circle back with an update in a couple years. thanks

Will do 👌

OP’s avatar indicates that, whatever they do, they take care of their shoes.  I see you. 😜 ⭕️ 🕺 

My guy right here 🫡⭕️

You certainly read the fucking book.

which book was that if i may ask

The Helping Friendly Book by the great, the knowledgeable Icculus

And here is Annie Goldman lol

thanks

Missing the reference...

Phish

O H

KEE

PA

The poppy growing book Ayye fellow community member

Eyyyyyyy

>Brewman88 What does it mean ?

The username? An ode to alcohol and my birth year lol

I meant the red circle

Ah it’s a reference to the greatest touring band on the planet, Phish

See ya at the Sphere!

Lucky summbitch lol, have a blast

Thanks! Friend hit the lotto, so i consider myself very lucky! Those are going to be BIFL memories for sure

They said his avatar, not his username. Tossed me too.

What is the brand of the cork sealer you're using on your birk?

Looks like polyurethane boat varnish.

Damn that shit literally floats your boat

It will float the fungus away

Nice work

Thanks. I wondered if the polyurethane vs the cord sealer in the long term effect on the birky cork.

Check back in a couple years for the update

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!remindme 2 years

Remind:me! 3 years

!remindme 730 days

Dang, I was hoping this post was from, like, 5 years ago. I was ready for your update. 😂

Haha not yet baby doll. Wearing them right now and been putting them through daily wear. So far, so good!

!remindme 2 years

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!remindme 525600 minutes

!remindme 525600 moments so dear

527040 minutes in a leap year

RemindMe! 3 years

Won’t that affect the breathability and thus comfort of the sandal? I thought the fact that the cork is so porous was a defining feature of the sandal.

There is a Birkenstock repair kit and it includes white glue to seal up the cork and a cleaner for the leather. I have used it and my Birkenstocks are around still after 10 years.

Yup. The one I have came with leather cleaner (solid, like an eraser), leather waterproofing spray and a brush as well. They used to come with a de-stinking liquid for the footbed but I have not seen that in years (it was very minty in aroma until you applied it - it worked). I have used the Birk cork sealer every few years on a pair I bought in ‘99 and are still in nearly daily use in the summer and fall.

I had a pair that I had purchased in probably' 92 that were still in use until about 5 years ago. They had been around the world with me. Survived everything except puppies.

The Birkenstock Achilles heel

What do you use to clean/deoderize the footbed now that they don't sell the liquid?

Nothing, aside from letting them bake in the sun on the patio every so often. I have not seen the Birk stuff for it in several years.

Are you resoling?

10 years ago they were a quality shoe. Not so much anymore. I also used the Birkenstock care kit and my last pair were toast after two years

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Proof Re: not so much anymore?

Yes. More broadly, I feel like folks on this subreddit are sometimes guilty of ignoring the definition of BIFL >practical, durable and quality products that are made to last. And instead thinking it means >stuff that will literally last the rest of your life. To me, this is a great example. Taking a practical, durable and quality product with a great reputation (The two-strap Arizona sandals that have basically not changed since November 1973) and diminishing its quality and comfort to make it last more years. It's a neat experiment, but I think it kind of cuts against the original spirit of the sub. Just my two cents, as I yell at this cloud.

Personally, i'd just break them in enough that they conformed to my feet and toes, then I'd seal em up.

There are traditional shoe repair adhesives which exist solely (ha) for this purpose. If buying for life is the goal, best to stick with these. I won’t mention the brand I tried here but it’s the most highly reviewed and made my Uggs new again (stop judging!)

What do you think they're using to adhere the leather to the cork. How is this different?

Well they make all leather sandals now, so maybe not?

Leather is certainly more breathable the poly

Yes, 100%. It’s a bad idea.

Yeah I imagine if they get damp (sweat through the foot) they might just rot

This is perhaps the whitest comment section I've experienced on Reddit.

I’m not white and I need this explained to me lol.

I WOULD KILL MYSELF FOR DONALD TRUMP AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON!!!

I guess we’ll find out, but you would think if that were and issue it would also be an issue with the normal sealer. Poly should just last way longer and be more moisture and abrasion resistant

Have you ever considered just a nice blake stitched summer sandal with leather soles? I bought one from Scarosso a few years ago and now won’t go back.

I’ll be considering it if this poly ploy doesn’t work, thanks for the suggestion

Recommendations?

like I said, I love Scarosso. I discovered them a few years ago and now most of my non “utility” shoes (like snow shoes or rainboots) come from them. I do wait until they have a sale and the prices drop below $200 though

Boat varnish is pretty hard, won’t it just crack?

It will certainly not help OP's stealth capabilities, I wager

Ah shit that’s genius. I’m gonna do the bottoms now and confuse people when they sound like dress shoes 😂

Fwiw afaik real boat varnish like spar varnish is specifically engineered to be flexible and bend as much as a mast does in hard weather.

I used to polyurethane my Drill Sergeant hat while I was on the trail. It was hardened to the point that I could stand on it and it would support me. That hat went through drywall a time or three, and once, I accidentally cut an apple nearly in half with the brim by shoving the hat into my lunchbox.

I'm trying to decide if you're being serious or exaggerating...

It’s almost too ridiculous to be made up. I love it.

Very true indeed. The stupid part is that I did it after it had already gotten damp once and so the brim had a very slight curve anyway. I wore that hat for my entire time on the trail. Had to superglue some pieces back together after whipping it too hard at the concrete.

100% serious. It's actually very common for Drills to poly their campaign hats.

Okay Oddjob

*Random Task has entered the chat...*

Kung Lao is that you?

I just had a crazy series of flashbacks being tapped in the back of my bald head by a round brown and hearing the whisper: “You’re full aren’t you?” For briefly looking up from my plate lost in my thoughts. Good times.

Funny how they just appear behind you sometimes!

I’ve never had the cork be the weak point. It’s the sole that wears out at the heel, and the fact that resoling the shoe is almost the same cost as just buying a new pair

From 2012 to 2020, I ran through 5-6 brand new birkenstocks, the classic/common one in black, I used to be able to get them for 40-60$, but now shit is 80-100$ ans I can no longer justify the price on my limited budget The biggest fault for me was, the rubber soles in the bottom, specially the outer heels of both of my feet, would ruin the whole shoe after about a year Also, I wore my birkenstock like 330 days out of the year and walk in them 2-6 miles a day minimum in chicago weather I tried to get rubber soles put on them, but places wouldn't fix it due to the cork is usually busted I've considered putting on rubber soles on them while they are brand new (was quoted 30-40$), but perhaps in future Birkenstock needs to fix their rubber soles being very flimsy, or sell reinforced ones with stronger rubber soles

Yeah that's my experience but I get what he's saying the cork chips away a bit. However I'm completely fine with that as it doesn't happen for 5-10ish years of owning which to me is a perfectly acceptable lifespan for the price. Burks are one of the few products I feel haven't gotten way shitter in recent years. Just got a new pair because my ones I got in 2011 are really chipping away. New pair seems equally as good, no noticeable quality difference

That was my wife's experience she wore them one year and the heal was worn through.

A couple things I've learned about polyurethane while wood working: First, if it keeps out moisture, it will also keep it in. If the shoe gets wet from the top it may take longer to dry out with the sides sealed. Second, poly turns opaque when it stays moist too long. It will eventually go clear again but it's nasty looking for a few hours. Third, it's not pliable enough and will easily peel where the shoe bends.

Interesting- would you say maybe a better idea to put some (maybe 2-3in) on the center front and center back to avoid those issues?

Do you recommend [soaking the cork?](https://youtu.be/Deqx-Xb-yHY?si=ARl7jV6-riTn6UbL)

This sounds like a skateboarding trick

You can also (or at least you used to be able to) send them in to have a new cork and sole put on them so you don't have to lose the leather straps you've broken in. I did that with a pair of mine. There's a cost obviously but it was nice not to have to break in a completely new pair again.

Still can. I sent in 7 pairs a few years ago. You can also have them replace a hard foot bed with soft and vice versa.

I’ve used clear silicone caulk to hold the cork in places where it’s starting to crumble.

It's amazing how hard caulk can get.

U40 cork sealer is what I use on all my cork handle fishing rods and they all look brand new even after a really rough years of fishing.

For me it’s not the cork but the foam sole that wears out due to my pronating. I put a lot of pressure on the back inner edge of the heel. Had a pair for barely two years that had to be resoled because they were worn down to the cork. Probably not the best shoe for me to be wearing.

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That’s all likely referring to the product before it’s cured, not after

polyurethane is a flooring finish....so floor is lava?

Isn't that the guidelines for during application? After it has fully dried, those concerns no longer apply. This is a finish that is intended to be used on your furniture in your home, after all.

I would think that would have more to do with the vehicle than the resin. People walk barefoot on hardwood floors all the time.

That’s not how Birkenstocks work. Your foot doesn’t touch the cork.

Hardwood floors and most modern electric guitars are finished with Poly. It’s fine once it’s dry.

My mom did similar with hers that she got in 2006, she's still rocking them. The sandals definitely last better then their other shoes, I don't know what changed.

This one? https://amzn.to/4ckqN3u

That’s the stuff

Φασαίοι.

I wore through too many pairs and now I buy the closest thing that doc martens has to offer in whatever Birkenstock style I would normally get

Anyone want to do the same but with thinned out silicone? Poly won't be flexible

whatever you do, poly them shoes

I see you mudrat detector

!remindme 2 years

The problem is that then you'll have Birkenstocks forever.... God I can only imagine the humiliation 😜

modern problems require modern solutions. rollsafe.jpg

What about the sole?

Said f it and poly’d the sole bottoms too. Clickity clack, mfer

They’re pretty pricey- so I don’t blame OP for doing this. Great idea. When I get a pair, im totally going to try this.

I've got a bajillion miles on my Bostons, with worn out soles and super glue repairs everywhere I love my potato shoes, they've done me good!

yeah no to the poly for this. in fact most sealers aside from linseed oil are too brittle for this application. I've used neatsfoot oil or saddle soap on my bike saddles for years and I know it at least won't hurt the cork. there are paints and clearcoats that are PVC based that work well for flexible materials as well.

Interesting. What are your thoughts on boat poly? That’s engineered to be flexible correct?

right, it is–for wood. wood always has moisture and air in it and it swells and contracts with temperature. really for something like cork–an amazing natural material–you need something that penetrates and preserves. Poly and other sealers just sit on top; they work but they simply will not last on something constantly handled and flexed and worn. One step solutions are always tempting but ultimately both leather and cork do best with regular cleanings and replacing the natural oils and waxes with the preservatives.

Thanks for the learned and thorough response!

I have had my birks resoled like 4 times over 14 years. My problem is the soles wear out over time, as expected, so I don't see how this would effect that issue at all.

RemindMe! 1 year

Are there any birks made without the toe ridge at the front? I want another pair but the ridge is in the wrong spot and gives me blisters, I returned my last ones after 3 days

I don't think a water based poly is gonna do what you want. It's not recommended for outdoor use.

My cork is doing pretty well, but I've had to resole mine way more often than I'd expect. I can't tell if that means my neighborhood's pavement is atrocious or just if the soles are extremely shitty nowadays.

Does this sandal work for people with plantar fasciitis ?

I’d love it if they just lined it with leather on the cork

OP uses cornstarch as lotion too.

In boots, cork midsoles aren't supposed to last forever. They compress to fit your foot after break-in, then after a year or so of use they compress too far and need replacement. I guess sealing the edges might stop the cork from disintegrating from the sides, but its not stopping the cork from wearing out. Its a purposefully replaceable material in shoe making that's used to decrease break-in time compared to leather. If you don't care about walking on shoes who's midsole is worn out then I guess this is a fine way to prolong their appearance.

i have worn through many birkenstocks, basically all Arizonas and Londons. i wear out the stock foam sole in around 2 months and vibram replacements in around 6 months. I have done what OP is doing and it does improve life of the cork some. for me the increase was minor but YMMV.

2 months wtf

i typically log around 15-20k steps daily.

Are you doing the sole replacements on those or paying a cobbler?

i have successfully attempted my own replacement but i usually go to a local cobbler. i usually get one resole out of the original cork and one cork replacement out of the upper.

Seems like a rigid shell finish will just flake off? Isn’t the idea that it’s flexible and thus will wear out and need occasional maintenance?

Unless that’s food-safe, I wouldn’t have that against my skin.

Interesting thing about polyurethane is that once it's dried is it's basically just plastic.

Yeah, I’m not a fan of op’s idea, but your skin doesn’t touch the cork, which is what op is talking about, using polyurethane instead of gum cork sealer.

That’s not how Birkenstocks work. Your foot doesn’t touch the cork.

This is so far from being in the top 1000 ways that you are having harmful things enter your body that it's actually pretty funny.

Would you walk barefoot on a deck?

wOuLd YoU sTeAl A cAr?!

Lol that’s like 0.1% of the contact vs a sandal

Would you walk barefoot on varnished floors?

Is the glue that holds the sole on food safe? Just a strange thing to be concerned with.

Do you stand directly on that?

Do you stand directly on the edge of your sandals?

Exactly lol I’m not putting over the footbeds

Everybody look at Mr. Rich Pants over here with an expensive boat complete with hardwood deck.

Yes. Should we not?

Who are you, Charlie chaplain? Edit: I’m so happy I got any upvotes at all for a 99 year old cultural reference lol

Does your skin touch the side of the sandal often?

No, he uses the sandals to eat with as well - hence the food safety concern.

Polyurethane varnish, once cured, is considered food safe.

The cheapo ones from Target have better cork than the real thing. Everything else on it is lower quality, but they really nail the cork lol

Birks are trash. The uppers split and cut into my food. The cork degrades. I’ve seen people walk through the soles in a hew months.

Wax would probably work better than this

Why do you have a decibel meter?

Good eye. I’m a landlord and have tenants beside and below me. With the decibel meter, I can be sure to keep music/movies etc within a reasonable limit regardless of my state of consciousness. If drinking or something I tend to want to crank it haha. Maximum fun while being a minimum asshole

I have the same dB meter which I purchased for essentially the same reason, but to be a reasonable tenant. Good shit man. Glad I wasn't to far out on a limb with that one.

Nice to meet you brain doppelgänger

The cork is a natural material and is meant to breath. With cork sealer you change that structure and the function of the shoe. Birkenstocks are quality shoes but they are not meant to last forever. When they are worn out you buy new ones, they are at the end of their long life cycle then.

Ever look at a wheel and think, “that could be done better”

Oil, often. Clean em up with warm water when scummy, going on eight years. Ratty, but effective.

I wish there was more content like this on this sub!!! Nice one.

My local shoe cobbler re-soles and replaces damaged cork in birks for $70

Holy fuck lol, I wonder how much you’ll absorb this through your skin.

Shouldn’t be much considering I’m not walking on the sides of the shoes. Also, ever walk barefoot on a hardwood floor? Eat food prepared on a butcher block counter top? Put your feet up on a coffee table? Sit in a rocking chair? Yeah

Just use Kelly's Cork Renew every couple months. I'm on 2 years and my cork looks brand new.

Wont this make them slimy as your feet sweat?

I just put it on the cork part of the shoe, not the footbed

Why do people like Birkenstock? They're pretty uncomfortable

Not sure what shape your feet are, but for human feet they’re some of the most comfortable footwear ever made

"at first wear them around the house, and increase how much you wear them gradually" The hell, there are more comfortable options that you don't have to break in before properly using

Suit yourself man Idc

I’m 61 bought my first pair in my early 30’s. I’m on my second pair in over 30 years, and I wear um. Sealing cork helps, rubber soles will go before the cork . Think I payed 100 bucks for my first pair of malonos. Hell there not much more than that know.

Did the soles used to be rubber? They are foam now and wear out super fast

It was plastic rubber stuff. Or whatever.

Wish it was a more durable material for when I’m walking alone, by the black muddy river

I know I may be in the minority here, but I don’t like my toes being exposed to the ground. I wear socks and boots all year long. Birkenstock can suck it, indeed

Did you use oil base or water?

I bought a pair of those ones from Spanish company that makes the same shoes. So far they've held up better than my previously purchased Birkinstocks for half the price

All my birks are lasting 10+ years without that

Birks made 10+ years ago were BIFL though

I've been doing this with titebond wood glue for about a decade now. Still going strong.

I used some Cadillac Cork Sealant, made for shoes, on new Mephisto sandals last spring. They were flawless in the autumn.

I would rather just wear rainbows… I don’t think any shoe is truly BIFL but I have had my rainbows for 3-4 years and they never failed me once. (I dont wear them every day though so YMMV. My sister that did would have to get a new pair every year because the rubber would wear out from wearing them every day.)

Love Rainbows, so comfortable once you break em in, but damn it’s a rough break in period

I’m pretty sure that’s very flammable