Creating a Custom Shoe

Creating a Custom Shoe

Written by: Quinn Ahrens

For someone who likes to have shoes that stand out from the rest, I found that the best way for me to do that was to make one of one shoes just for myself. So if you too want your own personal pair of shoes for all to see, then follow these steps.

Tools and Materials needed

To start, we will need two shoes. One of the shoes we will keep the top of (the upper) and the other we will keep the bottom of (the sole). To help you along a few tools will be needed, an exacto knife (with extra blades), a Dremel tool, Barge super stick cement, a heat gun, some masking tape to keep the glue in the area needed, and for this custom, some white Plastidip.

To the left are the two shoes that I started with. I will be taking the upper from the shoe in the top picture and attaching it to the sole of the shoe in the bottom picture.

Sole prep

Take the shoe you want the sole from and insert the exacto knife into where the edge of the upper meets the sole.

Carefully cut all the way around to shoe until the upper is removed from the sole.

From here, repeat these steps with the other shoe and then place aside.

Upper prep

Moving on to the shoe you want the upper from, insert the exact o knife ( with a new blade) into the edge of the sole angled downward as to not cut into the upper.(seen in picture to the left) From here you just need to be careful and take your time cutting the sole from the upper.

After separating the sole from the upper, there will be leftover foam on the upper. You will need some sort of sanding tool to remove this foam. (I have linked where to buy one up above)

Take the Dremel, or any other sanding tool, and start sanding away the foam until you are satisfied with the outcome. (Note, different upper materials can be affected by too much sanding on the surface on material. The Flyknit textile in my case will start to fray if not careful) Repeat all steps with other shoe.

Paint prep

After completing the prep for the upper, move back over the the sole (if necessary to your project) and start the painting process of the soles. Here I decided to use Plastidip over paint because Plastidip is rubberized and wouldn't crack and flake off like acrylic paint will. Apply a coat of the paint every 15 minutes until five to six coats have been applied.

Glue prep

Now for the final prep before the upper meets its new sole, the glue! Barge super stick cement is an industrial glue that requires a thin coat on both the bottom of the upper and the sole. Use the masking tape to outline where the upper will lay on the sole to keep the glue from spreading into places not needed. The glue needs 2 hours to cure before moving forward. After it has cured, apply another light coat to just the sole and let sit for 15 minutes. After it has sat for 15 minutes, use the heat gun and heat up the upper and the sole to get the glue tacky. Then slowly and carefully align the two and attach them. Wrap the shoe with the tape to keep from separating.

    Final Product

The Final outcome, if done correctly should look something like this. Hope this was helpful and good luck making a one off custom for yourself.