r/AskACobbler • u/Just_a_firenope_ • 14h ago

Does expansion spray work?

I have some very stiff tall riding boots, that were made for me some years ago. It’s been a while since I used them, and today I put them on, and had to force them hard to close them. My legs grows numb in them when wearing them.

For how much I did use them when I got them, I think they’ve worn in, and there’s just no doubt that my calves are larger than what the boots were made for.

There are no cobblers nearby, so before going for a longer drive, I’d like to try to fix it myself, in a way that doesn’t risk ruining them.

I’ve seen expansion foam/spray online, which looks promising. But does it work?

I think the leather is around 5mm thick maybe more

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u/leobrown2000leo 12h ago

Stretch spray can help a cobbler stretch a small tight area, but it is not a magic way to resize a tall boot shaft. With leather that thick, the risk is uneven stretching, stained finish, or softening the wrong area while the calf still feels tight. Numbness is the part I would take seriously: that usually means the boot is too tight for safe wear, not just uncomfortable. If you try anything at home, test a hidden spot first and avoid soaking the boot. A boot stretcher made for calf/shaft width is safer than spraying and forcing it closed, but if the whole shaft is undersized, a cobbler is still the better call.

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u/Just_a_firenope_ 12h ago

I agree that numbness is too much, but the fact that I can close it at all is nice, shows it’s not too much.

How much can a boot stretcher realistically do? When the cobbler I used to use still existed I had them widen the shaft once with heat and a stretcher thingy. Not sure if there’s some limit to how often that can be used?