Proper leather shoes

Thanks Jaw.

It misses out Trickers who also have a factory shop and an eBay outlet. There's also a shoe museum in town for foot fetishists. Don't ask them if you can see the Egyptian statue though....

Could you stretch a pair of shoes a whole size? Or is ½ the max?

They're boots rather than fine shoes, so a little misshaping won't look awful.

usually a half size.

Apropos of nothing, picked up another pair of Trickers from the Gloucester outlet store on Monday - leather soled shoes in a sort of DM profile. They are lovely and built like tanks but breaking in is going to be fun (lovely sore spot on my right Achilles tendon).

I use kinesiology tape, because Lidl had a set once going cheap. It's waterproof and very, very adhesive. Usually I put it on trouble spots with shoes that rub (or aren't broken in) and it works well. I also taped up every one of my toes with it once, after I stupidly wore shoes too tight and blistered half my toes. Ouch.

@hugo7 places like timpsons have the shoe stretching machines, that can apply a lot of force over time.... but I had a mate try with a pair I had, and we couldn't get a whole size.

Cheers.

That's what I thought. I'm going to measure the length of my foot, just to double check as I generally go up a size due to width.

Wicked, thanks. I might even put it on the spot on my shoe which is rubbing.

In a slightly less sophisticated version of that I use duck tape.

I picked up the Church's brogues last week and they are absolutely beautiful. Also seem to be made of rock, especially in the heel area so I'm currently only wearing them around the house for short periods! That tape trick seems like a good idea too.

This is a Canadian site, but maybe diy or hobby or hardware stores will have the same?
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31213&cat=1,130,43332

That stuff looks good, but kinesiology stuff comes in much wider rolls, and will stretch along one axis. That Canadian tape would be great for toes though

BRM

31trum does them for free>

I hear he's still selling aerospocks at a massive discount?

:)

recommended technique for stretching just for width? I have a pair of Meermins that become painful after more than a couple hours due to my fat feet :(
I have heard of using a hair dryer, but that sounds like it could be risky...

Take them to a cobblers.

It'll only cost a couple of quid

Noooo not heat. As @31trum said, go to a cobblers. It's the same machine to stretch out width or length or both.

If you want something at home, there are basic shoe stretchers you buy (to use one shoe at a time).

You can also buy the shoe stretcher solution spray. You can cheat by using regular shoe trees wrapped in something (like paper, taped down, covered in a food bag). It's ghetto but will work to an extent. You can try cobblers cream on the inside of the shoe, or leather oil, if you don't trust the shoe stretcher spray.

I have used the stretcher spray and then walked around in the shoes until dry. Works fine if you don't need too much stretch and the shoe gets to fit to your foot.

Oh also be aware feet swell, so if you use the spray and walk around the house like @drøn , may be best to do later in the day once your feet are at their fattest.

Went to chat to a mate at Timpsons, and got free Dominos pizza. Checked the local charity shop next door on a whim. They price shoes nice and cheap, and sell them quickly (unlike their shirts and other men's clothing).

Picked up a pair of black cap-toed moccasin/loafers by Moreschi. Online suggests that Moreschi is made for Russell & Bromley.

They're in US9.5, I'm UK 9.5 (or wide 9), so doused them with the shoe stretcher spray and put them on the stretching lasts in Timpsons.

Usually you should get them on those stretchers and check them daily, applying more spray and increasing pressure, careful not to split the leather. Hopefully overnight is enough, since it's just a bit of tightness around the little toe.

Will try to take photos of the shoes on the stretching last in case anyone is interested.

Forgot a pic of the lasts themselves, but they open in a V shape from the toes. These machines could stretch a whole size, but if your shoes can't cope, you risk splitting the leather.

Rear is for length (or just to hold the shoe taught), front is the width stretcher.

Best make sure the lasts are the right shape, to get the best overall stretch.

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Just got my red wings back from being resoled. 80 quid but seems worth it as they've come back like new. Gave them a polish along with my cheaney deal's.

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Tried some Tricker's Derby shoes on earlier, very nice but way to wide for my feet - any recommendations for others I might try that don't come up so roomy?

These arrived today. Size feels a bit snug but think they'll be okay.

Pleased at first sight.

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