Shoe Stretcher

So this Lazy Old Geek (L.O.G.) got a corn on my left foot. Well, I’m pretty sure it was because my boot was too tight so I decided I wanted to stretch it.

 By the way, did you know your feet get bigger as you get older?

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/shoes-getting-tight-feet-change-size-time/#:~:text=%E2%80%9COver%20time%20and%20because%20of,hammertoes%20as%20you%20age%2C%20Dr.

Assembly and Procedure

They sell shoe stretchers. My design is based on some of them. It consists of two blocks of wood connected by a ¼” threaded shaft. By adjusting the nuts the blocks of wood expand to stretch the boot.

My blocks are about 1.5” long with a ¼” hole drilled through them.

I chamfered the ends using my oscillating tool.

WARNING: The tool vibrates so I suggest using gloves and/or a vise.

The threaded shaft needs to be cut to approximately the inside diameter of your boot. Again I used my oscillating tool to cut the shaft (or in my case, I cut a long bolt).

Procedure: Slide the wrench over the threaded shaft along with two nuts and washers, then the blocks of wood.

Adjust the blocks so the shaft is flush with the wood.

Stick the stretcher in your boot. Place it approximately where you want to stretch. Adjust the nuts so the blocks are stretching the leather. You can use the wrench or just use your fingers. I used some isopropyl alcohol to help loosen the leather.

This worked pretty good.

Another method I’ve used is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsz71XEJkTU

It’s based on the principle that as water freezes, it expands.