Heavy Shoes (Brands to buy, how to break them in...ect)

The brand of hardshoes(Heavy Shoes) that you should buy is a very personal choice.
The Best Brands

- Fays
- Rutherfords

These two makes are the most popular among champions. I'm sure there are other good quality hardshoe brands out there, but I am not familiar enough with them to be able to recommend them. I've heard many people say they are happy with Antonio Pacellis, but I've never tried them myself.

Personally, I love rutherfords. I used to be a complete fays fan, but I found they stretched too much in width over time, and Rutherford appears to have fixed the problem of the low back of the shoe.

I currently have Rutherfords super flexis. I've had them for about 4 months - and they stretched out FAST...luckily, they still have some support in the arch.

Fays vs. Rutherfords

FAYS

- Heels make higher pitched sound
- Beats could be considered more
clear and sharp because of pitch
- Backs of the shoe completely
cover the heel
- The shoe is fairly narrow - but
it does stretch
- The heel is taller than Rutherfords
- Comes is suede soles now too
- Tip has a leveled off section in
front to aid in toestand security
- Come in the new Millenium Tips
which don't wear down fast at all
and have a deeper sound

RUTHERFORDS

- Heels have a lower pitched sound
that can be very loud if hit hard
- Shoe is wider than the fays
- Toe is more rounded in appearance and
makes quite good sound
- Tips seem to last longer than the
regular Fay tips, but not the millenium
or high density
- Comes in a suede sole option as
well
- Backs don't completely cover the
heel, and on some people, they slip
down
- Buckled strap is thinner than
on fays

Secrets for the initial break in

First off, when you buy a new pair of hardshoes...you should wear them around your house all the time...not just when you are dancing.

The first treatment I would give the shoes, is the 'ole pot of water conditioning.

Method #1: Boil some water in a pot over the stove and hold the shoes over the steam, bending them flexed way, and pointed way.

Method #2: Heat up the water on the stove, remove from heat source and drop the shoes it the water! Let soak for a short period of time, and put on some old, dark colored socks. Take the shoes out of the water and put them directly onto your feet. Wear them around for a while to shape the leather to your foot. (careful! make sure that you aren't walking around on nice carpet with soaking wet hardshoes - the dye can transfer itself to the floor sometimes...eek!)

An overnight trick that works really well is what I call: The Wet Rag Method

1. Take a couple of old rags - clean ones of course

2. Wet them, then stuff one into each shoe - the toe part

3. Take some giant elastics or strong string.

4. Bend the shoe over, like a way over-exaggerated point, so that the tip of the toe is tucked behind the heel - touching it.

5. Secure with elastics and leave either overnight, or for a few days for an even better result

Next trick I use is the glove softener...this stuff works wonders

1. Buy some baseball glove conditioner/softener and pour a little onto your hardshoes

2. Work into all of the leather, especially the soles, upper toe area, and back of the heel.

3. Be careful about dancing immediately afterwards. if the softer is oily, it could get on your dancing surface.

(****HINT****Neats foot oil has the same effect)

Further breaking them in (advanced techniques)

- To be able to do toe stands...you'll notice that you're shoes have to be broken in past the usual.

- If you have suede soles on your hardshoes...you don't have to do anything past the usual break in methods. The baseball glove softener and the Wet Rag Method combined should do the trick.

- But.....if you have the non-suede soles that just won't bend over far enough no matter what you do...here's the solution:

Splitting the Soles

In order for the sole to bend far enough on a non-superflexi pair of hardshoes, the sole needs to bubble out a little bit under the ball of the foot.

Method #1.

1. Turn the shoe upside down and put on a steady surface

2. Take a Steak Knife, or Exacto Knife (a utility knife of some kind)....(*****HINT*****If you are a young person, get an adult to supervise you, or do it for you. Knives can be dangerous.

3. Gently slide the tip of the knife along the side of the sole (near the tip) between the leather upper and the sole

4. Starting with the stitching closest to the fiberglass tip, cut about 3 or 4 of the stitches that are holding the sole to the upper. (*****HINT*****make sure that you aren't just hacking away at the shoe, you don't want the leather to get wrecked, just the stitching to be cut)

5. Do the same to the other side of the sole, then test out by putting them on and attempting a toe stand

6. You may need to cut another stitch or two depending on the size of the shoe. Smaller shoe=less stiches cut

Method #2

1. Take the knife and cut the stitches same as in method #1, except don't slide the knife under the sole, cut from the surface.

2. Slide the knife tip under the top of each individual stitch you want out (remember, just 3 or 4) and cut through.

3. Take a dull knife - like a table butter knife - and run between the sole and the upper to loosen the little pieces of cut thread

4. Try on and attempt a toe stand. You may need to cut another stitch or two depending on the size of the shoe.

Personally, I use method #2. There's less chance or wrecking the leather, and if you ever decide you don't want split soles anymore...you can always take it to a shoe repair store and they can simply put back in the stitches without a problem