Stretching a pair of Altbergs

Comfy Old Boots

Comfy Old Boots

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I picked up a nice pair of altbergs off someone on the site recently. I'm trying to get on with them and it's getting easier. Not right though.

RIght foot, little toe and toe beside little toe are pushing a bit into the side of the shoe. is there a way to stretch this area out a bit? I'd go to my cobbler but it's outside my 5 KM travel radius and he's also closed. Is there a product I could buy to stretch the shoe from the inside? Maybe heat the leather up a bit with a hairdryer and then apply the pressure with some sort of extendable stretchy thing! I've looked online but I'm not looking for the right thing and keep finding wooden things to put in the shoe to keep it's shape. Any tips appreciated.

P.s. These are not smelly old boots LOL
 
Why don't you put your feet on a strict diet or enroll them into a local Zumba class (within 5kms of your gaff of course)


I wonder is there a feet equivalent of Spanks

S20 5G sent this......
 
All joking aside.......pack them (really get it in there) with damp newspaper.

S20 5G sent this......
 
and...can you change the footbed? will that help give you more volume in the toe area?
 
Zumba for feet. That is an image. My right foot is slightly different in shape and form since destroying my ankle a little over twelve months ago. Weirdly, it's the smaller toes on that foot that are giving out. Previously comfy shoes are a bit tight round the toe area.

Loads of room in the toe area, it's a width problem. My foot is a little wide at the little toe part. In the mean time I'm wearing hte boots as often as i can and they seem to be improving a little. I've changed the footbed already. Is there such a thing as an expanding shoe horn?

Finding things like this

https://www.lightinthebox.com/en/p/...MI_YvV2Yi67gIVB7LtCh09tQkbEAQYASABEgKdtPD_BwE

But not sure if it's worth spending the money. And yes, damp news paper and a little heat followed by stretching.
 
Fill boot full of water for 1/2 hour , empty water , put on a couple of pairs of socks and go for a walk , they will stretch.

Alternatively if you don't want to get frostbite or trench foot buy a tin of leather stretch spray, spray the insides of the boot, do the socks things and go for a walk
 
I watched a cobbler stretch some boots once. He used steam to warm and soften the leather as locally as possible (a felt tip mark indicated where) then used a sort of dolly thing from the inside. The boot seemed to stretch very easily. It’s a skill though I reckon as afaik the leather shrinks back a bit as it cools and dries, yet if it’s overstretched I think shrinking it back is all but impossible. Also I would guess judging the right amount of steam and heat is an art too. Good luck. Perhaps practice on real smelly old boots. 😁
 
Neil W said:
Fill boot full of water for 1/2 hour , empty water , put on a couple of pairs of socks and go for a walk , they will stretch.

Alternatively if you don't want to get frostbite or trench foot buy a tin of leather stretch spray, spray the insides of the boot, do the socks things and go for a walk
Click to expand...

I think i'll try that. Never heard of leather stretch spray. it's worth a go.


AustinW said:
I watched a cobbler stretch some boots once. He used steam to warm and soften the leather as locally as possible (a felt tip mark indicated where) then used a sort of dolly thing from the inside. The boot seemed to stretch very easily. It’s a skill though I reckon as afaik the leather shrinks back a bit as it cools and dries, yet if it’s overstretched I think shrinking it back is all but impossible. Also I would guess judging the right amount of steam and heat is an art too. Good luck. Perhaps practice on real smelly old boots. 😁
Click to expand...

I know my cobbler can do something like this. He has resoled a few pairs of engineer boots for me over the years. He's not available at the moment though and looking like top level lockdown here until march at the earliest.
 
Go onto Altbergs website,

They have sections on how to break in and stretch the boots if i recall

Also try playing with the different liners / beds they make a big difference

One thing to note, compared to Doc Martins, they take much much longer to break in.

I think mine took about 3-6 months of daily wear ( only wearing them to and from work on the bike)

and get some Ambergris & Ambershine, they help to soften the boot as well
 
Chuck them in water overnight then wear them.
 
Santa-2512 said:
Go onto Altbergs website,

They have sections on how to break in and stretch the boots if i recall

Also try playing with the different liners / beds they make a big difference

One thing to note, compared to Doc Martins, they take much much longer to break in.

I think mine took about 3-6 months of daily wear ( only wearing them to and from work on the bike)

and get some Ambergris & Ambershine, they help to soften the boot as well
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if they are just the wrong shape.

NeilDD said:
Put a plastic bag inside boot.
Fill with water.
Put boot in freezer, water expands and stretches boot
Click to expand...

That's an interesting idea. Worth a punt. Will it not just expand out the open end of the boot? Might have to think about this...

dean0n0 said:
Chuck them in water overnight then wear them.
Click to expand...

It's the wrong time of year for the damp / wet boot wearing. :augie
 
NeilDD said:
Put a plastic bag inside boot.
Fill with water.
Put boot in freezer, water expands and stretches boot
Click to expand...

Good plan, if its just the toes area of the boot, fill a plastic bag with water for just the toes area (tip the boot forward, toe down in the freezer).
Freeze, thaw and repeat as often at needed to stretch the boot to fit. It's the freezing, thawing that will stretch the boot but it only does a little at a time
 
If they are a 45/6 I could wear them for rest of the winter for you.
 
Soak them for a day then find something solid to place inside them to act as a Last. Use a ball end hammer to gently hammer in the area that requires stretching.

Gently with the hammer!
 
When you have stretched them, when they are comfortable to wear you will be so thankful you bought them ...Altbergs are such good boots :)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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