kipstar Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 As some of you lot know I live in Thailand, where the number of ski shops is not very high, and it is quite tough to find a good boot fitter. This winter, actually 3 weeks from now, I going to Korea, and I think that since all I can say is 'angyong haseyo' and 'samsung' that they will not understand my needs to stretch the forefoot of the boot. Because it is about 100 degrees here everyday, the stretch I did in Reno last winter has already shrunk back... my problemo is that the boot is too wide in the ankle, and too narrow in the forefoot, so I get a crush from the spur on the outside of my little toe across to the joint of the big toe. Already got thermos molded, and I have tiny ankles, so that fixed this bit, but the boot is simply too narrow in the front. I know exacltly where the points are becase the boot fitter at Reno Mountain sport already marked where he stretched so he could do again; once stretched they fit like a ga----love. So... considering I must do this using tools I could buy at home depot type place, what recommendation does anyone have for donig this? So far I bought a clamp with contractor, then turned the points inside out so the clamp goes out, rather than comes in. I need to attached some pads or something so it will not release when in the boot. Do I also use a hairdrier or warm water or what for the insides points where I want to stretch? Anyone have some advice for moi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 My advice...just like the last thread, is to get a custom insole. If you have an insole or convinced you want to screw up your boot.....you'll want a heat gun (hair dryer won't work) and lots of shoe repair shims. I'm sure you could jimmy up a few things from a hardware store...but the error rate is probably around 75%. I'd do an MSN search on the topic and see what you find..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK2TX2CA Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Here's a link to a Southern Ski Tools page describing using their toe spreader... Regards, UK2TX2CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted December 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 My advice...just like the last thread, is to get a custom insole.If you have an insole or convinced you want to screw up your boot.....you'll want a heat gun (hair dryer won't work) and lots of shoe repair shims. I'm sure you could jimmy up a few things from a hardware store...but the error rate is probably around 75%. I'd do an MSN search on the topic and see what you find..... OK, will try that search on MSN... Maybe it is another thread as I already have the custom insoles which I did myself upder the supervision of a boot fitter; I actually already have done a fair bit of dremelling type stuff; know my way around a boot but need the tool similar to the photo.... looks like there isn't anything that can be bought off the shelf though; hmmm I may be SOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted December 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 My advice...just like the last thread, is to get a custom insole.If you have an insole or convinced you want to screw up your boot.....you'll want a heat gun (hair dryer won't work) and lots of shoe repair shims. I'm sure you could jimmy up a few things from a hardware store...but the error rate is probably around 75%. I'd do an MSN search on the topic and see what you find..... OK, will try that search on MSN... Maybe it is another thread as I already have the custom insoles which I did myself upder the supervision of a boot fitter; I actually already have done a fair bit of dremelling type stuff; know my way around a boot but need the tool similar to the photo.... looks like there isn't anything that can be bought off the shelf though; hmmm I may be SOL...damm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dold Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Kip: It takes a lot of heat to re-shape these things. I found that out tonight during one of my ill-advised experiments that, 9 times out of ten, costs me a lot of money. This time it was successful though I had a problem with one of my AF-600s where it was squeezing the outside of my foot, near my little toe, and causing pain after a couple of runs. Tonight I made a thing out of two small, shaped blocks of wood similar to the parts in the picture above. I drilled holes part way through them and used all-thread and a nut and washer to connect them together so that they could be inserted in the same area as in the picture above, and when the nut is turned the pieces spread apart. Basically it's a makeshift tool to do the same thing as the thing in the pic. After I put quite a bit of tension on the boot in the area I wanted to "punch out", I heated the hell out of the shell on the outside in that spot with a heat gun. I watched it closely in case something bad happened, but it never did. Eventually the shell deformed a little and I now have a much better-fitting boot. So it is possible to do this with a heat gun. I don't think a hair drier would be hot enough. I did this to a boot that had a lot of miles on it. I'm glad I did it, but if I had a newer/nicer pair of boots, I'd definitely take them to a bootfitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.