streching your shoes with ice

hhfan · 22nd September 2009, 11:07

is this posible with out damaging your shoes ??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf5mJ7aR2t8&feature=fvst

shoerepairer · 25th September 2009, 08:42

it probably works to a degree, but surely as the water freezes it expands above & out of the shoe? the stretcher I have has attachements which can be placed in specific places, so if you feel the shoes are nipping a toe or bunion you can have just this area stretched. I don't think I'd want to do this to my nice new shoes!

Dr. Shoe · 25th September 2009, 09:00

How anal was this You Tube "tutorial"? Was it really necessary to show the placing of the bags 4 times? Or was it necessary to show all 4 shoes to the audience when placing them in the freezer?

It was handy though because I would never have even thought of wiping them dry because whenever my shoes get wet I always leave them that way. Moreover, when they do start to dry out I always run them under a tap to ensure they stay wet. Another thing I would never have considered after stretching shoes is to try them on! I normally just sling them in a corner and forget about them so nice tip, genius!

hhfan · 1st October 2009, 14:03

i didnt think it would work that well. i thought it would do some sort of damage

heelium · 28th February 2010, 08:03

I saw this on youtube yesterday & have a pair of shoes (ok-several pairs

) that I can't wear as they are too narrow so I figure I have nothing to lose by experimenting.

One think I noticed about the video is that that both pairs were peep-toes & so the bag can be pulled through from the front, not quite so easy with the closed shoes that I am practicing with.

Mine have been in overnight & the water is proper frozen solid now, I am tempted to leave them in there for a couple of days as I think I have a better chance of the leather outer/man-made inner retainining the new stretched shape, what I may do now that the water in the bags has frozen is to re bag the whole shoe in yet another snappy bag expelling as much of the air as possible, hopefully these shoes wont then get covered in a thin layer of ice - they are not in a frost-free type of freezer unfortunately.

Over & above the youtube demo I gave these shoes a decent spraying inside & out with a proprietry shoe streching spray before putting them in the freezer.

If this whole method works (& I have my doubts) I have a couple of pairs of suede shoes that I'd like to freeze-strech too, would spraying the shoes first with one of those water repelling sprays (scotch guard etc) be the best thing to do?

I am really hoping this method of stretching works, as my left foot is probaby a 1/2 size or more bigger than my right - even with a pair of heels that fits perfectly with my right foot I often find that the left one can rub up or just be plain uncomfortable, & yes I have tried stretching sprays on their own & taken footwear to shoe repairers for proper streching in the past.

Will report back in a couple of days..

Heelium

chris100575 · 1st March 2010, 17:39

I'd be interested to know how this pans out too, but must admit to being a bit skeptical.

22nd September 2009, 11:07	#1 (permalink)
hhfan I'm a Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: australia Age: 22 Posts: 57 Thanks: 9 Thanked 13 Times in 6 Posts I am Male Rep Power: 2	streching your shoes with ice is this posible with out damaging your shoes ?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf5mJ7aR2t8&feature=fvst __________________ wild for plats

25th September 2009, 08:42	#2 (permalink)
shoerepairer King of the Cobblers Join Date: May 2008 Location: England Age: 41 Posts: 138 Thanks: 1 Thanked 21 Times in 18 Posts I'm a Guy Rep Power: 4	Re: streching you shoes with ice it probably works to a degree, but surely as the water freezes it expands above & out of the shoe? the stretcher I have has attachements which can be placed in specific places, so if you feel the shoes are nipping a toe or bunion you can have just this area stretched. I don't think I'd want to do this to my nice new shoes! __________________ Repair Reuse Recycle. Cobbler it.

25th September 2009, 09:00	#3 (permalink)
Dr. Shoe Website Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: London Posts: 7,594 Thanks: 14 Thanked 212 Times in 158 Posts I am Male Rep Power: 87	Re: streching your shoes with ice How anal was this You Tube "tutorial"? Was it really necessary to show the placing of the bags 4 times? Or was it necessary to show all 4 shoes to the audience when placing them in the freezer? It was handy though because I would never have even thought of wiping them dry because whenever my shoes get wet I always leave them that way. Moreover, when they do start to dry out I always run them under a tap to ensure they stay wet. Another thing I would never have considered after stretching shoes is to try them on! I normally just sling them in a corner and forget about them so nice tip, genius! __________________ Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.

1st October 2009, 14:03	#4 (permalink)
hhfan I'm a Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: australia Age: 22 Posts: 57 Thanks: 9 Thanked 13 Times in 6 Posts I am Male Rep Power: 2	Re: streching your shoes with ice i didnt think it would work that well. i thought it would do some sort of damage __________________ wild for plats

28th February 2010, 08:03	#5 (permalink)
heelium I'm a Bronze Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: South,UK Posts: 84 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post I am Male Rep Power: 6	Re: streching your shoes with ice I saw this on youtube yesterday & have a pair of shoes (ok-several pairs ) that I can't wear as they are too narrow so I figure I have nothing to lose by experimenting. One think I noticed about the video is that that both pairs were peep-toes & so the bag can be pulled through from the front, not quite so easy with the closed shoes that I am practicing with. Mine have been in overnight & the water is proper frozen solid now, I am tempted to leave them in there for a couple of days as I think I have a better chance of the leather outer/man-made inner retainining the new stretched shape, what I may do now that the water in the bags has frozen is to re bag the whole shoe in yet another snappy bag expelling as much of the air as possible, hopefully these shoes wont then get covered in a thin layer of ice - they are not in a frost-free type of freezer unfortunately. Over & above the youtube demo I gave these shoes a decent spraying inside & out with a proprietry shoe streching spray before putting them in the freezer. If this whole method works (& I have my doubts) I have a couple of pairs of suede shoes that I'd like to freeze-strech too, would spraying the shoes first with one of those water repelling sprays (scotch guard etc) be the best thing to do? I am really hoping this method of stretching works, as my left foot is probaby a 1/2 size or more bigger than my right - even with a pair of heels that fits perfectly with my right foot I often find that the left one can rub up or just be plain uncomfortable, & yes I have tried stretching sprays on their own & taken footwear to shoe repairers for proper streching in the past. Will report back in a couple of days.. Heelium __________________ Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.

1st March 2010, 17:39	#6 (permalink)
chris100575 I'm a Gold Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: England Age: 35 Posts: 2,369 Thanks: 33 Thanked 47 Times in 32 Posts I am Male Rep Power: 30	Re: streching your shoes with ice I'd be interested to know how this pans out too, but must admit to being a bit skeptical.