Getting leather to shrink

G

Grapevine

Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
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Question for knifemakers who make and work with leather for your sheaths. Does the leather shrink simply by wetting it and then letting it dry? I'm not trying to make a sheath, I'm trying to shrink one of my shoes but figure that since it's leather then sheath making techniques might apply. I plan on wetting the shoe then putting it in the dryer. Any problems you see with that?

In case your curious about my shoe, I just bought a pair from the store where the right shoe was out on display and I guess enough people tried it on that it stretched a little while its left partner stayed in the box. That pair was the only one in my size so I had to take it. What magnified the problem is that my right foot is half a size smaller than my left foot so under normal shoe buying circumstances the right foot would already feel like it's in a bigger shoe. With the pre-stretched out right shoe, the foot is now swimming in it. I tried putting two extra insoles in there to take up the room but the side effect is that they made that one side taller so I felt like I'm walking with a higher heel on one side.
 
To fit new cowboy boots we would soak and then wear, that way the would shrink to fit. I would worry that they would not shrink evenly or too much without you foot in them.
 
I don't know about shoes, but in my experience, hot water will shrink a leather sheath.
 
I'm a shoemaker :)

Be carefull with heat and leather and glue
Chance is that you will melt the glue holding the sole.
Putting it in the dryer will melt the glue!

In your situation I would first try to get my money back from the shop.
If that is no option try this:

The leather that shoes are made off can be schrunk with hot air.
Take a hairdrier or paintstripper. (we use paintstrippers)
Blow hot air in the shoe, where you enter the shoe if you put it on.
Give it time.
Blow some air on the outside as well.
Be carefull to not heat particular spots to long! You might burn the leather
But it should shrink

There is a good chance that the stiff stuff around the heel (between the lining and outside) is thermoplastic.
It will get softer if heated. Try forming it a bit with your hands when it is hot.

Mind you, it is tricky.

Let it cool slowly before trieing it on!

Velcrow will be ruind if it gets heated with a hairdrier!

A good shoe repair man can sew in new leather where the heel touches the lining on the inside. (the back) He can also add some padding first, making the shoe a bit smaller.

I hope this makes sence, good luck.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I think I'll try wetting it with hot water and letting it dry without heat first, and if that doesn't work then I'll try what Hengelo described.

Hengelo, how long should I be heating the shoe up with a hair dryer? A few minutes or like 10-20 minutes?
 
Off (and on topic) .. if I wanted to make a form fit sheeth for a folder.. would I just make the sheet to be snug on the knife.. then wrap the knife in plastic wrap and stick it in the wet sheeth to form?
 
Grapevine said:
Thanks for the tips guys. I think I'll try wetting it with hot water and letting it dry without heat first, and if that doesn't work then I'll try what Hengelo described.

Hengelo, how long should I be heating the shoe up with a hair dryer? A few minutes or like 10-20 minutes?
Click to expand...

Try 5min. first. I don't think that you will get more result than is possible after 10min.

Please keep us posted on the result :)
 
I don't know what you can expect from the hot water idea, bet let it dry slowly.
Don't put it on a radiater or so, let it air dry at room temeperature.
Stuff some news paper in the shoe, so it will hold its form.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, old thread but I was just sitting here waiting for my boots to dry...

Ordered some nice old-school construction all leather mountain/hiking surplus boots and have been wearing them every day at home for about 2 weeks now. They are finally getting somewhat broken in, but despite my efforts I still get horrible heel rub. I blame this on a loose fit. Boots are just about the perfect size but a bit loose. Wearing with heavy wool socks they are still a bit loose in the heel-forefoot resulting in a slight movement. Running liner socks under made a big difference but not quite perfect. Swapping the 1/2in thick wool felt insoles out with some Superfeet Grey I had also made a big difference but I would like the extra warmth of the thick woolies.

Hence waiting for them to dry. After doing a lot of reading I decided to do a warm bathtub trial. Figured it can't hurt as these boots just gotta be tough enough to handle getting soaked in field conditions (if not, then no loss ruining them at home!). With the felt insoles and a single pair of thick wool socks I stood in the tub until my feet were wet. Took surprisingly long for plain leather non-goretex boots with no wax or proofing. Ingress was definitely through the seams, the leather may have picked up some water but the exterior leather finish is quite hydrophobic. Figure I'll wear them a few hours and let them dry fully at room temp after that. Will report back.
 
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