Shift Guard On Boots

[Hotfoot]

I could use some advice. My track boots have a molded plastic piece across the toe area, that I assume is a guard to protect the boot from the shift lever. It's on both boots but on the left one it presses down on the top of my foot, and hurts. Any ideas for any way to bend that piece up to stop it from pressing down on my foot? It's the shape of the plastic piece (or possibly that part of the boot) that is the problem, NOT the pressure from shifting, it hurts before I even get on the bike. The boots are a very common and relatively inexpensive store-bought brand, not a custom boot that I can take back to the manufacturer. I like the boots, excpet for this one spot that bugs me, so I'd like to fix them somehow.

 

I'm looking for a home remedy to along the lines of "soak the leather in rubbing alcohol then shove a tennis ball into the toe area and let it sit until it reforms." Or possibly "use a blow torch to soften the plastic, then..."

 

Anyway if you have any ideas I'm listening.

[fossilfuel]

Can you remove it or modify it without damaging the leather? I would take it to a shoe repair place and ask them what they suggest. They have the tools to fix your problem if it can be fixed. I'm sure they will have a list of options. Not all shoe repair places are the same and it might take you throwing options out there to get their brains headed in the same direction as yours.