How to Stretch Leather Boots
Fill a resealable plastic bag with water., Position the bag in the boot., Place the boot in the freezer., Thaw the ice before removing it., Repeat as needed.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Fill a resealable plastic bag with water.
Fill roughly one-third to one-half of the bag with water.
Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing completely.To remove the air, seal most of the bag, leaving only a small gap open in one corner.
Gently squeeze the portion of the bag without water in it until the plastic sides come together.
When you have brought the sides together as closely as possible without spilling water, seal the remaining gap.
Use plastic bags marked as "freezer bags" to reduce the risk of breaking the bag inside the freezer.
Choose the best size for your boot.
If the toe or heel needs to be stretched, a quart (liter) size bag should suffice.
If the entire foot portion or calf portion of the boot needs to be stretched, choose a gallon (4 L) size bag.
Alternatively, you can skip the water-filled bag altogether and use freezer gel packs if you have them.
Do not place water or ice directly against the leather.
Water can cause leather to become brittle. -
Step 2: Position the bag in the boot.
Place the bag of water in the shoe inside the problem area.
This is easiest to do when the problem area is the toe or heel, but it can still be done for larger portions of the boot.
If you only need to stretch the calf portion of the boot, stuff the foot with balls of crumbled newspaper and place the bag of water inside the calf portion.
The newspaper should prevent the bag from slipping down into the foot portion of the boot.
Make sure that the water presses against all sides of the boot in need of being stretched.
Otherwise, the boot may not stretch evenly. , Carefully place your boot in the freezer and let it sit 8 hours to overnight.
As the water freezes, it will expand, stretching the leather out in the process. , When you pull your boot out of the freezer, you should let the ice melt for at least 20 minutes before you try to remove it from the boot.
If you try to pull the bag out immediately, you may damage the boot. , Try your boots on and see if the leather has been stretched enough.
If not, repeat the process to stretch the boots a bit more. -
Step 3: Place the boot in the freezer.
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Step 4: Thaw the ice before removing it.
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Step 5: Repeat as needed.
Detailed Guide
Fill roughly one-third to one-half of the bag with water.
Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing completely.To remove the air, seal most of the bag, leaving only a small gap open in one corner.
Gently squeeze the portion of the bag without water in it until the plastic sides come together.
When you have brought the sides together as closely as possible without spilling water, seal the remaining gap.
Use plastic bags marked as "freezer bags" to reduce the risk of breaking the bag inside the freezer.
Choose the best size for your boot.
If the toe or heel needs to be stretched, a quart (liter) size bag should suffice.
If the entire foot portion or calf portion of the boot needs to be stretched, choose a gallon (4 L) size bag.
Alternatively, you can skip the water-filled bag altogether and use freezer gel packs if you have them.
Do not place water or ice directly against the leather.
Water can cause leather to become brittle.
Place the bag of water in the shoe inside the problem area.
This is easiest to do when the problem area is the toe or heel, but it can still be done for larger portions of the boot.
If you only need to stretch the calf portion of the boot, stuff the foot with balls of crumbled newspaper and place the bag of water inside the calf portion.
The newspaper should prevent the bag from slipping down into the foot portion of the boot.
Make sure that the water presses against all sides of the boot in need of being stretched.
Otherwise, the boot may not stretch evenly. , Carefully place your boot in the freezer and let it sit 8 hours to overnight.
As the water freezes, it will expand, stretching the leather out in the process. , When you pull your boot out of the freezer, you should let the ice melt for at least 20 minutes before you try to remove it from the boot.
If you try to pull the bag out immediately, you may damage the boot. , Try your boots on and see if the leather has been stretched enough.
If not, repeat the process to stretch the boots a bit more.
About the Author
Henry Chavez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical pet care knowledge.
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