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Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 12:01pm
by CREPELLO
Does anyone know how to finish the ends of shoe laces that have been cut short? You know how quite often laces are often too long and especially with cycling shoes, the laces can end up rubbing the chain/set, even getting caught.

So is there a good neat way of finishing cut shoe laces, that is neater than rolling them in super glue or melting the ends? Is there a widget that can do the job properly? If there isn't, the person that can invent one could be a very rich person.

Right, I'm off to the workshop :wink:

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 12:03pm
by meic
Mine are finished with sellotape, They have held together for years now!

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 12:19pm
by yakdiver
Heat shrink tubing

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 12:24pm
by 531colin
Electricians heat shrink tube?
Preferably in smaller quantities than this..http://www.screwfix.com/prods/73997/Electrical-Supplies/Cable-Accessories/Cable-Covers/Cut-Piece-Heat-Shrink-Kit-Box-186Pcs
Havnt tried it, mine are melted, if they melt, or knotted if they dont melt.

Brake cable end crimps are too small, but its an approach.....

How about these....http://www.screwfix.com/prods/75317/Electrical-Supplies/Cable-Accessories/Crimps-Terminals/Crimp-Blue-Butt-Pack-of-100....only in blue or red, unfortunately

PS its raining here....can you tell?

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 12:53pm
by reohn2
They'l be most likely nylon or something similar,so try melting the ends with match or lighter.I've done this on numerous laces over the years and it works a treat.

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 12:54pm
by ChrisButch
If they're made of a synthetic material (as they probably are), the easiest way to seal the end is the method used for climbing ropes - apply a match or lighter to the end surface until it melts. It should then cool to a hard blob of plastic.

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 1:04pm
by Mick F
PVC tape.
You can get it in different colours too!

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 1:42pm
by Abu Milhem
The technical term for the tubes of plastic/metal that laces end in are called 'aiglets'. Finding replacements or new stock is very difficult. You could try Twistlink in Nuneaton (website under construction) but I am sure they are trade only. Laces with CTC logotype woven into them anyone? My favourites are burning and shaping when hot or heatshrink but the latter is not really stiff enough for relacing (you don't polish your black leather touring shoes once a fortnight? Shame!). Crimping brass/aluminium tube with a pair of side cutters is best but I rarely find this material except as scrap/salvage. You are right, though. Selling simple shoelace kits with unaigletted ends for use with a pair of pliers would certainly attract me as I do go through a lot of laces. The aftermarket is very poorly served these days. God, why am I writing all this? I must be mad.

CREPELLO wrote:Does anyone know how to finish the ends of shoe laces that have been cut short? You know how quite often laces are often too long and especially with cycling shoes, the laces can end up rubbing the chain/set, even getting caught.

So is there a good neat way of finishing cut shoe laces, that is neater than rolling them in super glue or melting the ends? Is there a widget that can do the job properly? If there isn't, the person that can invent one could be a very rich person.

Right, I'm off to the workshop :wink:

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 2:03pm
by CREPELLO
Abu Milhem wrote:Crimping brass/aluminium tube with a pair of side cutters is best but I rarely find this material except as scrap/salvage.
Brass and alu tubing is available from good model/engineering shops - I've got loads :D .Thanks for the tip; think I'll give that one a go.

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 2:05pm
by Cunobelin
Abu Milhem wrote:The technical term for the tubes of plastic/metal that laces end in are called 'aiglets'.


Almost the most important piece of information I have found since discovering that the nobbly coated liquorice allsorts are called "Spogs"!

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 2:20pm
by Abu Milhem
Almost the most important piece of information I have found since discovering that the nobbly coated liquorice allsorts are called "Spogs"![/quote]

I'm ashamed to admit that I found a website on the subject of laces where I found this nugget of information and subsequently saw it arise as a recent question in the current series of 'Mastermind'. But then you see I have always been attracted by stunningly useless but utterly precise bits of information

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 3 Oct 2010, 6:49pm
by mr riff raff
Buy shoes with velcro straps?

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 4 Oct 2010, 7:11pm
by Greybeard
ChrisButch wrote:apply a match or lighter to the end surface until it melts


You can always rely on the good old 'butane backsplice' :wink:

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 4 Oct 2010, 7:30pm
by thirdcrank
Cunobelin wrote:
Abu Milhem wrote:The technical term for the tubes of plastic/metal that laces end in are called 'aiglets'.


Almost the most important piece of information I have found since discovering that the nobbly coated liquorice allsorts are called "Spogs"!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiguillette

I don't think those chaps use them on cycling shoes although I imagine the piece contains some urban myths. Anyway, aiguillette is the diminutive of the French aiguille - a needle.

(And around here, spogs is a general term for sweets, although a quick google seems to support the liqorice allsorts nomenclature.) :mrgreen:
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Edited to add: Oh the joys of the internet. You can find anything if you google the right word. Aiguillettes has been corrupted to aglets in English, and somebody here knows all about them except a good source for buying them.

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/aglets.htm

"This year I'll be wearing sellotape aglets." :wink:

Re: Shoe lace ends...how to finish?

Posted: 5 Oct 2010, 8:16am
by eileithyia
Dipping them in clear nail varnish also works :lol: