Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

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Gregovic
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Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by Gregovic »

It's a snap. Literally :rofl:

A while back I bought some flat mary-janes from ali-express as they were under 20 euros shipped and they were one of the few flats I have seen that actually come in a chinese US size 18 (Which would be a US made US 14 or 15 probably but that's how it goes).
IMG_8569s.jpg
They are surprisingly not all that terrible except for the closure. The strap as delivered is held in place by velcro. And horrible velcro at that. It barely sticks and comes undone all the time, which is really really annoying. So I fixed them by installing a snap closure on the shoes. There already was a silver cap button on the strap held in place by some metal lips that could easily be removed. Then I removed the velcro on the shoe side as the white was terribly conspicuous and the holes left by the thread are hidden by the strap when closed. I left the velcro on the strap side as it adds a bit of sturdiness and is sewn in place by the thread visible on the outside, removing it would have meant having to restitch the strap by hand.
Then I used some heavy duty hammer/rivet snaps to provide a new closure. Just punch a new hole in the shoe part and use the hole for the decorative button already in the strap.
15mm nickel plated brass snap rivets/buttons from koh-i-noor
15mm nickel plated brass snap rivets/buttons from koh-i-noor
strap open, showing the male and female parts of the snap as installed
strap open, showing the male and female parts of the snap as installed
IMG_8572s.jpg
IMG_8572s.jpg (34.84 KiB) Viewed 3331 times
The strap now stays closed as it should. It's great for my purposes. I just wear these around the house to protect my stockings/pantyhose (and it looks better than un-shoed feet) when I'm dressed up but not wearing heels (due to noise or other reasons). I screwed up the placement on the right shoe just a tad and its a little bit tighter than I the left one and how I planed it to be, but still easily wearable.
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bound_jenny
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by bound_jenny »

Very nicely done and kudos on your resourcefulness! 8)

Jenny.
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by smelt »

Looks good! Next time, add a locking post from a hasp set, with a grommet on the strap, put the key to the lock out in the mailbox, then you have to go out there to be able to take your shoes off...

I think these Chinese companies should hire a few of us DIY'ers as consultants or something....
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Gregovic
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by Gregovic »

smelt wrote:Looks good! Next time, add a locking post from a hasp set, with a grommet on the strap, put the key to the lock out in the mailbox, then you have to go out there to be able to take your shoes off...

I think these Chinese companies should hire a few of us DIY'ers as consultants or something....
Thanks. I have no idea what you mean by "a locking post from a hasp set" exactly. I get the locking post bit, but I can't think of any hasp set that would have a locking post. (I've been looking for a source for locking posts for installation into straps and such, but haven't really been able to find anything, so if you have any tips that'd be great)To put a locking post through the strap without it pulling out of shape I'd have to put a grommet in, but I don't know if I really have enough room to get a large enough grommet in for any decent size post.
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bound_jenny
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by bound_jenny »

smelt wrote:I think these Chinese companies should hire a few of us DIY'ers as consultants or something....
Not with their pay scale... :rofl:

Jenny.
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If my corset isn't tight, it just isn't right!
Kink is the spice of life!
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smelt
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by smelt »

Gregovic wrote:
smelt wrote:Looks good! Next time, add a locking post from a hasp set, with a grommet on the strap, put the key to the lock out in the mailbox, then you have to go out there to be able to take your shoes off...

I think these Chinese companies should hire a few of us DIY'ers as consultants or something....
Thanks. I have no idea what you mean by "a locking post from a hasp set" exactly. I get the locking post bit, but I can't think of any hasp set that would have a locking post. (I've been looking for a source for locking posts for installation into straps and such, but haven't really been able to find anything, so if you have any tips that'd be great)To put a locking post through the strap without it pulling out of shape I'd have to put a grommet in, but I don't know if I really have enough room to get a large enough grommet in for any decent size post.

OK, what I usually use is this:
Image
Image
The part where the lock goes is 2 pieces. The actual post comes out, and you drill (or punch- in this case) a hole big enough for it to fit in, and the washer base holds it from going all the way through. (The piece with the 4 screw holes is your size template for the drill or punch) I have used these in a lot of projects over the years. If you know of anyone that needs the leftover parts, there are probably a hundred of them around here somewhere... haha Edit: These are available at hardware stores anywhere around here, or Ebay or Amazon has them, usually Stanley makes the best quality I have found. And, lastly, if you buy a piece of aluminum round stock, and have basic tools, these are quite easy to "hand machine" with files, grinders and a drill, then you have the exact size you want, plus YOU made it. That's a big part of the fun for me.
Last edited by smelt on 25 Aug 2017, 14:52, edited 4 times in total.
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smelt
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by smelt »

bound_jenny wrote:
smelt wrote:I think these Chinese companies should hire a few of us DIY'ers as consultants or something....
Not with their pay scale... :rofl:

Jenny.

But if we could be paid with egg rolls and hot mustard... mmmmm.
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smelt
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by smelt »

Also, on a related note, Clevis pins such as these are good to have in the toolbox. More for bigger projects, I used these in some stocks, and different yokes etc, as the locking mechanism.
Image

They work very good for small luggage locks, or even a quick hitch pin works good, if the victim can't reach to pull it out. They come in different lengths, diameters, and hole sizes. I may have to do a kinky hardware post sometime soon, I have found so many pervertable things in the hardware department....
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by Pamelacd »

Resourcefull, but we often have to be !
Would it be a burden to give me the name of the trader/shop in Aliexpress, so i can go look and perhaps buy some for myself ?
AE is so vast that serching by description can take forever and may not get me to the right seller anyway.

thanks
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Gregovic
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by Gregovic »

smelt wrote:
Gregovic wrote:
smelt wrote:Looks good! Next time, add a locking post from a hasp set, with a grommet on the strap, put the key to the lock out in the mailbox, then you have to go out there to be able to take your shoes off...

I think these Chinese companies should hire a few of us DIY'ers as consultants or something....
Thanks. I have no idea what you mean by "a locking post from a hasp set" exactly. I get the locking post bit, but I can't think of any hasp set that would have a locking post. (I've been looking for a source for locking posts for installation into straps and such, but haven't really been able to find anything, so if you have any tips that'd be great)To put a locking post through the strap without it pulling out of shape I'd have to put a grommet in, but I don't know if I really have enough room to get a large enough grommet in for any decent size post.

OK, what I usually use is this:
Image
Image
The part where the lock goes is 2 pieces. The actual post comes out, and you drill (or punch- in this case) a hole big enough for it to fit in, and the washer base holds it from going all the way through. (The piece with the 4 screw holes is your size template for the drill or punch) I have used these in a lot of projects over the years. If you know of anyone that needs the leftover parts, there are probably a hundred of them around here somewhere... haha Edit: These are available at hardware stores anywhere around here, or Ebay or Amazon has them, usually Stanley makes the best quality I have found. And, lastly, if you buy a piece of aluminium round stock, and have basic tools, these are quite easy to "hand machine" with files, grinders and a drill, then you have the exact size you want, plus YOU made it. That's a big part of the fun for me.
I've never seen those hasps with a detachable centre part around here. Without handling them it also seems like it might just add too much bulk on the inside of the shoe, where it's right up against the side of the foot. I have locking heel cuffs to keep my heels on if I want to force myself to wear shoes :wink:. Going to the mailbox doesn't involve going into public for me. I don't even have a front yard, mail gets delivered right through a slot in the front door. I COULD put the key in the shed and be forced to walk to the shed in full view of any neighbours on the second floor (or my direct neighbours standing upright close to the fence) but I very much prefer to keep my "non-gender typical" dressing habits private.
How may I serve you? *Curtsey*
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Gregovic
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by Gregovic »

Pamelacd wrote:Resourcefull, but we often have to be !
Would it be a burden to give me the name of the trader/shop in Aliexpress, so i can go look and perhaps buy some for myself ?
AE is so vast that serching by description can take forever and may not get me to the right seller anyway.

thanks
Unfortunately this model doesn't seem to be sold anymore. Aliexpress stock typically seems to change every 3 months/season. Things can be there one day and then gone the next unfortunately. And I bought mine I think about 6 months ago.

EDIT: Seller was LLOPROST KE btw... They don't have anything similar for sale at the moment as far as I can see.
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by Pamelacd »

Thankyou Gregovic,

That was enough of a lead to land me in the right place and soon found another trader with the same shoes. In fact, lots of shoes for bigger gurly size feet.
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smelt
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Re: Improving some cheap made in china flat shoes

Post by smelt »

The locking post does add a bit of metal inside the shoe, but not bad. I have used silicone tape over them, it holds them in place, plus gives a tiny bit of padding. The ones I did this way are still better than the buckles on most heel locks I have seen. I will dig the shoes out, and post some pics sometime soon, lots of stuff is stored here and there, hard to keep track sometimes...
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