Nelson Gadgets
K. B. Nelson, C.O. *
Gadget No. 7—The Nelson Shoe Horn Brace
This is one of the oldest Toe Drop braces in use today, designed by the author immediately after World War I and used ever since without any troubles. It is simple, inexpensive and inconspicuous. It is being used on high top shoes as well as on low cuts.
The shoe horn itself is made from 1/4" Oak Sole leather, cut to shape and sanded down about one third to use only the strongest part of the leather. It is then soaked in warm water to soften and dried on a cast or other means to get the shape of heel and ankle. Next it is attached to back of shoe with copper rivets and large washers on outside.
Fig. 1
The elastic is cut long enough to reach from lower part of tongue of shoe, around shoe horn and to the starting point (make it long enough). Find center of elastic and make a hole with an awl (do not use punch) and push the base section of quick rivet through hole. Drill through leather of shoe horn for top of quick rivet about one inch from top, attach elastic on outside of horn.
Then bring the elastics around to front of shoe and sew them in, right and left elastics side by side. Last, glue a piece of hard wool felt inside shoe horn.
The pictures show the leather shoe horn, sanded down, with trimmed down edges, shaped and dried, ready to use. The cross section view is a shoe with the brace, split through to show the details. We have found two pieces of elastic the best but one or three may be used.
There have been some modifications made on this brace and we shall be happy to publish them in a later issue if our readers so desire.
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