Metal Tip replacement

[Schrecklassn]

Hi Everybody, I had a pair of Stilettos where one of the PVC Tips broke. I decided to mount a pair of metal tips, one with success, the other drives me mad... I have already broken three drillers and when i drill to long the heel gets so hot that the glue gets liquid and leather starts to peel off. Any Ideas how I should proceed? Many thanks in Advance, Schreck PS: I wanted to post a picture, but that doesn't work out

[jmc]

Replacing a heel tap shouldn't involve drilling. There is a tube (usually rolled steel) running through the heel. It reinforces the heel, the plastic alone is not strong enough to withstand the forces of walking. The heel tap has a pin embedded in it and this pin is sized to fit tightly inside that steel tube. The sides of the pin are ribbed for extra grip on the inside of the tube. The old heel tap (or whatever is left of it) should be removable by gripping it with locking pliers and applying a twisting/pulling motion. If the old tap crumbles then grip the exposed metal end of the pin. Now if the tap has worn so far down that there is not enough pin to grip, then file or grind the pin flat with the end of the heel and drive it farther into the tube. Then install the new tap, seating it by grasping the toe of the shoe and rapping the end of the heel against a hard surface. If you have drilled, melted glue and caused covering to separate then you have probably done irreparable damage to the heel. Next step is to take the shoes to a repairer to be re-heeled, if they are valuable enough to save. PS: Please see the HHplace-specific FAQ at the top of the Hellos. . . forum for an explanation of why posting pictures doesn't work for you at this time.

[shoerepairer]

if you are drilling stilettos use cobolt drills, not HHS & have a cup of water near by to dab them in for cooling to stop the heat.

[Puffer]

I had a similar problem with a pair of my wife's shoes recently - heel tips worn down and pin on one fractured when being pulled out, leaving insufficient to grip it for removal. Having measured the diameter of the other pin with a vernier (they do vary), I carefully drilled the broken pin out on my drill press, using a slightly smaller drill bit and a little soluble oil (cutting lubricant) to minimise overheating. This was easy enough - the pin was certainly not hardened steel (why should it be?) and an HSS bit was fine. If the new pin is loose in the tube (as it is easy to drill a little oversize), a small amount of epoxy adhesive or superglue should fix it firmly enough. JMC's suggestion to drive a stuck pin further in might well work, but surely there is a danger of splitting the heel if the pin bottoms-out in the tube? However, driving it in a millimetre or so (US 0.040"!) may help by giving the drill bit a 'socket' to locate in and minimise any wandering.

[shoerepairer]

the pin was certainly not hardened steel (why should it be?) and an HSS bit was fine.

if the drill snags as it goes through the pin or if it has one of the hardened pins (depends on manufacture) in my experience the HSS drills shatter easier & you end up with the dril tip in the tube as well & they ain't easy to remove! a drill with a bit of cobolt in the mix reduces this risk SIGNIFICANTLY.