Home › Forums › WSB Reader Recommendations › Boot stretching — any local suggestions?
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October 25, 2014 at 11:45 pm #613027
DFWParticipantHas anyone used Admiral Shoe Repair for this, and if so, what do you think? They get good reviews on Yelp but the most recent is over a year ago.
I need to get the shaft of a boot stretched by less than an inch — your suggestions are most appreciated!
October 26, 2014 at 7:03 pm #815420
pigeonmomParticipantYes, I’ve used this shop to stretch boots and was pleased with the results.
October 26, 2014 at 9:49 pm #815421
sacatoshParticipantMy spouse has very small ankles and large, muscular calves. We bought some very expensive boots and they needed to be nipped in at the ankle, and enlarged at the calf. The owner of Admiral Shoe Repair took measurements at 1″ intervals up the entire calf, and custom remade the boots to fit like the proverbial glove. They’re flawless. He did have to insert a tiny wedge of leather on either side of the back of the shaft, and was able to not only match the leather, but make it appear as though it was part of the original design of the boots. They’re gorgeous, and fit perfectly. Absolutely custom. All for $70. It was some fo the most flawless work I’ve seen.
October 27, 2014 at 5:23 am #815422
DFWParticipantThis is fantastic input! Thank you all so much.
October 28, 2014 at 1:34 am #815423
kurly212ParticipantWhat a timely question! May I offer an alternative? I just purchased a pair of leather riding boots that were perfect except that getting them zipped up over leggings was a workout – I literally was sweating! And once I did get them zipped, I felt like my circulation was being cut off. So, I did a Google search on boot shaft stretching and found a lot of talk about how the spray used by professionals is mostly alcohol and a lot of women are doing it themselves at home. This past weekend, I decided to take the chance.
I put 70% isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle, slipped on some “house” leggings just in case there was any dye transfer and put on the boots, zipping them up to the point just before I’d start to struggle. Then I sprayed the boots inside and out, only at the parts where they were too tight. In this case, it was the inner part of the calf from the middle of the shaft to the top, right around the zipper. Then I gently stretched them as I zipped them all the way up. It was amazing how much easier it was to zip them up right away! Then I walked around and did some deep knee bends to stretch them out further. When the alcohol was dry, I removed the boots. I’d say they stretched between 1/2 to 1 inch. If they’re too tight when I try them with skinny jeans, I’ll do another application.
I know it sounds a little scary to spray something as drying as rubbing alcohol on leather, but only a little bit of dye rubbed off on my fingers (easily washed off with soap), and there are no signs of damage to the boots. I can’t say I would risk this with super expensive designer boots (mine were about $200), suede, or vintage or otherwise fragile leather. Also, I used the alcohol full-strength, but if you do a search you’ll see others who used a 50/50 alcohol/water mix. Something to consider if you’re scared to go full alcohol. And you could do a patch test on a less visible area to test how it affects the leather.
October 28, 2014 at 1:47 am #815424
DFWParticipantWow — I saw something about this recently and was afraid to try it. These are leather boots that are waterproof, but the most important place to be waterproofed is the feet, and I’m not going to be stretching those. This is amazingly helpful.
Thank you all for chiming in — who knew this would be such a popular topic. : )
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