sscotty727 Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Hi, I have new heels I want to wear out, but they have a plastic heel and make a loud clicking sound (I am still a newbe and want to be a little more descrete for now). I have thought of somehow attaching rubber to the heels, but short of taking them to a shoe repair shop, where is the best place to get this, or should I just go to a hardware store and buy some rubber and cut it? Is there any other way to make them more quiet? Thanks, Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Sheet rubber about 3-5mm thick will do the trick. Some places like Woolworths in the UK sell rubber heel tops which you cut to size complete with impact adhesive. Some block heels with a hollow heel can act like a type of sounding box and make a real ring when you walk. If you are worried about that, you can take off the heel top and fill them with lambs wool or padding which should muffle it. I'm an expert in making my heels noisy (metal screws!), but I know some people want to go the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscotty727 Posted September 24, 2003 Author Share Posted September 24, 2003 I was wondering, I know they make metal "taps" for tap shoes, do they make the opposite "rubber taps" to make the shoe/heel silent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscotty727 Posted September 29, 2003 Author Share Posted September 29, 2003 Hey Firefox, You are a genious!!! I did what you said and took the tap part of the heel off and sure enough they were hollow plastic. I tried using a rolled up piece of cloth but it still sounded loud. I am not sure if this passes the accepted repair method, but I used some of my daughters playdo clay in the hole and then put the taps back on. I then used some scuff guards over the bottom of the heel (two layers) and then used some black electrical tape over the bottom rim of the tap/heel part. They still have a little click which I think will always be there, but it is more like a thud instead of a high heel click (my wife says they sound like boots). Anyway, they sound great now and I will be able to wear them descretely everywhere. I would have NEVER guessed they were hollow inside. Thanks a million Firefox!!! Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionic Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 So now we have to pluck up courage to go into the Toy shop and ask for Playdo, as well as the shoe shop in first place. "It's not me but for my kids, honest guv....." Micha from Germany put up a photo a few months back; I think he had glued a patch of old denim under the heel. Don't know long that lasted, it was pretty tatty in the pic. /I edited oct2nd ~ any chance of a moderator correcting the spelling in the thread title of this topic - I keep on seeing it as Nosey ??? molte grazie.... /I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Thanks Scotty The only reason I didn't suggest filling them with solid material such as playdough or car body filler is that it can make the shoes rather heavy for some people's taste, but if you don't mind that then go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Thanks Scotty The only reason I didn't suggest filling them with solid material such as playdough or car body filler is that it can make the shoes rather heavy for some people's taste, but if you don't mind that then go for it. How about spray foam then. Any DIY shop will sell you a foam that comes in a can with a straw nozzle that will go in the ferrule of a heel. A quick spray and the cavity's full and no appreciable weight added. It hardens like GRP. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscotty727 Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 The weight doesn't bother me, my slide mules are VERY heavy with the solid rubber heel, so I am used to walking in heavy shoes. I picked playdo because it would have been easy to remove it incase it didn't work. Next time I might try the spray in filler. Thanks, Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 The advantage with spray filler foam is that you could maybe get away with drilling a small hole in the heel top, rather than removing the top and refixing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highluc Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 The advantage with spray filler foam is that you could maybe get away with drilling a small hole in the heel top, rather than removing the top and refixing. But you better watch out because most of those foams keep expanding for longer time as you wish and could create some bulbous looking heels if not given sufficient expansion space. Be youself, enjoy any footwear you like and don't care about what others think about it, it's your life, not theirs. Greetings from Laurence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfly Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 You might want to try the latex instead of the polyurethane. I noticed very little difference in sound dampening with the poly and it is not a dense (more weight) as latex. If you drill a hole big enough to allow the injection tube that comes with the can to be inserted into the heel, it's enough to for the foam to over flow. Use masking tape to cover the area where you have drilled the hole so if it over flows out of the hole just let it dry and peal it off. If you drill the hole on the out side of the heel, don't try to wipe the polyurethane with any kind of solvent or attempt with out it (you will just make a big mess). Solvents will remove the ink of nonleather shoes (like detail on the heels them selves ) and damage leather. With Latex you should be able to wipe excess of with water before it dries. Hello, my name is Hoverfly. I’m a high heel addict…. Weeeeeeeeeee! 👠1998 to 2022! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 But you better watch out because most of those foams keep expanding for longer time as you wish and could create some bulbous looking heels if not given sufficient expansion space. The outer walls of the heel is constructed with enough strength to withstand the pressure of a person walking around on them so I doubt that any kind of spray foam will bulge the walls out. Another thought that occurs is that hollow heels are often constructed with cross-members for additional strength so you may need to drill several holes or one all the way through almost to the other side. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfly Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I don't think you will have any problems with cross members. The heels I have looked at have a hollow center, and thick walls. You have to be able to remove them from the mold after they have been injected with plastic. I have not seen half mold seams on these heels either, suggesting that they are molded in one piece as well. There is where the heel cap comes in place to cover what did not get injected, so there are two pices involved here. Hello, my name is Hoverfly. I’m a high heel addict…. Weeeeeeeeeee! 👠1998 to 2022! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 I've filled some hollow heels which sounded loud with wallplaster (to fill holes in the wall). They are not completely silence but now they have a normal sound like some leather male shoes have. Boots, fascinating footwear http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i103/Boots_1956/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 I don't think you will have any problems with cross members. The heels I have looked at have a hollow center, and thick walls. You have to be able to remove them from the mold after they have been injected with plastic. I have not seen half mold seams on these heels either, suggesting that they are molded in one piece as well. There is where the heel cap comes in place to cover what did not get injected, so there are two pices involved here. Even less chance the walls are going to bulge! Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highluc Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Stuffing an old cut off spounge in larger cavities worked well for me, lightweight and absorbant, as used in some older loadspeakers. Be youself, enjoy any footwear you like and don't care about what others think about it, it's your life, not theirs. Greetings from Laurence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfly Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 They are not completely silence but now they have a normal sound like some leather male shoes have. I my self prefer the dull thud sound of a heel. Hello, my name is Hoverfly. I’m a high heel addict…. Weeeeeeeeeee! 👠1998 to 2022! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionic Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 I think it is OK to bend this thread slightly, while still talking about heel tips. I've have had two or three pairs (of eBay wins) re-heeled recently with new or additional caps. The compound is a fairly course black material and while walking downstairs clumsily with my fat feet, I've caught the carpet on vertical stair riser leaving a nasty large black mark from the compound. What do you reckon the best cleaning solvent /or/ method might be, before I make it worse with the wrong stuff?? A right pain, because of the heel if I step any further out then I risk losing footing on the step ~ not a problem for High Surprise and her small size 38s!!! _ Oh yes, and I've now been to virtually every heel-bar in this part of north London, why are they all Greek?????? /I /I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 Watch it, I think that the guy who owns and works in TLSB is of Greek origin too!!! <edit>Ooops. Is it Cyprus, just over the water from there? Yeah, maybe.</edit> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom-NL Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 I thought Cypriotic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirted-UK Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 Has anybody thought about filling the hollow heel with liquid silicone rubber. It's available from car accessory shops. "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave ! " The Eagles, "Hotel California" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 Has anybody thought about filling the hollow heel with liquid silicone rubber. It's available from car accessory shops. heels are made hollow for a reason. Usually it's to keep the weight down. Filling them with something like silicon defeats that purpose. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfly Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 heels are made hollow for a reason. Usually it's to keep the weight down. Filling them with something like silicon defeats that purpose. Well don't fill them up with concrete.........Might end up in the bottom of a river some where. But on a more serious note, concrete works but I would use them only on thinner heels that are hallow. I filed up a pair of boots with a chunky 4.25" heel and they have some weight to them. Next time I am going to try silicon but nothing beats a piece of .125" thick rubber glued to the bottom. Hello, my name is Hoverfly. I’m a high heel addict…. Weeeeeeeeeee! 👠1998 to 2022! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionic Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Just reposting my question since it got buried on the previous page: I think it is OK to bend this thread slightly, while still talking about heel tips. I've have had two or three pairs (of eBay wins) re-heeled recently with new or additional caps. The compound is a fairly course black material and while walking downstairs clumsily with my fat feet, I've caught the carpet on vertical stair riser leaving a nasty large black mark from the compound. What do you reckon the best cleaning solvent /or/ method might be, before I make it worse with the wrong stuff?? A right pain, because of the heel if I step any further out then I risk losing footing on the step ~ not a problem for High Surprise and her small size 38s!!! _ Oh yes, and I've now been to virtually every heel-bar in this part of north London, why are they all Cypriot/Greek?????? /I /I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Well don't fill them up with concrete.........Might end up in the bottom of a river some where. But on a more serious note, concrete works but I would use them only on thinner heels that are hallow. I filed up a pair of boots with a chunky 4.25" heel and they have some weight to them. Next time I am going to try silicon but nothing beats a piece of .125" thick rubber glued to the bottom. :rofl: :drinking: Well I suppose anything sticky will work but be careful you don't end up walking like Frankenstien's Monster because of the weight! Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Just reposting my question since it got buried on the previous page: Grece (and Turkey) has a long leather working tradition and many Italian firms such as Gucci had factories in Cyprus because wages were half of that in Italy. When the Cypriot refugees came over in the early 70s they brought their skills with them. That's why Kypros in "The Little Shoe Box" has Gino as a nick name. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionic Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 That'll teach me not to edit down my post to the ACTUAL question I really want answered....... /I /I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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