Noisey Heel

sscotty727 · 24th September 2003, 15:13

Hi,

I have new heels I want to wear out, but they have a plastic heel and make a loud clicking sound (I am still a newbe and want to be a little more descrete for now). I have thought of somehow attaching rubber to the heels, but short of taking them to a shoe repair shop, where is the best place to get this, or should I just go to a hardware store and buy some rubber and cut it? Is there any other way to make them more quiet?

Thanks,

Scotty

Firefox · 24th September 2003, 17:26

Sheet rubber about 3-5mm thick will do the trick. Some places like Woolworths in the UK sell rubber heel tops which you cut to size complete with impact adhesive. Some block heels with a hollow heel can act like a type of sounding box and make a real ring when you walk. If you are worried about that, you can take off the heel top and fill them with lambs wool or padding which should muffle it.

I'm an expert in making my heels noisy (metal screws!), but I know some people want to go the other way.

sscotty727 · 24th September 2003, 18:03

I was wondering, I know they make metal "taps" for tap shoes, do they make the opposite "rubber taps" to make the shoe/heel silent?

sscotty727 · 29th September 2003, 05:48

Hey Firefox,

You are a genious!!! I did what you said and took the tap part of the heel off and sure enough they were hollow plastic. I tried using a rolled up piece of cloth but it still sounded loud. I am not sure if this passes the accepted repair method, but I used some of my daughters playdo clay in the hole and then put the taps back on. I then used some scuff guards over the bottom of the heel (two layers) and then used some black electrical tape over the bottom rim of the tap/heel part. They still have a little click which I think will always be there, but it is more like a thud instead of a high heel click (my wife says they sound like boots). Anyway, they sound great now and I will be able to wear them descretely everywhere. I would have NEVER guessed they were hollow inside. Thanks a million Firefox!!!

Scotty

Ionic · 29th September 2003, 16:00

So now we have to pluck up courage to go into the Toy shop and ask for Playdo, as well as the shoe shop in first place. "It's not me but for my kids, honest guv....." :lol:

Micha from Germany put up a photo a few months back; I think he had glued a patch of old denim under the heel. Don't know long that lasted, it was pretty tatty in the pic.

/I

edited oct2nd ~ any chance of a moderator correcting the spelling in the thread title of this topic - I keep on seeing it as Nosey

??? molte grazie....

Firefox · 29th September 2003, 20:03

Thanks Scotty :) The only reason I didn't suggest filling them with solid material such as playdough or car body filler is that it can make the shoes rather heavy for some people's taste, but if you don't mind that then go for it.

Dr. Shoe · 29th September 2003, 21:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firefox

Thanks Scotty :) The only reason I didn't suggest filling them with solid material such as playdough or car body filler is that it can make the shoes rather heavy for some people's taste, but if you don't mind that then go for it.

How about spray foam then.

Any DIY shop will sell you a foam that comes in a can with a straw nozzle that will go in the ferrule of a heel. A quick spray and the cavity's full and no appreciable weight added. It hardens like GRP.

sscotty727 · 30th September 2003, 05:41

The weight doesn't bother me, my slide mules are VERY heavy with the solid rubber heel, so I am used to walking in heavy shoes. I picked playdo because it would have been easy to remove it incase it didn't work. Next time I might try the spray in filler.

Thanks,

Scotty

Firefox · 30th September 2003, 13:12

The advantage with spray filler foam is that you could maybe get away with drilling a small hole in the heel top, rather than removing the top and refixing.

Highluc · 30th September 2003, 21:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firefox

The advantage with spray filler foam is that you could maybe get away with drilling a small hole in the heel top, rather than removing the top and refixing.

But you better watch out because most of those foams keep expanding for longer time as you wish and could create some bulbous looking heels if not given sufficient expansion space.