Thread: Work boot eyelets

Not exactly one of the "finest things" but ....

Does anyone have any tricks for repairing the laces eyelets in work boots? My work boots are wearing out, but will last me until the seasonal layoff, so I don't want to buy new boots just yet. But one of the eyelets has worn to the point it has a sharp metal edge that wears the lace out in 3 - 4 weeks. Is there any thing I can do to cover that edge or otherwise protect the laces for another month or two? I suppose I could just file through the eyelet and remove it, and hope the unprotected hole through the leather won't wear out too fast?

If you have a leather store such as Tandy in your neck of the woods, you can replace that eyelet. You can also skip that pair of eyelets when lacing.

You can buy new eyelets for next to nothing couple dollars for a set of 12, but right now i cant remember where i got them!!

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

You can also skip that pair of eyelets when lacing.

Excellent idea. I'll have to skip the same one on the other boot so I don't walk lopsided

Originally Posted by Martin103

You can buy new eyelets for next to nothing couple dollars for a set of 12, but right now i cant remember where i got them!!

Maybe I could PIF the other eleven? I'm sure if I could find the right drawer or box I'd find 5, probably in three different sizes.

Thanks guys. I knew there would be a simple way to deal with this.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

You can also skip that pair of eyelets when lacing.

Thanks nun2sharp. This worked just fine.

Typical of me to focus on fixing the eyelet, rather than the problem: "My laces keep breaking". I work with a tree company with a contract to prune the boulevard trees, and it's like the homeowner saying "Can you remove that branch as I worry about it breaking in a windstorm and falling on my child?" The answer I'd LIKE to say out loud: "Ummm, don't let your kids play under a tree in a windstorm"

Anyway, thanks again.

Originally Posted by KimFella

Thanks nun2sharp. This worked just fine.

Typical of me to focus on fixing the eyelet, rather than the problem: "My laces keep breaking". I work with a tree company with a contract to prune the boulevard trees, and it's like the homeowner saying "Can you remove that branch as I worry about it breaking in a windstorm and falling on my child?" The answer I'd LIKE to say out loud: "Ummm, don't let your kids play under a tree in a windstorm"

Anyway, thanks again.

Learned this in the army, one day a lace broke through the worn eyelet as well as the leather and I still had a couple of weeks to go before I could get back to civilization . Necessity is a mother!

Go see your local saddler, or boot maker he should be able to put a new eyelet in for you, for the cost of a beer!!

Cheers

Heelerau

I've been wearing Blundstones for many years and never had that problem. I actually wear their lace-ups because I snapped an achilles a few years back back but the elastic sided boots are awesome if you don't need that extra support.

I've tried lots of workboots as I normally have 3 or 4 in rotation at any one time and Blunnies are the most comfortable - actually Doc Martens are the most comfortable but they don't make proper work boots any more - I'll destroy a pair of Docs in 2 months with their new ranges when they used to last me up to 6. Because I'm a chef and I work in wet/oily conditions I like to give my workboots a day or two's rest between wears.

Originally Posted by KimFella

Thanks nun2sharp. This worked just fine.

Typical of me to focus on fixing the eyelet, rather than the problem: "My laces keep breaking". I work with a tree company with a contract to prune the boulevard trees, and it's like the homeowner saying "Can you remove that branch as I worry about it breaking in a windstorm and falling on my child?" The answer I'd LIKE to say out loud: "Ummm, don't let your kids play under a tree in a windstorm"

Anyway, thanks again.

Well, tree branches regularly fall off after a storm.
Thus the question is not as far fetched as it might appear at first glance.