High Heel Place - View Single Post - Is it possible to reduce the heel height..

shoerepairer · 19th May 2008, 10:21

What you are “technically” talking about is the Balance of the footwear. The biggest problem’s with altering the balance of any footwear are in fact the uppers (the part your foot goes in!) design & shape, this can not be easily altered! So if you have a boot (in this case) with a 4 inch heel, the upper would have been designed around this height & your foot will sit in it with bent toes accordingly.
If you was to take off say 2” you would find them almost impossible to walk in as you would “feel” as if you was falling back with each step taken.
The second issue here is the part that makes the boot rigid at the point where the heel is attached to the upper, called the shank. This would be placed under tremendous strain & would after a short period of time break causing the “Kick under” as mentioned.
As a rule of thumb you should be able to place your finger under the toe for correct balancing, most footwear has a “tolerance” (see pictures)

Picture one shows the shoes correctly balanced.
http://www.brilee.co.uk/hhplace/001.jpg

Picture two, shows how the same shoes would sit with a 1cm lowering, which would be within acceptable limits
http://www.brilee.co.uk/hhplace/002.jpg

As a rule of thumb most stilettos can be altered about this amount. & boots as shown in the images can be lowered between ¼ & a ½ inch, any more & you risk breakages.

Lee

19th May 2008, 10:21	#13 (permalink)
shoerepairer I'm a Bronze Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: England Age: 39 I am Male Posts: 81 Thanks: 4 Thanked 15 Times in 15 Posts My Mood: Rep Power: 1	Re: Is it possible to reduce the heel height.. What you are “technically” talking about is the Balance of the footwear. The biggest problem’s with altering the balance of any footwear are in fact the uppers (the part your foot goes in!) design & shape, this can not be easily altered! So if you have a boot (in this case) with a 4 inch heel, the upper would have been designed around this height & your foot will sit in it with bent toes accordingly. If you was to take off say 2” you would find them almost impossible to walk in as you would “feel” as if you was falling back with each step taken. The second issue here is the part that makes the boot rigid at the point where the heel is attached to the upper, called the shank. This would be placed under tremendous strain & would after a short period of time break causing the “Kick under” as mentioned. As a rule of thumb you should be able to place your finger under the toe for correct balancing, most footwear has a “tolerance” (see pictures) Picture one shows the shoes correctly balanced. http://www.brilee.co.uk/hhplace/001.jpg Picture two, shows how the same shoes would sit with a 1cm lowering, which would be within acceptable limits http://www.brilee.co.uk/hhplace/002.jpg As a rule of thumb most stilettos can be altered about this amount. & boots as shown in the images can be lowered between ¼ & a ½ inch, any more & you risk breakages. Lee