よく、一般的なラストで作られたRTWの靴に対して、オーダーメイドの靴はより良いフィット感を得られる可能性があると話されていますね。オーダーメイドの靴は、基本的につま先とかかとを本革で補強し、さらに個人用のラストを使用しているので、後からフィット感を調整できる可能性が高いことも興味深い点です。上の靴は、Gaziano & Girlingの最初のオーダーメイドで、この靴を仕上げてもらった後、ちょうど戻ってきたところです。
この靴はかなりフィットしていましたが、小指のところが少し窮屈で、別の靴でここが少し窮屈だった後、左小指に小さな角ができたので、これを使うのに少し気を使うようになりました。このフィット感は、Gaziano & Girlingのラストを修正したもので、その他にもいくつか改良したものがあります。つま先とかかとのスティッガーは革製なので、素材がまだ生きていて、必要に応じてかなり変形させることができるのです。革の板やプラスチック製の補強材を使った靴の場合は、同じようにはいきません。今、このラバーソールの美しさは、このブランドの最新のビスポークの一足、私のチャッカと同じくらい素敵にフィットしています。
This is really interesting to know about leather stiffeners having the ability to transform.
Most of my earlier shoe purchases are too big by 0.5 size due to my lack of sizing knowledge, and I had been recommended to soak my shoes in water with a smaller/properly sized shoe tree and then allow it to dry using a heat gun/dryer, to make it shrink or conform to the smaller shoe tree.
However, I have been hesitant to try this out due to water potentially damaging the insole, and the glue for the linen holdfast that I’ve read that goodyearwelt requires.
J: Yeah, in most cases this is not to recommend. Mainly because if the shoes have plastic or leather board heel stiffeners these won’t follow, and there is a risk of damaging the shoes in various ways. Have you tried inserting a thin insole? Sounds like it could solve a lot.
Thanks for the reply Jesper. Yes, I’ve read all of your articles on the various ways to adjust the fit. I’ve experimented with a variety of tongue pads, thin and thicker inserts, and even double socks. Usually, one of these or a combination helps to resolve the issue to a decent (not perfect) fit. However, there are some shoes that are too long (elongated toe box) resulting in a misalignment of the ball of foot and flexpoint which is more problematic than a minor heel slip/room in the vamp. For this issue, I was considering the water shrinking method since there doesn’t seem to be a good way to push my feet forward (opposite effect of tongue pads) in the shoe.
J: I see. In that case, I would just sell those shoes and buy new that fit better for the money you’ll get. More safe way to make your feet happy.