Change Your Heels mlroseplant

[Jkrenzer]

Since mlroseplant's struggles I decided a tutorial is required. How easy is it to replace your own heel taps?

Very, 3 tools, pliers, pullers, and a brick.

1st, pull what's left of the rubber off your shoes with needle nose pliers.

2nd, Use the puller to grab the nail, then twist and pull, gradually at first until the tip is out.

3rd, Pick a suitable new tap and insert it by hand to line up the edges.

4th, Hold your shoe by the toe and rap the heel on a brick or some hard elevated surface until the tapping sound becomes a thud sound. This lets you know the heel is fully inserted. Never use any CA glue or your this heel maybe your last. You'll likely break the nail head the next time you got to replace the heels. If the pin is too small, wrap it with some scotch tape, you'll be surprised how well they hold. If the nail is to larger, use a dremel and carefully grind the outer diameter to fit. Some narrow stiletto's have smaller pin diameters (Steve Maddens often do) and available pins are not accessible so I grind the pins.

Here we have my trusty 5.5" Pleaser's getting their 4th set of taps.

Hope this helps.

Joe :-)

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by Jkrenzer
typo

[alphax]

I can see that pair of heels has been well loved!

Thanks for the tutorial!

[mlroseplant]

Thanks Joe, for the tutorial! I will have to give it a try soon. Is there a good way to shape the tip if it doesn't quite match the contour of your heel?

[Jkrenzer]

Single edge razor blade and/or sand paper

[Cali]

Dremel, a grinding wheel, .....

 

[HappyinHeels]

I'd use a Dremel since it is a precise tool. A grinding wheel like I have in the pole barn is more for heavy-duty projects. Although, a big heel might need a big wheel???  Good luck with this. HinH

[mlroseplant]

8 hours ago, HappyinHeels said:

I'd use a Dremel since it is a precise tool. A grinding wheel like I have in the pole barn is more for heavy-duty projects. Although, a big heel might need a big wheel???  Good luck with this. HinH

My 8 year old has been bugging me for a while to get him a Dremel. I might be able to kill two birds with one stone. He's pretty good about sharing! I know you have been after me encouraging me for a while to repair my own shoes. Maybe it might take this time? You never know.

[Jkrenzer]

It's the best tool you'll ever own.

[Steve63130]

Thanks for the endorsement, JKrenzer. I've been thinking about getting one, too. I've always wanted one and I would have other uses for it as well as heel repair.

Steve

[HappyinHeels]

mlroseplant,

Ah, that's the spirit. I just figured since you're already mechanically inclined this latest idea would just blend in with all your skills. After a while you'll discover you can use old shoes for parts just like cars or appliances. I have taken a "Y" strap from one sandal and used to it replace a broken one on another. I have learned to stretch shoes which I have described in other posts and have some experience dyeing shoes with actual dye. I'd like to try my hand at making some shoes since I have some basswood trees at our place in far northern Wisconsin. You'll do just fine. Now get them wheels spinnin'!  HappyinHeels

[Histiletto]

The Dremel is probably the best small power tool anyone can have in their home tool set-up. If there is a conceivable way to use it, usually you can make an attachable gig to accommodate the process using the accessories available. The expense may dent your budget at the time, but in the long run, it returns a hundred times over in convenience, self-confidence, and being able to get the results you expect. Flushing the heel tips with the heel shape becomes an easy pass with the right sanding or grinding bit and a home made attachable and adjustable gig that removes only the excess or unwanted part of the tip. With many of my stiletto heels being so thin, I've been able to reduce the diameter of the metal heel tip replacements to fit these stilettos. I'm sure I've saved the cost of the Dremel by doing this, instead of taking them to the repair shop.  

[Jkrenzer]

Yep, the tool is irreplaceable once you get it, you won't know how you coped before you had it. I use it all the time to resize my pins to fit my thinner stilettos. 

[Puffer]

Interesting comments!   I've re-shaped hard plastic/rubber top lifts for my wife's heels by holding them by the pin in a pin vice and then against the carborundum wheel on my workshop bench grinder.   Works well, but proceed carefully.

I used to do a lot of model-making and have a fair workshop of more precision tools, including two mini drills; neither is a Dremel.   My elder son gave me an unsolicited Dremel 3000 recently as a 'thank-you' for some DIY jobs I did for him, assuming that it would be useful.   It probably would be if I didn't have the other drills and had more work for such a tool; for now, the box remains sealed.   But I've read a number of poor reviews of this Dremel (e.g. very short lifespan before motor burns out) and Dremel's notable lack of interest in putting things right.    Has anyone else found a problem with the 3000, or indeed other models?

Reviews on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-3000-15-Multitool-130-Accessories/product-reviews/B0078LENZC/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar

[pebblesf]

Thanks for the explanations and pictures!

[Steve63130]

10 hours ago, Puffer said:

Reviews on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-3000-15-Multitool-130-Accessories/product-reviews/B0078LENZC/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar

My word! Every single review of that tool on the first 4 pages of reviews is only 1 star and every one is very negative. You'd think Dremel would have pulled that product from the market immediately if it's that bad, and redesigned it to protect their reputation. Obviously they're being very short-sighted. Well, if I had ever thought about buying one (and I did consider it but haven't acted), I won't now. At least not that model. Thanks for the reference, Puffer.

Steve

[Puffer]

7 hours ago, Steve63130 said:

My word! Every single review of that tool on the first 4 pages of reviews is only 1 star and every one is very negative. You'd think Dremel would have pulled that product from the market immediately if it's that bad, and redesigned it to protect their reputation. Obviously they're being very short-sighted. Well, if I had ever thought about buying one (and I did consider it but haven't acted), I won't now. At least not that model. Thanks for the reference, Puffer.

Steve

In fairness, it was the one-star reviews that I linked to - but it remains the case that they represent some 9% of the total of c1,200 reviews.   If you look at the most recent reviews, the great majority are very good - but I would be wary of them as drills bought in the last couple of months may scarcely have been used, so no faults yet apparent.   But maybe Dremel has recognised and corrected the common faults apparent a year or two ago - one hopes so.   

In the UK, two of our 'budget' supermarkets (Aldi and Lidl, found throughout Europe) have both offered mini-drills (and accessories) in recent months at a very competitive price - and with three-year no-quibble guarantees.   Their tools of all sorts are usually of very good quality and, in my experience, the after-sales service is rarely needed but efficiently provided.   (My mains-powered SDS drill from Aldi which developed a fault in its control circuit after almost two years of use was replaced completely FOC (by post from Germany) without hesitation.)

[Steve63130]

Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate it.

Steve