Stretching shoes has been discussed here on our blog many times before, stretching is the only effective way to enlarge smaller footwear. Here’s a helpful tip on how you can handle shoe stretching on your own.
As most people know, the standard method for stretching shoes involves having them put in a stretching machine by a cobbler and having him stretch them in areas where they are too small. Gradual increases are made as stretching lasts stretch further while leather is treated with moisturizing agents to help it withstand stress better. But in cases when one or two specific places on a pair of shoes need stretching more quickly or at different lengths than expected, DIY shoe stretching may be a more suitable alternative solution.
Look closely and you will notice that the right shoe (left in this example) bulges at its inner vamp compared to the left shoe, as can be seen below. Here is how I approached it:
I came up with this solution on my own, tested it successfully on one pair of shoes and have continued using this method on shoes requiring slight modifications for proper fitting. Here I will walk through my process for two pairs of shoes that were too tight over the right foot’s big toe lump, a location I am extra sensitive to due to having juvenile hallux valgus, one pair even squeezed slightly on pinky toes. Because my fit was okay initially and only needed minor correction, this method provided more precision than what can be offered through professional stretching machines.
What you will need for this procedure are modified shoe trees that fit tightly in the shoe you want to stretch (it is important that they sit tight against the area you wish to stretch), Compeed plasters designed for sore feet (available in various sizes), and felt rings used to reduce pressure on corns (these can be found at any pharmacy’s podiatry shelf). Also beneficial is moistening both inside and outside areas to be stretched with leather lotion or stretching spray, which soften the leather before inserting modified shoe trees.
Learn more in detail about shoe trees.
What you do is build up a bulge at the point to be stretched out, using felt rings with smaller central parts in the base if required for larger-sized projects, followed by plasters to add thickness or just plain plasters on their own. If you want to stretch them significantly, it may be prudent to start smaller and gradually increase it as time progresses, unlike the stronger stretching techniques employed by cobblers, this method takes more time for results.
Simply leave your shoes sitting amongst the trees at an established distance, and over time the leather will stretch to accommodate for this change. My experience shows it took just a few days before I noticed any difference, since then I have worn shoes with bulges for several months until they reached critical points and fit quite comfortably without pressing. That being said, this should only be used as minor corrections at specific places for more significant problems such as shoes that clearly are too small, it would always be wiser to visit a cobbler directly.