stretching new leather heels

[mmmshoes.]

Soo I just got a new pair of sweet white leather heels. They're pointed at the toe so they could use a wee bit of stretching. Anyone have any ideas for me to try? My grandmother told me to wet the inside of them a little bit and wear them so the leather softens...but I need them to be wearable all night for New Years Eve...Thanks sooo much for your help! =)

[sendra45]

Come over here to the UK and wear them tonight, they are forcasting rain, that should get them wet! I honestly think you may have left it a little late for mods. have a great night though and I am sure they will have stretched by 1am.

[Elegant]

Well, Firefox had some advice on his site, so I think you really should pay him a visit:

http://freespace.virgin.net/firey.fox/

[Guy N. Heels]

Come over here to the UK and wear them tonight, they are forcasting rain, that should get them wet!

I honestly think you may have left it a little late for mods.

have a great night though and I am sure they will have stretched by 1am.

I agree that yer running quite a bit behind the curve for mods and stretching. It usually takes about a week to put a streach on a shoe - especially the toe box, where most of the action is. It can be done, but not overnight and certainly not without risking serious permanent damage to the shoe(s).

[hart88]

I forsee this as a continuing problem? You should go and buy a couple of wood -split toe stretchers to have when you buy new shoes so you could prestretch them before you wear them. I have a lot of customers who have one foot larger/wider than the mate and they found out having a stretcher in the house helps, otherwise you will always have to go to the shop and leave them for a couple of days or more. To Stretch a pair of leather shoes/boots, it is best if they are leather. Also, if the lining inside is the same material, they will stretch the best...unlined boots/shoes will stretch the best. You need a wood stretcher, Shoe Stretch Liquid and Time. Don't wet the inside of the shoe if you are going to be wearing them for an extened bit of time. When you wet the outside of the shoe/boot make sure you rub the liquid in equally and thouroughly and completely...to avoid staining the leather. You could warm the shoe up with a hair dryer after you wet the shoe, but AVOID BURNING the leather, because that will RUIN the shoes. Just warm above the room temperature.

[bigj3650]

i'll agree with that i accidentally burnt a pair and they were ruined...favorite pair too *crys*

[mmmshoes.]

thanks so much everyone. turns out things went crazy new years eve and i didn't get to wear them. but its okay cause now i have time to get them to fit properly. now do i have to go to a shoe repair place to buy the stretcher and wood pieces? i'm from long island, so i'm sure there are places everywhere that would stretch them. espcially in manhattan. i'd just rather do it myself cause that way i probably would have to pay as much. haha. thanks so much again everyone.

[Dr. Shoe]

I have had some success with putting on a couple of pairs of socks and holding the shoe over a pan of boiling water so the heat and the steam softens the leather and then plonk them on your feet. It's best to do one at a time.

[mmmshoes.]

that actually sounds like a really good idea. i can't really fit the heels on with socks but i can sure as hell try. haha.

[Guy N. Heels]

thanks so much everyone. turns out things went crazy new years eve and i didn't get to wear them. but its okay cause now i have time to get them to fit properly. now do i have to go to a shoe repair place to buy the stretcher and wood pieces? i'm from long island, so i'm sure there are places everywhere that would stretch them. espcially in manhattan. i'd just rather do it myself cause that way i probably would have to pay as much. haha. thanks so much again everyone.

You might as well get yourself one of those wooden stretcher devices with the different plugs for stretching different parts of the shoe. One will fit either right or left and should last you a lifetime.

[jmc]

Here's an example of a shoe stretcher: http://cgi.ebay.com/Pair-Shoe-Stretchers-Mens-and-Womens-Shoe-Stretcher_W0QQitemZ330067537135QQihZ014QQcategoryZ108690QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330067537135

and there are a whole lot of different kinds available, some for boots and some for shoes. (Search for "shoe stretcher" on eBay to see what's out there.) The boot stretchers usually have a jointed handle that allows them to be tightened without the boot shaft getting in the way, while shoe stretchers often have a "heel part" that wedges against the back of the shoe to push the stretcher into the toe box. It is convenient to have your own stretchers so you don't have to keep trucking shoes back and forth to repair shops.

Look around in this "Shoe repair and Modifications" forum right here, there are a couple of other threads on shoe stretching.

Further, Firefox (one of the founders of this board) has a way of stretching shoes using homemade stretchers. This is a project for those of us who are handy with woodworking tools but it will create a fit that is customized to your foot. Details are available here: http://freespace.virgin.net/firey.fox/stretch.htm

[JNR]

For anyone using a wooden shoe stretcher, please keep it in place for at least 24 hours -- preferably a week -- to get the maximum effect.