Stretching Leather Shoes

[Elspeth]

not sure where to post this: does anyone have any tips for stretching a pair of ladies' leather shoes that nip just a little?

[patsyann]

You can buy spray cans of shoe stretcher in Clarks shoe shops.spray the shoes inside and then wear them while wet. "Magic.

[MargoTester]

If you have a Timpson's near you they will stretch them for you. You will need to leave the shoes with them for 24/48 hours.

[Prudie]

Putting them on with a few pairs of socks and blasting with a hot hairdryer for a couple of minutes is supposed to work. Keep them on until after they cool

[Elspeth]

Thank you everyone for excellent advice.

[Quizmonster]

Push a freezer-bag inside each shoe and fill it up with cold water to a level where you can close it off with a plastic tie. Put both shoes in a plastic bag to protect any food involved and place it in your freezer for 24 hours.
As water freezes, it expands and effectively stretches the shoes. Never known it to fail.

[Hypognosis]

I mail-ordered my most recent pair of DM shoes. I've just googled the technical names for shoe parts and, whilst the fit was perfect, the cuff was too tight and the counter was curved forward to such a degree that it blocked clean entry of the heel, crushing inwards, if rushed. The cuff tightness prevents a shoe-horn from helping and resists all hand manipulation.

The over-curved counter then proceeded to take the skin off the back of the heel, during breaking in.

I would have liked to found these techniques at that time but, as the general fit is perfect, how do I confine the stretch to just the cuff and counter?

[jourdain2]

In the 'old days' we used to stuff them full of wet newspaper until they bulged and then let them gradually dry out.