No matter what I do I can’t keep my shoes from untying. I have tried a million ways to figure it out. Now I find I am destined to double tying them. Well, that was before I learned a thing or two about tying shoes.

First problem I run into is that $#@*! aglet. If I cut off the shoe string to fit the shoe how do I keep it from fraying? That is the aglet’s job right? That little aglet has been around a few centuries. The little tiny piece at the end of the shoe lace we normally recognize as a plastic covering makes it easy to lace shoes. But aglets did not start out as those plastic thingie ma-jobbers.

Aglets started being used in the 1790s. A small thing we use every day suddenly it becomes important. But this guy, Harvey Kennedy, is the one that legend says came up with the idea of making the metal ones.

Before we used plastic we used these, many shoe repair shops kept them for sale.

And it wasn’t long after that they were mass produced. Mostly they looked the ones we see in the picture but someone got the hot idea to decorate them.

I found some on eBay that were kind of like the old ones in the 1700s shown here. Today most of our use to the plastic aglet that is cheaper and easier to produce.

Fancy aglets that possibly royalty might use.

And I found out you can make your own aglet in a pinch. Just wrap scotch tape around the end of your shoe lace and cover with clear glue and viola! Instant aglet.

But after I got sidetracked about aglets I realized that didn’t answer the question of tying the shoe and keeping it tied. Until I found out there is a proper way to tie a shoe. I have been tying my shoes incorrectly my whole life. Every time I tie them if I do not double tie them they come undone. Now I do not need to spend money buying new laces, cutting them down or throwing them out. I have a plan now. Plan one is to tie them right. Plan two is if the aglet falls off I know a quick repair job of scotch tape and clear glue!

Here is a quick video of how to tie your shoes:

Just simple little tips….how on earth did we ever make it without the internet!

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