam to the vinyl to keep the boot top stiff but still flexible.

[4505Marcel]

I use nautolex marine vynil, never had an issue with it.

 

The stretch is easily a one man job, just use a heat gun like said above. I generally do this 2 or even 3 times to get a no wrinkle finish

[NegativeEleven]

Yeah, with vinyl the first time it wasn't a problem to stretch, but like I said, the "marine grade" at both JoAnn's and Hancock is slightly off-white. I really like the bright white stiff Weblon material for the top part.

[bikerscout73]

Try another Jo Anne's they have plain white just have to go to a different one, I had to go to two different ones before I got plain white vinyl. They have it.