Boot Lace problem

“I had purchased nice, new laces for my Asolo backpacking boots when I ran into an unusual problem. I wondered if this had happened to anyone else?

The laces had a metal piece clamped on the ends, maybe 1/2 an inch long, to prevent them from fraying out. Well, I go to put a lace in BUT the metal (grommet?) is too big to go throug the metal hook-type opening the lace needs to go through. Man, are they ever small!

The laces have to go through four of these openings on each side before going to three open hooks to complete the lacing.

So, the laces wouldn't work. I cut the metal pieces off and tried to singe the ends in a candle flame to make them nice and smooth, additionally dipping the end in hot wax. That really didn't work too well. The covering on the exterior of the lace just slid back as I tried to put it through the metal opening.

So now I have to find laces with very small ends to even get them through the boot's metal lacing system.

How weird! I need to go on a boot lace hunt again.”

“Go to the army surplus store.
Purchase a hank of parachute cord in desired color.
Cut the cord to the desired length.
Pull the core material (7 strands in the good cord) from the middle of the parachute cord.
Singe the ends.
Presto-chango... extremely durable shoelace.

This will outlast the boot.
And will probably fit through your tight eye holes.”

“Nail polish.”

“Aaaah, geez, DOH! Never thought of nail polish.

But then again, it would take a nail polish wearer to think of that! ;-)”

“HA, NAILED AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Liquid epoxy is another good choice. Tougher than nail polish too. Once you're done lacing them up, soak the ends in epoxy (maybe even superglue) and allow them to dry.”

“Then again, wrapping that lace tightly about your neck would solve the problem and a few others as well:)”

“say, that's a french thing aint it?”