For my latest hare-brained scheme, I created new soles for my favorite muni shoes (Etnie Sal 23’s) out of car tire tread. The worn out soles had rather large holes in them, but the leather is fine, and since they set me back $60, I thought I’d try and get some more life out of them.
I used a carbide rod hacksaw blade to cut out the pattern. This was necessary because tires nowadays are reinforced with steel mesh. Evidently if you can find a really old one with only nylon cord in it, you can cut it with a hobby knife. They also make carbide grit jigsaw blades, which would’ve done the job faster and with much less effort.
I wasn’t really sure how I was going to attach them, but I was eager to see how they would feel, so I slathered them up with industrial strength silicone adhesive and tentatively held them together with large staples. But now that they’re on, I think I’ll leave them this way a while. The staples seem to be holding pretty tight and I think they look kinda badass. I finished them off with new black laces.
I haven’t tried them out on the trail yet, but walking around so far I’m happy with them. They’re of course a fair bit heavier than before, and feel more like boots than skateboard shoes, but I like a stiff sole for muni, which is why I bought these shoes in the first place.
I just need to trim back the sharp bits of steel cord lining the edges of the soles.
