(1) Make sure your Goo purchase is recent. The shelf life in your garage is not long.
(2) Have both the shoes and Goo at room temperature. There are handling and curing problems if you deviate from this ideal.
(3) Lay out more newspapers than you think and get a few paper-towels handy.
(4) Buy a big bag of rubber bands unless you have quite a few sizes already (important).
(5) Using a small wire-brush (toothbrush style is best) clean out the area to be glued. Do this outside. Get out all the dirt and sand, and also rough-up the surfaces. You can't glue to dirt, and any little pebbles will be in there forever. Shoe must be completely dry (place held open over a heater vent for 24-hours if need be).
(6) Goo glue it up. Be generous, but not too generous. Be particular careful to fully coat both surfaces at the edges of the shoe.
(7) Rub the outside surfaces to squish the Goo around inside the sole.
(8) Start putting on the rubber bands. You need a lot. Space them every quarter inch or closer on the glued edge.
(9) The shoe parts have a tendency to open up, even with the rubber bands, so check again in 10 and 30 minutes. Add more rubber bands if needed.
(10) Let sit inside for 24 hours. Or more.
Voila! Fixed shoes.
I clean my fingers with paper towels. You might try something nastier, if you want.
PS: This review is not "certified purchase" because the SKU I bought seems to be discontinued on Amazon.
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There is a large family of Goop adhesives, "All Purpose", "Automotive", "Craft", "Household", "Lawn and Garden", "Marine", "Plumbing", "RV", "Sport and Outdoor", and "Wood and Furniture" As far as I can tell, all are identical. So, I suggest buying the cheapest. In the local hardware store, "Household Goop" is usually the cheapest. At the time of this writing, "Plumbing Goop" is the cheapest on Amazon. Caveat, there is a black version of "Shoe Goop".SHOES AND OTHER LEATHER
Use fresh "thin" Goop. Apply a thin layer. If you are trying to glue a large surface, such as all or most of a sole, it is best two apply Goop to both surfaces---but as thin as possible. A wooden "popsicle stick" may be useful to spread the Goop. In most cases you need to clamp the layers together. There are a wide variety of clamps available for woodworking which may be helpful in specific situations. If you happen to have a solid-wooden shoe stretcher, it may be helpful in clamping. As with woodworking, firm clamping is important, but clamping too hard causes problems. In some cases, you may be able to get by with clothespins and heavy rubber bands or blue painters tape. In anycase, it is essential to let the glue cure for at least three days before using the shoes. I recommend waiting a week. I've used Goop to repair leather watch bands and belts.
IN GENERAL
Goop will bond virtually any material, including leather, plastics, glass, and metal. The bond is clear, very strong, waterproof, and hard but flexible.
OTHER USES
Examples are endless. In addition to the examples below, I've used it to repair ceramic plant pots and shoes. I also use it to seal rust spots on my dishwasher rack. The Goop it also makes a "cushioned" surface that will prevent scratches to dishes. I use Goop to close small holes in window screens. I've used Goop to seal holes in air-mattresses.
ELECTRICAL
Goop is far superior to electrical tape for splicing wires, re-insulating cat-chewed wires, waterproofing and vibration-proofing electrical connections. There is a black variety of "Shoe Goop" if you want your repair to be less noticeable.
PLUMBING
Goop is great for sealing small leaks (including garden hose connections, etc.). However, you have to turn off the water, and the connections must be absolutely dry. Moreover, it takes several days for Goop to dry to reasonable strength. If you turn on the pressure before then you will make a water balloon. It's better to wait a week. Moreover, it may take several applications to get a thick enough layer of Goop to hold against normal household pressure--so a sink, toilet, etc. may be out-of-commission for at least three days waiting for the Goop to dry.
SHORTCOMINGS
1) An opened tube thickens quickly. Store open tubes in a small glass jar with a tight metal lid. Old thick Goop does not work well for some uses (such as repairing shoes), but is perfect when you need a thick application--such as insulating an exposed electrical connection or to hold pressure in a leaking water line. It is best to start with a thin layer from a new tube to maximally bond to the surface
2) Until it dries, Goop flows, alot. Therefore a thickly-applied layer may dry to a very thin layer (because most of the glue has flowed somewhere else). So, it may be essential to apply several thin layers (at intervals of 4 hours or longer) rather than one thick layer. Alternatively, you can apply a thicker layer of old thick Goop over an initial layer of new Goop. If possible, arrange the pieces you are gluing to minimize flowing, i.e., usually horizontal. For several hours, depending on the temperature etc., the glue is "repositionable" after thickening a little, that is, you can push it back into place. Unfortunately, if you use too many layers or "reposition" the glue too much, the result is not as attractive.
3) Except when still tacky (when it can be removed with naptha or acetone), Goop is essentially non-cleanup-able. So, for example, while it might be terrific for fixing a leaking windshield, if you mess up and your application is ugly, there is essentially nothing you can do about it. Although Goop is terrific for repairing a broken ceramic statuette--if a little extra oozes out, there is no way to clean it up the excess. You could simply peel/rub-off excess silicon glue. You could simply wipe off "white glue" and clean up with a moist paper towel.
4) The fumes are strong and toxic. Allow glued items to dry in a well-ventilated area (ideally out-of-door) for several days. When doing alot of gluing, I work in my carport with a large utility fan blowing the fumes away---and still usually get a nasty headache. It is best to use gloves when working with Goop.
TO GOOP OR NOT TO GOOP
While Goop is truly miraculous--there are situations when other types of glue are better choices.
White Glue: For most light-duty indoor household applications which do not have to be waterproof, ordinary household white glue is much safer, cleanup is much easier, and in most cases repairs are redo-able if you make a mistake. For example: Elmer's All Multipurpose White Glue, 7 5/8 oz. (E379)
Wood Glue: Carpenters's wood glue is essentially water-proof (when dry) white household glue. It is much better than Goop for most wood repairs. It penetrates and strengthens the wood. It is much safer, and cleanup is much easier. If the joint breaks again (because the wood is weak), it can be re-glued. For example: Elmer's E701 Carpenter's Wood Glue 8-Ounce
Silicon Glue: Silicon glue is best for glass, and when you want a truly flexible connection (for example, to absorb vibrations). It is a better choice for general household use on glass, plastic, and metal when you do not need the maximum possible strength. It is safer than Goop, and cleanup is easier. Like Goop, silicon glue takes days to reach reasonable strength, weeks to reach maximum strength. For example: GE Silicone II Household Glue, 2.8 oz
Epoxy: When you need a strong rigid workable (e.g. sandable surface) adhesive, particularly for use on metal or hard plastic, epoxy is a much
better choice. For joining metal "J&B Weld" epoxy is best. Most epoxies dry with little running or shrinkage, and so are good for filling gaps. Fiberglass epoxy is best for joining/filling hard plastic. Epoxies are safer than Goop, and cure much quicker. The major drawback to epoxies is that they consist of two parts (resin and hardener) which must be mixed in small batches, and then applied with your own applicator (e.g., a toothpick). Some are packaged in a dual-syringe---but that is not an adequate solution, because the components must still be manually mixed in order harden to maximum strength. Previously, a major drawback was that all epoxies were colored (usually white)---but now clear epoxies are available. For example: J-B Weld 8265-S Cold Weld CLEARBOND H-3S Clear Strong Epoxy Adhesive Syringe .85oz
Super-Glue (Krazy Glue): Super-glue is very strong, rigid, and fast. In many ways it is similar to 2-minute epoxy---except that no mixing is required. Although very hard, super-glue is brittle, and so, is not recommended for flexible objects. Super-glue is hazardous in that it can easily glue fingers (etc.) together. Previously, I used super-glue frequently on objects (e.g., jewelry) when a clear bond was required---however, Goop is better for such applications, and clear epoxies have become available. Opened super-glue keeps poorly, even in tighly sealed glass containers---so I recommended packages of multiple very small tubes. BAZIC Super Glue, 3 grams 0.10 ounces, 6 Per PackKrazy Glue KG92548R Instant Krazy Glue All Purpose Brush 0.18-Ounce
APPLICATOR TIP
If you use the applicator tip, and do not use the entire tube at one time, much unused glue remains in the tip, which is wasted and clogs up the tip. If you plan to use the glue again within about a week, then jam an old unused (uncut) applicator tip over the one on the tube, and store in a small glass jar with a tight lid. If you aren't likely to do more gluing within two weeks, remove the tip and put the cap back on (and store the tube in a small jar with a tight lid) If it is necessary to clean out an applicator tip, then take it off the tube, let the glue dry for several days, then pull it out with tweezers.
CONCLUSION
Goop is one of those "miracle" products with a thousands uses, which needs to be a permanent part of any household. Other such items include silicon grease Permatex 22058 Dielectric Tune-up Grease 3 oz. painter's tape ScotchBlue Painter's Tape 2090-1E2, 1 Inch by 60 Yards, 1 Roll, and WD-40. WD-40 Spray Lubricant 16-oz.
Best Deals on Shoe Goo
This is a terrific item to keep just about any sensible shoe and sandal bottom from wearing out too quickly. I've had great success with it.Unless you are going to doctor-up a lot of needy shoes, athletic ones in particular, at one time, buy the smaller Shoe Goo size. Shoe Goo stored over an extended period of time loses most of its potency.
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