• Home
    • Recent
    • Calendar
    • Register
    • Login
    Iron Heart Forum
    Iron Heart Forum

    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    WESCO-MRLOU-BLK - Wesco® - 10" Horsehide Pull-On "Mister Lou" Engineer Boot - Black

    WESCO - West Coast Shoe Company
    81
    513
    120.2k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • N
      nrtphotos
      Raw and Unwashed
      Joined:

      I’ve barely worn mine over the last year, the instep is really tight. Not sure how much I can expect them to break in 😞

      last edited by seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • OaktaviaO
        Oaktavia
        見習いボス
        @seawolf
        Joined:

        @seawolf it feels quenched yet not oversaturated. I think I gave them just enough. The upper part of the boot above the larger buckle is amazingly soft and supple. Much different than before.

        IG: electricindigowizard

        "Possibly splitting hairs, but I consider @Oaktavia to be the beardy, dank High Magus of this denim game…" @neph93

        WTB: IHJ-72- XL/XXL

        last edited by Oaktavia seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • seawolfS
          seawolf
          Mod Squad
          @nrtphotos
          Joined:

          @nrtphotos In my experience with Wesco engineer boots, that's a feature, not a bug. The boot stays on your foot because of how it fits around your instep. It'll loosen up a bit as you break them in. One thing you can do in the meantime is remove the insole until they're soft enough to not bother your instep any more. Once they're nice and soft, put the insole back in and you should be good to go.

          “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

          @zeebeeleather

          last edited by N 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • seawolfS
            seawolf
            Mod Squad
            @Oaktavia
            Joined:

            @Oaktavia That sounds ideal! Nicely done. Now you'll know for next time.

            “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

            @zeebeeleather

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • N
              nrtphotos
              Raw and Unwashed
              @seawolf
              Joined:

              @seawolf I sure hope they do, they make the top of my foot numb currently with the insert in!

              last edited by seawolfS goosehdG 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • seawolfS
                seawolf
                Mod Squad
                @nrtphotos
                Joined:

                @nrtphotos That insert is pretty thick. Pull it out and give it a try. Also, you can wear thinner socks. I have faith!

                “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                @zeebeeleather

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • goosehdG
                  goosehd
                  Mod Squad
                  @nrtphotos
                  Joined:

                  @nrtphotos You might be able to take them to a cobbler and see if they will stretch them for you. We did it to a pair of my wife’s cowboy boots and it worked out fantastically. Took them a few days to do.

                  She just went in, told them where her problem areas were, and they were able to stretch them out. They did two days of slowly stretching them, went on the third day to see how much progress was made and to try them on. Decided to do one more day of stretching and they’re just about perfect.

                  The cobbler took what was a pair of almost unwearable boots and took them to about 90-95% stretched to where my wife just wore them for a week and they were perfect.

                  "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                  last edited by seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • seawolfS
                    seawolf
                    Mod Squad
                    @goosehd
                    Joined:

                    @goosehd Oh shit. I need to do this. I bought a boot stretcher, but it's not quite hitting the right spot, and I need some more help. Thank you for this!

                    “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                    @zeebeeleather

                    last edited by goosehdG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • goosehdG
                      goosehd
                      Mod Squad
                      @seawolf
                      Joined:

                      @seawolf They also sprayed the leather (I think with an isopropyl alcohol/mixture) to aide in the stretching of the leather. Took it very slow to not damage the leather fibres.

                      "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                      last edited by goosehd seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • seawolfS
                        seawolf
                        Mod Squad
                        @goosehd
                        Joined:

                        @goosehd That sounds great. I should call around and find a cobbler that can do this. My right instep is a bit more pronounced than normal and it's painful sometimes when I wear my non-custom Wescos.

                        “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                        @zeebeeleather

                        last edited by goosehdG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • goosehdG
                          goosehd
                          Mod Squad
                          @seawolf
                          Joined:

                          @seawolf Also, the stretcher they used looked like this, which really helped with problem areas:

                          IMG_1226.webp

                          "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                          last edited by seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • pechelmanP
                            pechelman
                            啓蒙家
                            Joined:

                            Talk to Wesco about stretching. They can do this for you and they didn't charge me anything. Not sure if it's the same these days or not.

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • seawolfS
                              seawolf
                              Mod Squad
                              @goosehd
                              Joined:

                              @goosehd Oh no. That's what I have. FML. It doesn't quite hit the right spot. I need one that stretches up and down, not side to side. I'll go google that and see if it's a thing.

                              “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                              @zeebeeleather

                              last edited by goosehdG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • goosehdG
                                goosehd
                                Mod Squad
                                @seawolf
                                Joined:

                                @seawolf There are stretchers in all planes. I just put that one up there as an example.

                                "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                                last edited by seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • seawolfS
                                  seawolf
                                  Mod Squad
                                  @goosehd
                                  Joined:

                                  @goosehd I just found this, which is what I need. Thanks for the nudge. Image 12-17-24 at 4.42 PM.jpeg

                                  “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                  @zeebeeleather

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                  • seawolfS
                                    seawolf
                                    Mod Squad
                                    Joined:

                                    Really the issue was not knowing what that specific type of stretcher was called.

                                    “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                    @zeebeeleather

                                    last edited by seawolf 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                    • injunjackI
                                      injunjack
                                      見習いボス
                                      Joined:

                                      OR you pee in your boot and wear it till it dryes. If you have problem peeing in your own boots, ask a friend to do it. 😋 (or byu urea at pharmacy or where-ever you get in your neck of the woods)
                                      urea has been used ages for softening leather... once your boot is wet, it'll stretch and mold to your feet.
                                      Also riding a motorcycle in rain gives boots a nice soak, and using them while wet damp does the trick as well....

                                      last edited by injunjack seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • seawolfS
                                        seawolf
                                        Mod Squad
                                        @injunjack
                                        Joined:

                                        @injunjack I may have to move this to Unpopular Opinions. 😉

                                        “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                        @zeebeeleather

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                        • seawolfS
                                          seawolf
                                          Mod Squad
                                          Joined:

                                          Stretching my instep to make room for my weird right foot. I used a 2:1 solution of water:isopropyl alcohol to loosen the fibers, and I'll leave it overnight and report back.

                                          IMG_4307.jpeg
                                          IMG_4305.jpeg

                                          “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                          @zeebeeleather

                                          last edited by OaktaviaO T 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • OaktaviaO
                                            Oaktavia
                                            見習いボス
                                            @seawolf
                                            Joined:

                                            @seawolf This is cool I am curious if this works.

                                            IG: electricindigowizard

                                            "Possibly splitting hairs, but I consider @Oaktavia to be the beardy, dank High Magus of this denim game…" @neph93

                                            WTB: IHJ-72- XL/XXL

                                            last edited by seawolfS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright Iron Heart 2022.