Tight Boots

[Wood Borer]

My old Blundstones are very comfortable but badly worn out.

SWMBO bought me a new pair two or three years ago but they hurt across the top of my foot after a few hours because the leather needs stretching. The width and the length of the boots is fine so a bigger size is out of the question. The shoe shop told SWMBO that they only vary the sizes in length.

Rather than stretch them by wearing them and enduring the pain I have unsuccessfully tried to stretch them usiing the following methods:

Making wooden wedges and hammering them inside the boots

Stuffing rice in a plastic bag, and forcing the plastic bag into the boot and then adding water to the rice so it swells. I left the rice in the boots for three days but they are still too tight.

Has anyone got any good ideas apart from throwing the boots away?

- Wood Borer

[ptc]

try pee ing in them
ptc

[silentC]

I've got a vague recollection that there is some stuff you can put on leather to make it more pliable. You might want to check with a decent shoe shop or a chemist.

That's the reason I stopped buying blunnies and started buying Redbacks. They fit like a glove straight out of the box.

[Ivan in Oz]

G'Day,

Yea!

Take a HOT Shower,
Yes, while you're wearing the boots :rolleyes:

Make it a long shower,
if the weather is anything like it is up here....

Sunny Queensland HUH!! :mad:

Count

[jackiew]

http://www.waproo.com.au/products/stretch.htm

I'm planning on trying this stuff out ... owing to my unladylike wide feet I have a collection of shoes like that of imelda marcos which fitted ok in the shop but aren't actually comfortable enough to wear :(

[Barry_White]

I've got a vague recollection that there is some stuff you can put on leather to make it more pliable. You might want to check with a decent shoe shop or a chemist.
The name of it is Waproo Stretch Spray


That's the reason I stopped buying blunnies and started buying Redbacks. They fit like a glove straight out of the box.
I'll second that about Blunnies but I've been buying Enoch Taylor "T" Boots or Hard Yakka EEE fitting from Kmart.


Take a HOT Shower,
Yes, while you're wearing the boots
I'll second that if you don't want to buy a new pair. When I was in the nasho's my first pair of boots nearly crippled me so I had a hot shower in the second pair and they were like a comfortable pair of slippers.

[Tonyz]

Try newspaper somewhere between damp and wet scrunched up into balls pack these in as tight as possible, then [I think] let them dry out in front of a heater. I could be wrong I'll talk it over with SHMBO over dinner and get back
Tonto

[bitingmidge]

The shower method is close to right....but you have to keep wearing them till they are mostly dry.

Leather becomes more pliable when wet, and shrinks on drying.

It's not uncommon to spend a couple of hundred buckaroos on a pair of new sailing shoes, put 'em on, then stand in a bucket of water before wearing them for the rest of the day. THEN apply waterproof stuff!

Probably better to leave them full of water for ten or fifteen minutes before putting them on; don't forget to wear really thick socks to make sure you get the size right!

Sounds horrible, but it works!~

The rice trick may work if you use a calico bag to get the leather wet?

:rolleyes:
P

[Wood Borer]

Thanks for all the useful and prompt replies.

SWMBO has the Waproo stretch spray on the shopping list but tonight I will fill the boots with warm water for twenty minutes and then tightly stuff them full of newspaper.

It would be a bit foolish sloshing around in wet boots with the current Melbourne weather.

I will give a report when the results are known.

Thanks again,

- Wood Borer

[Tonyz]

damn I was VERY wrong. Spray with the above brand stuff till very damp then wear them and walk/work in them till dry that way they will fit your feet and not the missus.
When wet you can stuff with DRY newspaper overnight to let dry but they will just be larger size not made to your feet. derrr Tonto

[bitingmidge]

Don't wet 'em until you are prepared to wear them dry!

See Tonto's post above!!

Cheers,

P

[RETIRED]

The army had a great fix for illfitting boots.

Get them wet by shower, puddle, dam or sea water they didn't care.

Load poor souls (not soles but they were needed) into covered truck, cover truck with tarp and them drive around on every dusty road so that occupants are half choked when they get dropped off.

Issue said suckers with map and compass with the inspiring words,
"Get home by 1200 tomorrow, you have 12hrs."

Boots fit like glove afterwards.

[MajorPanic]

Sounds like attended Kapooka under the same regime as I did, have never had a better fitting pair of boots :D

[Grunt]

That's the reason I stopped buying blunnies and started buying Redbacks. They fit like a glove straight out of the box.
You lot must have oddly shaped feet, my blunnies are a great fit, straight from Mitre 10.

Grunt

[journeyman Mick]

Half sizes are the same length as the full size but wider (ie 7 1/2 is the same length as a 7 but the same width as an 8) If you want really really comfortable boots get some Steel Blues. I've been wearing them for about 7 or 8 years now (the brand, not the same pair) and they are more comfortable than anything else I own - runners, deck shoes, thongs, whatever. They have a comfort guarantee as well, not sure how it works, but you won't need it anyway. I've probably tried all the other major brands - Blundstones, T Boots, RedWings, Yakka, Rossi etc but once I found the Steel Blues I haven't needed to try any other. Bliss is finding comfortable work boots :)

Mick

[DavidG]

I like redbacks and I coat them in Dubbin which seems to keep them soft and water proof to a degree.

[PlanePig]

Hey Woodborer, try cutting your toenails !!!!!!!!!! :D
Or try going to a boot /shoe shop where they know what they are talking about [ not K Mart ]. There is a good one in Mona Vale.
Planepig.

[AlexS]

Sounds like attended Kapooka under the same regime as I did, have never had a better fitting pair of boots :D

It worked for me...I never had a better fitting pair of feet! :rolleyes:

[Wood Borer]

Last night I soaked the boots (inside and out) in warm water for 20 minutes and then stuffed them with newspaper. They are now drying and hopefully by the weekend they will be dry enough to wear in the shed.

Not too worried if they are a bit sloppy as the only walking to be done in them is to the shed and in the shed.

- Wood Borer

[jackiew]

and if you're looking for a pair of wide runners the widest ones on the market at the moment are Asics which have a 4E fitting in some styles - Rebel sport usually have some of the wide ones in stock. you'll pay for them but its very very definately worth it if you've got wide feet. I've got a second pair sat brand new in their box under the bed for when the ones I'm wearing have had it ... i hate it when I find a shoe that fits and then the buggers stop making them :( .

Does anyone knows where I can get extra wide football boots? so far I haven't found a source of them ( even from manufacturers who make wide runners ) and my feet are a sorry sight by the end of the lacrosse season.

[Wood Borer]

Well I used both methods.

Filled up the boots with warm water and soaked them in a bucket for 20 minutes and then stuffed them tightly with newspaper and left them for three days. SWMBO then bought some spray.

By the weekend they were far more comfortable and the odd spray here and there allowed me to wear them all day.

Thanks for the all the advice - it worked and now I can do woodwork in my shed with comfortable feet. :D

- Wood Borer

[RETIRED]

I find hands a lot easier:D:D

[ozwinner]

I was wondering what that sloshing noise was last weekend when we were out at the Tool Drool.

I wasnt going to say anything about it, I just thought you had guts ache. :o

Al :D

[Wood Borer]

Thanks , I deserved that :D no, I am not harmless.

Al, thanks for being diplomatic about the sloshing noise. It was embarrassing for me especially seeing a pool of liquid at my feet wherever I stood. Great carpets in your car though, soaked up the pools without a trace.

One piece of advice that I didn't try was to pee in the boots. I guess if I had done that the noise of the blowies would have drowned out the sloshing hence the wise advice.

- Wood Borer