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Heat Shrink Tubing Aglet
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Ian's Favourite!
Normally used to insulate electrical joins, heat shrink tubing makes a neat, though slightly flexible, aglet.
It's my favourite method when shortening laces. It comes in a range of sizes and colors and is available from
electronic or electrical suppliers (ie. places that supply electricians with switches, wires, circuit boards,
components, etc) or from some auto parts stores.
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Step 1:
Choose a diameter that easily slips over the shoelace. If the fit is too snug, the tubing won't be able to
shrink as much, resulting in a flimsy aglet. I generally use about 4mm (5/32") or 5mm (3/16"). Heat shrink
tubing contracts inwards to about half its diameter, but doesn't contract lengthwise, so cut a short section
the same length as the aglet you require (about 15mm, or 1/2 inch). |
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Step 2:
Slip the tubing over the end of the shoelace; it may help to "twist" it on to avoid fraying the shoelace. If either
end still has an existing aglet, it's easier to slip the tubing over that aglet before cutting it off. |
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Step 3:
A heat gun is normally used to shrink the tubing, but you can also use a very hot hair dryer or you can hold it a
little way above a flame, taking care not to burn the tubing. Heat shrink tubing can also be wrapped in aluminium
foil and then heated directly. |
Available Colors of Heat Shrink Tubing:
Red and
Black are the most common because
they correspond to electrical wiring.
Good suppliers also stock a range of other colors, such as:
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple
White
Clear (Transparent)
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Clear Tubing:
Although red was used above (for contrast), clear heat shrink tubing produces aglets that are almost identical to
the factory-made originals, albeit slightly flexible. This is actually an advantage because they don't split. |
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Other Colors:
Combining several colors, with a clear overlay for security, is a great way to display your national or team colors! |
Extra Security:
Heat shrink tubing is primarily meant for electrical insulation, and isn't really designed to hold securely under
extreme forces. Pulling a shoelace out through a tight eyelet can therefore pull off a loosely applied heat shrink
tubing aglet.
For extra security, I've found that heat shrink tubing can be taken through two stages: In the first stage,
applying heat will shrink the tubing to a smaller diameter just as it was designed. Carefully applying more heat
will take it to a second stage where it just starts to melt and bond to the shoelace.
It's tricky to apply just the right amount of heat, as too much will cause the heat shrink tubing to either burn or
split, and if the shoelace is synthetic it could melt or deteriorate as well. With clear tubing, the ideal moment
is when the underlying whiteness of air gaps starts to disappear as the tubing and shoelace begin to bond together.
Otherwise, watch for the surface of the tubing starting to turn shiny. Either way, immediately remove the heat
if the end starts to curl or if there is any sign of smoke.
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Maximum Security:
Another alternative is heat shrink tubing with a glue layer inside (often called "Dual Wall"). You can tell this
apart by gently squashing the tubing and "hearing" the tacky interior as the sides separate. This tacky layer
results in a more secure aglet that is also firmer and less flexible. On the downside, the thickness of the aglet
can be a problem if your shoe has very small eyelets, plus the tacky interior makes it much more difficult to slide
over the end of the shoelace.
Yet another alternative is to cut some thin slivers off a hot glue stick and to feed them with the shoelace into
the tubing. The slivers of glue will melt while the tubing shrinks, so watch out for hot glue being squeezed out
the ends of the tubing!
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