^ Haven't tried it in awhile, but it did last a few weeks easy & I didn't even use actual urethane based caulk. Seems way better than messing with shoe goo etc, if u want grip. I remember blasting kickflips really good when I first skated it using new griptape. Didn't mention, this came from: “Made for Skate: The Illustrated History of Skateboard Footwear”. Was wondering if anyone's tried it. I think I recall in a ripped laces interview with the most recent Fallen footwear designer that this was an idea they wanted to incorporate into their program. I don't have the actual book, so here's a transcript I tried to copy that explains it better (the photo is too hard to read so some words weren't made out properly):
"I can remember messing around with shoe goo in the hope that it would resurrect my beloved vans that would cost more than a week's socializing to replace. It never worked -- the stuff just peels off. But this stuff is different!
As its is so often the case with these cheesy substances, it was royce who turned me on to it. He'd use it to stick together the upholstery of his latest prototype spacerocket (registered with MOT as a “motor bicycle”). He even built handgrips and shock absorbing washers with it.
It's called sikaflex and its not based on rubber like shoe goo but is instead a urethane in liquid form. It sets in a day to comprise a soft grippy thane of about 50-60a durometer. ( Vans soles are about 60-70a rubber). It should wear quite quick but who cares if you can just squidgy some more on?
If you're a third lung merchant and used to enjoy a whiff of Evostick just completely forget it with Sikaflex. Its vapour contains isocyanates which are viciously cancer causing. And if you're dumb enough to smoke while inhaling some of these nasty urethane setting agents the heat of your fag is exactly right to synthesize some of the most powerful cancer creators on the planet. You have been warned!
The joy of it is that it sticks like nothing on earth. You can hardly scrape it off a stainless knife when it's set, let alone get it off of clothes, carpet etc. I still have a bit on my hand and no way I can peel it off. This is bad news for thumbs of ?? but not bad news for skate shoe rejuvenators.
Get the shoes good and clean, if they're canvas and plastic or rubber you can give them a session in the washing machine. Then they must be fully dry (don't put them in the dryer – they'll melt). Put the stuff on with the nozzle of the tube put so it delivers a thin ??
The gun you have to buy to ?? the industrial sized tubes this comes in are very controllable. Cost ?? or so and should last for dozens of tubes. I found that you can use thick upholsterer's canvas tape to act as a patch. I put a layer on the outside surface of the shoe around the hole and stuck the tape on and just covered it with sikaflex. You can then put a second layer of tape and just ?? the edges with the ??
Stick ?? bits of rubber with contact adhesive like evostick first if you like, as sikaflex doesnt grab and hold until its setting, you can then sikaflex over the top. Where you need it very thick put it on in layers, letting it go off for a few hours between them. One major priority is to not create nasty lumps on the inside of the shoe. This is why it's best to put all patches on the outside. It's so sticky that they will not peel off so long as the super goo is all around and over the edges.
Always use it outside in a breeze , or in a very well ventilated place, and don't expect to wash or clean it off anything unless you're very lucky and get it off right away. You can buy rubber surgical gloves quite cheap to protect your hands. If you are worried about getting it absorbed into your skin, or use the polythene-disposable type. Royce reckons you could use it to stick a one piece steel surface on a ramp as it will flex and for shrinkage etc. (See his metal ramp feature next month). You can stick ?? on ?? and even make grabgrip for decks if you key the surface by scratching the varnish just pipe a nose or edge grab onto the surface let it set.
It's always a real drag getting enough life out of the shoes and who can afford 40 quid every three weeks or so? Anyways aren't they always nice and comfy just before they fall apart. So expect to see the best ?? skating around with blobs of this stuff all over them this summer.
Sikaflex cost me about ?? from my local branch of strand glass, my local fiberglass people, and they had it in black, gray and white. It's distributed by: --------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------.
I don't know if it's sold in the states but its official description is all-purpose poly-urethane sealant. Don't be fooled by bathroom silicone type sealants that come in a smaller form; they don't cut the mustard.
We ?? accept absolutely no responsibility for any mess or disease you or yours-truly get yourself into as a result of mis-using this stuff; you have been adequately warned!"
They make it sound pretty dangerous to be fooling around with harmful volatile chemicals, so I'd make sure to get the necessary safety equipment (gloves, vapor respirator masks...etc) if you consider actually trying it.
Topic: grippier alternatives to shoe goo? (Read 10484 times)