- Joined
- Jul 26, 2016
The stretching equipment has settings on it, for how much the boot is to be stretched width wise and for length-wise. Shops usually only stretch a slight amount when customers don't specify. More intense stretching is harder on the materials, but unless the skates are really cheap, the boot won't come apart. The boots need to be heated before stretching, and some shops don't do it (akin to heat molding). Also, they may have to be stretched multiple times, as there will be some spring back effect. Sometimes stretching just the width will make the toe box lower, so there is caution to be had if toes have gotten fatter requiring a higher toe box (I haven't had to worry about that, so I'm not sure if anything can be done about it... I doubt it). Also, at least on our equipment, the length stretching may make the heel pocket bigger, so there is the risk of heel slippage if it is over stretched. Keep in mind that stretching just length or just width may have the opposite effect on the width or the length, so make sure you know exactly what needs to be changed in the size, and if there is room for narrowing up the boot if you want more length (this is why it helps to have a fitter who maintains records of your past fittings).
I stretched the toe boxes of my old boots to at least a full width wider than they were, and it did not harm the materials or construction. However, I had to stretch them once a month to maintain that width. I also repeat-punched them out at those times, to maintain the space.
If the toe box width is especially a size issue, there are oblong punching bits that can be used to make slightly overlapped punches, that if done properly, will make the toe box wider than stretching will. It will look ugly on the outside of the skate, but the skate will be wider. Of course that will not help any with the length.
You bring up an interesting point about the consequences of stretching the length - I hadn't thought about any inadvertent impact on the heel area or that it could make another area (width) smaller. Makes total sense though. One of the things that my skater really appreciates about the current pair of Harlick's is that there is no heel slippage (something we had in some skates because they weren't split width).
This is why it makes me nervous to stretch the whole boot up one size - it could spring back as you mention and it could mess with the heel. Maybe this is why our old coach was adamant that stretching was not a "permanent" solution but rather a solution to keep the kids on the ice this week until boots could be purchased the next week.
We have already had them stretched about 1/2 size but as much as I would love to save money by keeping the same boots, something tells me that I should just order one size larger than we have today instead of trying to stretch one full size and then purchasing our next boots 1.5 sizes larger
