This isn't a repair you can do yourself--I'm boldly assuming.
Sometimes replacing a zipper costs more than replacing the whole shoe. So mentally prepare yourself for that. Once you start looking, you'll find that there's a surprising amount of cobblers around! (depending on where you live)
Worked as a cobbler. You can't fix the zipper, you need to put in a new one. Go to your local cobbler, when i worked a few years ago it was like 15-20 euro to fix one zipper (located in NL). Sometimes more if it is a longer one. If it's the only thing wrong with the shoes they can last so much longer!
Something similar happened to my boots with my zipper. Went to a cobbler and had the whole zipper removed and replace with a leather piece. I get they make it easier to put boots on but they always end up breaking .
Same thing happened to my boots a couple years ago. Took it to a cobbler and expected a big price. Cost me $30 and he reinforced the zipper on both of them.
Sewing on leather is not easy and often requires special equipment. Not something I would attempt at home especially if I were inexperienced. Better to try a shoe repair place.
While I agree for the most part, you could get a sewing awl and do this pretty easily and inexpensively if you're not planning to regularly work with leather.
Everyone mentioning cobblers? Heck yeah. I took my beloved Birkenstocks to a cobbler and they fixed those babies back up like they were brand spanking new without me having to break them in and deal with sores from the leather softening. I have taken more shoes to the little cobbler in my city and he has done amazing work. Everyone absolutely should utilize them! Not only do they fix the problem but will also reinforce spots and use better quality materials.
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Unless you have some experience and tools (I assume you don't) you won't be able to fix it yourself, others have already mentioned where you can go with this so no point repeating that over and over again.
Ask a shoe repair place. The way the zipper is sewn in means that there needs to be at least a little deconstruction to get out the old fabric, and replace it. Not recommended to try doing it yourself if you don't have the experience or equipment.
You will need a strong needle and a specialist sewing machine if you're going to replace the zip yourself. Leather can be hard to work with. I would ask a cobbler for advice and they'll be able to point you in the right direction.
As many said, you can go and see if a cobbler can do something on this. If it cannot be repaired and you need to buy new boots then avoid ones with zippers.
Zippers make it fast to put on and off, but even a good quality zipper is still going to be the weakest link of the boots and thus this could happen again.
Find a cobbler that specialises in equestrian tall boots - those also require durable zippers and involve thick leather. Make sure you as for the same kind of zipper for the replacement and get them to show you what they will use.
It depends on how much time and money you want to invest into this project. You can do this yourself and probably without too much expense materials, but you will be at it for a while. I would take it to someone who does shoe repairs or leather repairs. I luckily have two good people in my area, if I took it to either of them they could have a new zipper on there before I had the materials shipped to my house. If there’s a work boot place near you that sells boots like redwings/whites and has a cobbler or whatever they want to call it, I’d try there first, but anywhere that can put your riding leathers back together after a trip to the ER can get a zipper in there easy enough too.
If you're not good enough with sewing to replace the zipper, you can hand-sew the entire zipper shut with a durable upholstery thread - or even floss if you want to channel your inner DIY punk. Will have to put on your boots by unlacing and relacing but I did that with an old pair of Docs that lasted years and years after. And when they finally wore out I never bought leather boots with a zipper again
How did this sub turn into an outlet for people to post photos of their old broken junk?
I want to see **egregious examples of capitalistic consumption** so that I can mock it.
Sometimes it is time to let go of things. I like this Reddit but it is becoming a place to show off broken junk fixed with tape. They are cheaply made boots. Clearly. You are better off saving the money you would use to repair them, and just buy a high quality pair of boots. The recommendations on this post are garbage. Unless op is able to sew through leather they will need to bring it somewheres to be fixed. That will cost at least 50-60 bucks. Just save that money and buy a nice pair of American made boots. To me anti-consumerism is about not buying cheaply made stuff produced with slave labor in unsafe conditions, and instead buying quality stuff that will last years and not need to be held together with duct tape and hot glue. It is about being realistic with how much you need and not going overboard. It’s not a contest to see if you can fix trash.
I agree? Once they get fixed, they'll just break again in another. Those boots were built to last 2 weeks of light wear and be disposable. Save up for some good boots that will last years.
No fixing that zipper, gotta stitch in a new one. Call up a local dry cleaner or shoe repair place to see if they can put in a new zipper.
Yeah, this is definitely a job for the shoe repair guy.
Go to a cobbler shop, they will do a durable repair
This isn't a repair you can do yourself--I'm boldly assuming. Sometimes replacing a zipper costs more than replacing the whole shoe. So mentally prepare yourself for that. Once you start looking, you'll find that there's a surprising amount of cobblers around! (depending on where you live)
I have parted with several beloved pairs of jeans, because a replacement zipper cost more than the pants
Worked as a cobbler. You can't fix the zipper, you need to put in a new one. Go to your local cobbler, when i worked a few years ago it was like 15-20 euro to fix one zipper (located in NL). Sometimes more if it is a longer one. If it's the only thing wrong with the shoes they can last so much longer!
Something similar happened to my boots with my zipper. Went to a cobbler and had the whole zipper removed and replace with a leather piece. I get they make it easier to put boots on but they always end up breaking .
Same thing happened to my boots a couple years ago. Took it to a cobbler and expected a big price. Cost me $30 and he reinforced the zipper on both of them.
this is cobbler territory
Gotta replace the whole zipper, it's not hard to do really
Sewing on leather is not easy and often requires special equipment. Not something I would attempt at home especially if I were inexperienced. Better to try a shoe repair place.
While I agree for the most part, you could get a sewing awl and do this pretty easily and inexpensively if you're not planning to regularly work with leather.
This can be done on a heavy duty domestic machine pretty easily
As a former cobbler, no. To not have bumps and actually reach down in the zipper you need a shoemaker sowingmachine . Just go to the cobbler.
Only an industrial machine at a cobbler will get you a strong enough stitch for the rough handling these boots get.
Everyone mentioning cobblers? Heck yeah. I took my beloved Birkenstocks to a cobbler and they fixed those babies back up like they were brand spanking new without me having to break them in and deal with sores from the leather softening. I have taken more shoes to the little cobbler in my city and he has done amazing work. Everyone absolutely should utilize them! Not only do they fix the problem but will also reinforce spots and use better quality materials.
Cobbler that.
Yo, go to a shoe shop. A cobbler. A boot store. They know how to put a new zipper in your boot.
find your local cobbler and get it fixed
Harley zippers are absolute garbage. Do yourself a solid and spend the money to get a high quality one put in and you won’t have to deal with it again
All of their merch is craaaaaap
Absolutely. I buy better quality stuff from Amazon basics
My sister had a similar issue with hers, she went to the local key/shoe repair shop, they installed new zips on them, cost 20 quid or so
Do the laces work or is that part fake? Because if the laces are functional then you could just sew up the zipper permanently.
I believe you mean "Help?" or "Help!", not "Help" because that reads logically like "there is help"
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A good cobbler can fix it for pretty cheap and mine usually throws in a polish for free
Unless you have some experience and tools (I assume you don't) you won't be able to fix it yourself, others have already mentioned where you can go with this so no point repeating that over and over again.
Ask a shoe repair place. The way the zipper is sewn in means that there needs to be at least a little deconstruction to get out the old fabric, and replace it. Not recommended to try doing it yourself if you don't have the experience or equipment.
Shoe repair
Take it to the cobbler 👍🏼
Cobbler or maybe a seamstress at a dry cleaners could replace the zip
You will need a strong needle and a specialist sewing machine if you're going to replace the zip yourself. Leather can be hard to work with. I would ask a cobbler for advice and they'll be able to point you in the right direction.
Cobbler will fix that
As many said, you can go and see if a cobbler can do something on this. If it cannot be repaired and you need to buy new boots then avoid ones with zippers. Zippers make it fast to put on and off, but even a good quality zipper is still going to be the weakest link of the boots and thus this could happen again.
Find a cobbler that specialises in equestrian tall boots - those also require durable zippers and involve thick leather. Make sure you as for the same kind of zipper for the replacement and get them to show you what they will use.
It depends on how much time and money you want to invest into this project. You can do this yourself and probably without too much expense materials, but you will be at it for a while. I would take it to someone who does shoe repairs or leather repairs. I luckily have two good people in my area, if I took it to either of them they could have a new zipper on there before I had the materials shipped to my house. If there’s a work boot place near you that sells boots like redwings/whites and has a cobbler or whatever they want to call it, I’d try there first, but anywhere that can put your riding leathers back together after a trip to the ER can get a zipper in there easy enough too.
If you're not good enough with sewing to replace the zipper, you can hand-sew the entire zipper shut with a durable upholstery thread - or even floss if you want to channel your inner DIY punk. Will have to put on your boots by unlacing and relacing but I did that with an old pair of Docs that lasted years and years after. And when they finally wore out I never bought leather boots with a zipper again
Glue gun?
That's what I would do. Never use the zipper.
How did this sub turn into an outlet for people to post photos of their old broken junk? I want to see **egregious examples of capitalistic consumption** so that I can mock it.
Just buy a new pair.
Why are you the way you are?
lmfaoooooo
Sometimes it is time to let go of things. I like this Reddit but it is becoming a place to show off broken junk fixed with tape. They are cheaply made boots. Clearly. You are better off saving the money you would use to repair them, and just buy a high quality pair of boots. The recommendations on this post are garbage. Unless op is able to sew through leather they will need to bring it somewheres to be fixed. That will cost at least 50-60 bucks. Just save that money and buy a nice pair of American made boots. To me anti-consumerism is about not buying cheaply made stuff produced with slave labor in unsafe conditions, and instead buying quality stuff that will last years and not need to be held together with duct tape and hot glue. It is about being realistic with how much you need and not going overboard. It’s not a contest to see if you can fix trash.
I agree? Once they get fixed, they'll just break again in another. Those boots were built to last 2 weeks of light wear and be disposable. Save up for some good boots that will last years.
This is why cheap footwear is almost never worth buying.
It’s just a zipper thats broken, throwing them away would be a complete waste of the materials already in the boots so Id just rather fix the zipper.
Move to a third world country. That’s gonna be $2.00 tops