h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I did a free online history course about the Great War a little while ago, and that got unbelievably gruesome in place...

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well, I did once have to cut someone's boot off after something quite gruesome
(I'll not mention the time an eejit shot the instructor through the thigh... oops)

I'm interested though, what is this horrendous way of lacing shoes/boots?

for my docs, I use the military way: tie a knot at the end of a long lace, thread the lace up through the bottom, inside, hole and then just lace over and over and over. When you get to the top you wind it round the top of the boot a few times and tie it to itself. Very neat.

I use this method: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/overunderlacing.htm

I can do it faster than the military method, it laces up just as tightly, and is completely symmetrical which makes my brain relax. The lack of symmetry in the military method actually bothers me...

I have a simple way of dealing with shoe/boot laces. I rarely wear lace-ups! I have two pairs of lace-up shoes, both are 'walking' shoes for the rare occasions I go for a tramp in the countryside. As I'm non-military I don't worry about being able to cut the laces, so it's just an old-fashioned cross-over lacing style. Don't know if it appears on that website and I wouldn't change the lacing style if it did.

"I must admit I relace my shoes once I've bought them too. Is it just me, or do shoelaces not last more than 6 months anymore?"

Well my shoes have zippers in them, so I actually only have to relace them very rarely. The shoelaces wind up lasting longer than the shoes.

Mr. D - the military way is precisely symmetrical if you start on the inside hole every time. You can't imagine the military wants everyone doing it differently?

Can't remember who it was up there - just because you're not in the military doesn't mean you might not need your shoe off in a hurry. I've also had to cut hockey boots and a children's shoe in my capacity as a first aider. The child's shoe was luckily a canvass one because the laces were a pig to cut, so we just cut the shoe off.

Blimey....there's a shoelace website

Today's PH: When someone has posted a question in a forum, a reply that says 'I can't answer your question but thinking of you LOL xx' or similar. Slightly less irritating is 'Oh I had/have the same problem..'

Especially when there is a whole string of replies like that, but no helpful answers.

When in the land of the bluestockings, do as the bluestockings do.

Even worse is when you get an answer like 'I had that problem, so I did X...' Then when you later say, 'I tried X like you recommended, but it didn't work' you get the reply 'No, it didn't work for me, either.'

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>>http://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes

If you have been tying the 'weak' form and want to start the 'stronger' form, then instead of 'going round the bow the other way' like he does, you can start by linking the laces 'the other way' and then go round the bow the same way as always.

"the military way is precisely symmetrical if you start on the inside hole every time. You can't imagine the military wants everyone doing it differently?"

It might appear symmetrical on the surface, but one side ends up longer than the other (and wrapped around several times) AND there's the diagonal bit under the lacing that you can't see. It's objectively silly, but this stuff matters to me and when I used to do my DMs the military way was a constant source of hidden stress. #YesAllRainmen

I saw some video of where they started the lacing at the top, leaving a loop, and a half knot after the top holes, and then lacing towards the toe. At the toe, knot the ends (single knot) so they don't come through the holes, and let them slip in under the edge, being invisible.
Then use the loop at the top to tie. Looked very neat, but I haven't tried it yet.

All I said was that I didn't like the way they lace shoes up in shops.

See what I started!

It is H2G2 I suppose........

PP.

that would be h2g2 (writing it in capitals is a PH of mine...)

We bought some elastic shoelaces for my Mum so she doesn't have to bend down, she can slip her shoes on & off. Great!

Is this going to be the last word on shoe laces....?
http://www.facebook.com/Mpsicodelia/videos/638989472911615

[Before I got my brilliant new hip (nearly six weeks ago)I had elastic laces for over a year. Velcro fastenings were also very useful]

Apart from the walking shoes I mentioned earlier and one pair of sandals with Velcro straps, all my shoes are slip-ons. I haven't thought of elastic laces for my walking shoes. Are they secure enough?

Apparently not.

PP.