How to stretch leather footwear

[Bruce Wayne]

Turns out I should of had my left foot measured. I bout one of those professional shoe stretchers to slightly widen my left shoe/boot but it keeps returning to the original size. Does anyone know how to stretch a shoe or boot & have it stay that way? I don't need much, just a little for my pinky toe. The only other option is to cut my toe off.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

[Michaelson]

The best way I know of is to find a professional shoe repair shop and have them do the work. They have the ways and means of making the 'fix', and making it stick.

Regards! Michaelson

[Tennessee Smith]

Listen to M here. My first pair of Alden's was gracefully donated to me by a member here and while they were my size I suffered the same problem as you; one of my pinkies were... Snug

Anyways, I took them to my local cobbler who stretched them out over night. Presto!

Perfect ever since

[Indiana Jeff]

The only other option is to cut my toe off.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.


Oh, sorry, thought we were talking about something else. Yeah, go see a cobbler.


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Michaelson]

You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.

Yeah. Jeff KNOWS people....who know people.....

[bish]

I have the same problem, one foot bigger than the other, plus wide feet. So I've come up with a little ritual to break in snug boots that has worked really well on several pairs of boots and shoes.

I bought a pair of Alden shoe tree's that are about half a size bigger than what I wear and are also wide. I'm sure your stretchers will work as well.

1. Coat the boots in Pecards, put the shoe tree's/stretchers in the boots and let them marinate for 24 hours.

2. Soon after they are done marinating, when you know you are going to be home for most of the day put on two layers of socks (Or double what you normally wear) and cram your feet into the boots and wear them around the house until you can't stand it anymore and have to take em off. (no pain no gain ) Do this throughout the day. Anytime you aren't wearing them make sure to put the shoetree's/stretchers in them.

3. Try on the boots with your normal sock layer and see how they feel. Keep doing step 2 until they feel comfortable with your normal sock layer.

4. Wear your boots often after they feel right. The more you wear them the more they will stay stretched a bit. Also I've found that the warmth of your feet in the boots plays a big part in making the leather more supple.

I've found that when I do this my boots end up fitting like a glove and are very comfortable and I rarely get blisters anymore when breaking in boots or leather shoes. The Pecards really does a great job of softening up the leather and helping it stretch.

Hope that helps

- bish

[Tennessee Smith]

As long as your cobbler isn't a nihlist you should be fine

[Indiana Jeff]

Shut up, Donny. You're out of your league here.



Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[Bigfoot]

Try meltonian shoe stretch spray while it is on the stretcher. I was recommended it by a cobbler here in Las Vegas. A quick google search shows it for sale everywhere. http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n ... .........0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

[Tennessee Smith]

Shut up, Donny. You're out of your league here.



Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Look, let me explain something to you. I'm not Donny. I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. That, or His Dudeness … Duder … or El Duderino, if, you know, you're not into the whole brevity thing.


Abidingly,
-The Dude