The problem: how to turn before into after:
(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e284/Griffinit/shoe3.gif)
Technically this is possible as the leather to be stretched is soft. However, usual story, We Can Only Stretch Width AND Length Stupidity Institute of No Shoes For Big Toes.
I've tried with a variety of small obscure objects (like pill bottle screw tops) but nothing has worked so far, including sticking things on top of my toe. I can't find the optimum size "thing" and I can't get enough tension length ways.
All suggestions welcome.
~ Department of Desperate Activities for Broken Laptop Users ~ :'(
You're gonna need a coupla things:
1. A wooden form roughly the size and shape of your foot. This is the "base".
2. A marble to use for stretching-- get one that is large enough to do the trick.
You'll need a tool that can carve on wood, too-- a dremel with a nice wood carving bit, say round or ball-shaped. Look for a "high speed steel" ball-shaped cutter.
Use the dremel tool to carve out a semi-hollow on the wooden form, to fit the marble into (thus effectively making the marble a hemisphere).
Work the wooden form and marble into the shoe-- moisten the leather as needed, to assist in it's stretching.
I knew I'd lost my marbles ;)
I have a wooden shoe stretcher which more or less fits - the problem with it being as described above that it gets wider at the same rate it gets longer. Useless for merely lengthening, and therefore also useless for creating bulges (which it is also designed to do) in the right places.
It may well do for anchoring marbles !
Needless to say, I have now found out that in the US one can get "toe stretchers" which do the exact job - whereas in the UK all one can get for stretching toes is plastic rings for using when doing foot Yoga.
I'm not sure what that tells us abut the difference between the two countries. ;D
OK, you need one wooden shoe stretcher, a WOODEN thread spool, a long nail and a way to carve the spool into a toe-type configuration.
And a hammer.
Carve spool, put nail into hole in spool, hammer onto shoe stretcher in proper place. Insert in shoe. REAL hard...
I think it would be simpler to live in the US.
Or set up as an importer of all the obscure items I have required over the last 7 seven years which exist in abundance in the US but do not figure here.
Or cut off my toe.
I bought marbles. Now to test the theory ;D