The issue of pricey sole and heel presses, as well as potential DIY substitutes, has come up a few times online for me now. My own solution for hobby making and repair has been to use cheaper c- and f-clamps.
I’ve got photos of my c-clamp setup handy. I’ll try to share about the f-clamps for even taller boots tomorrow.
C-Clamps for Heels
Since I like to handle taller logging, cowboy, and packer boots, I sprung for very wide, 12-inch-mouth clamps. This pair cost me less than $50 delivered:
The black segments are 2-inch lengths of auto heater hose sliced once lengthwise so they can be pulled open and wrapped around the acme threads. That way they don’t catch tops or linings.
Not Pictured: scraps of sole leather I drop in the boots before clamping them, so the metal foot of the clamp doesn’t leave an impression.
You don’t actually have to unscrew these things 12 inches to get them into very tall boots. You unscrew them a little bit, then insert the foot down with the frame at an angle so the bottom jaw travels down beside the boot until you can swing it under the heel. Then you tighten.
Speaking of tall boots, here are 9-inch- and 11-inch-tall logger and packer tops on 2-inch heels fitting within the 12-inch clamps with room to spare:
While 2 inches of heel plus 11 inches of top is indeed more than 12 inches total, the wedge angle and pitch of the topline makes it work.
Shorter, handier c-clamps are broadly available at hardware stores. Here’s Terry Kim using a pair of 6-inch clamps—half as wide as mine—for some over-the-ankle balmoral boots:
Note that Terry also sets the boots on marble blocks within the clamps.
Most hardware stores I’ve checked have at least 6-inch clamps. Some have 8-inch clamps, including Harbor Freight, for less than $10 apiece:
https://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-industrial-c-clamps-39610.html
I would not be concerned with the sometimes hilarious slop in the threads of some of the cheaper c-clamps. As long as the clamp can set and hold sufficient pressure for the adhesives you’re using, you’re doing the job.
For reference, Renia’s recs for Colle de Cologne are:
| Bar | PSI | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ≈15 | 60 Seconds |
| 3 | ≈44 | 15 Seconds |
Even cheap c-clamps can do a thousand pounds of force, to spread over the surface area of the heel seat.
